Loewe
German premium consumer-electronics brand known for television engineering, industrial design and integrated home-entertainment systems.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Loewe is a German consumer-electronics brand whose history began in Berlin in 1923, when brothers Siegmund Loewe and David Ludwig Loewe established Radiofrequenz GmbH. The company developed from radio manufacturing into one of Germany’s notable television and home-entertainment businesses. Its identity has been closely associated with technically ambitious products, distinctive industrial design, premium positioning and manufacturing rooted in Kronach, Bavaria. A significant early phase of Loewe’s development came through its work with physicist Manfred von Ardenne. In 1926, the company produced the Loewe 3NF, an early multifunction electronic assembly that helped establish the technical basis for the OE 333 broadcast receiver. The receiver achieved substantial sales in Germany during the early radio era. Loewe entered television development in 1929 and collaborated with British television pioneer John Logie Baird. At the 1931 Berlin Radio Show, von Ardenne demonstrated an early fully electronic television on the Loewe stand, an event that attracted international attention. During the first half of the 1930s, the company registered a large number of television patents. The political persecution of Siegmund Loewe under the Nazi regime forced him to leave Germany in 1938. During the Second World War, Loewe’s production shifted substantially toward radio equipment for the German Luftwaffe, and the company came under the control of the Reich Aviation Ministry in 1940. After the war, Siegmund Loewe recovered the company’s property and returned as chairman of the supervisory board in 1949. The company’s radio and television manufacturing operations in Kronach then became central to its postwar expansion. Loewe broadened its product portfolio during the 1950s and 1960s with recording equipment, professional video technology and portable televisions. The Optacord 500, introduced in 1961, was described as Europe’s first professional video recorder. After Siegmund Loewe’s death in 1962, Philips group subsidiaries acquired a majority stake, and Loewe increasingly concentrated on television development and production. Important products from this period included the Optaport portable television and the company’s first colour televisions, introduced as colour broadcasting began in Germany. The company regained independence through a management buyout in 1985. This period also marked a deliberate strengthening of Loewe’s design strategy. The Art 1 television, created by Heinz Jünger, became an important design milestone, and Loewe subsequently worked with external designers and agencies while developing a more systematic corporate-design programme. Loewe later entered automotive electronics through cooperation with BMW, although television remained its defining business. During the late 1990s, Loewe introduced products that connected television with emerging digital and internet functions. The Xelos @Media offered internet access, while the Spheros became one of the company’s first flat-screen television lines. Loewe went public in 1999. The rapid shift from cathode-ray-tube televisions to flat-screen technology then placed pressure on the company’s premium CRT business. In response, Loewe reorganised its range around flat screens and reinforced its premium design-led positioning. The brand received a German Brand Award in 2008 for a brand relaunch associated with this repositioning. Financial difficulties led to bankruptcy protection proceedings in 2013. The Loewe Group entered self-administration in October of that year, and major assets were acquired by Stargate Capital GmbH in March 2014. In December 2019, Skytec Group Ltd acquired full ownership of the brand and established Loewe Technology GmbH with related subsidiaries. Loewe has since continued as an independent German electronics business, retaining its base and production presence in Kronach. In 2021, it acquired land and buildings from the town of Kronach as part of a long…
History
Loewe was founded in Berlin in 1923 by Siegmund Loewe and David Ludwig Loewe as Radiofrequenz GmbH. Its early work centred on radio reception and electronic experimentation. Cooperation with Manfred von Ardenne produced the Loewe 3NF in 1926, an early multifunction electronic assembly, followed by the OE 333 broadcast receiver. The company began television research in 1929 and worked with John Logie Baird. In 1931, von Ardenne presented an early fully electronic television at the Berlin Radio Show on Loewe’s stand. The company registered numerous television patents during the 1930s. Siegmund Loewe was forced to emigrate to the United States in 1938 after the Nazi seizure of power. From 1939, Loewe’s output was directed largely toward military radio technology, and the company came under the Reich Aviation Ministry in 1940. Siegmund Loewe recovered the company’s property after the war and resumed a supervisory role in 1949. Postwar production in Kronach expanded successfully, with radio and television becoming the company’s main commercial foundations. The 1950s brought experiments such as the Optaphon cassette recorder, while the 1960s saw professional recording equipment and portable television products. In 1961, Loewe introduced the Optacord 500 professional video recorder. Following Siegmund Loewe’s death in 1962, Philips-related companies became majority shareholders. Under that ownership, Loewe increasingly specialised in televisions, launching the Optaport portable television in 1963 and colour television products in 1967. In 1979, it began producing fully integrated chassis televisions, and in 1981 it presented a stereo television system. A 1985 management buyout returned Loewe to independence. The same year, designer Heinz Jünger created the Art 1 television, which helped establish the brand’s modern premium design language. Loewe expanded its design-management capabilities and worked with external designers and agencies. In the 1990s, it also operated an automotive-electronics division connected with BMW and developed digital television products. The Xelos @Media, launched in 1998, incorporated internet access, while the Spheros, also introduced in 1998, represented Loewe’s move into flat-screen television. Loewe became a publicly traded company in 1999. The decline of CRT television caused a severe contraction in Loewe’s traditional premium market from 2003 onward. The company reorganised, shifted its television range toward flat-screen technology and pursued a stricter premium strategy. This repositioning was recognised by a German Brand Award in 2008. Continuing financial problems culminated in bankruptcy protection in July 2013 and self-administration from October. Stargate Capital acquired major assets in 2014. Skytec Group acquired the entire brand in 2019, after which the business operated as Loewe Technology GmbH. In 2021, Loewe secured additional land and buildings in Kronach for long-term development and launched We.by.Loewe. The company remains active in premium televisions and related consumer electronics.
- 2021
Kronach site investment and new sub-brand
[1]Loewe acquires land and buildings in Kronach and launches We.by.Loewe.
- 2019
Skytec ownership
[1]Skytec Group Ltd takes full ownership of the brand and establishes Loewe Technology GmbH.
- 2014
Stargate Capital asset acquisition
[1]Stargate Capital acquires major Loewe assets during the restructuring.
- 2013
Bankruptcy protection and self-administration
[1]Loewe seeks bankruptcy protection and subsequently enters a self-administration process.
- 2008
German Brand Award recognition
[1]Loewe receives recognition in the Best Brand Relaunch category for its premium repositioning.
- 1999
Initial public offering
[1]Loewe AG becomes publicly traded.
- 1998
Xelos @Media and Spheros
[1]Loewe introduces an internet-enabled television and its first flat-screen television line.
- 1985
Management buyout and Art 1
[1]A management buyout restores independence, while the Art 1 television establishes a new premium design direction.
- 1967
Colour television launched
[1]Loewe introduces its first colour televisions as colour broadcasting begins in Germany.
- 1963
Optaport portable television
[1]Loewe introduces the Optaport, a portable television with an integrated FM radio.
Products and positioning
Premium German consumer electronics combining television engineering, integrated functionality, restrained industrial design and high-end home entertainment.
Radio receiver · 1926
OE 333
The OE 333 was an early Loewe broadcast receiver developed from the company’s 3NF electronic assembly. Produced from 1926, it represented an important early attempt to integrate several electronic functions into a single consumer device and helped Loewe establish a position during Germany’s early radio boom.
Professional video recorder · 1961
Optacord 500
Introduced in 1961, the Optacord 500 was designed for professional video use and is associated with Loewe’s expansion beyond radio and television receivers into recording technology. It is remembered as an early European professional video-recorder product.
Portable television · 1963
Optaport
The Optaport, launched in 1963, was a portable television with a 25-centimetre screen and built-in FM radio. It illustrated Loewe’s effort to combine television reception with portability and additional audio functionality.
Television · 1985
Art 1
Created by designer Heinz Jünger in 1985, the Art 1 was a pivotal Loewe television. Its visual identity helped move the company toward a coherent premium design strategy and contributed to the development of Loewe’s later corporate design language.
Internet-enabled television · 1998
Xelos @Media
The Xelos @Media, introduced in 1998, combined television viewing with internet access. It reflected Loewe’s attempt to anticipate the convergence of broadcast television and online services before connected televisions became mainstream.
Flat-screen television · 1998
Spheros
Launched in 1998, Spheros was one of Loewe’s early flat-screen television lines. It marked the company’s transition away from its traditional cathode-ray-tube focus and toward the display technologies that reshaped the premium television market.
Consumer-electronics sub-brand · 2021
We.by.Loewe
We.by.Loewe was introduced in 2021 as a sub-brand intended to broaden Loewe’s consumer-electronics offering while remaining connected to the parent brand’s design and home-entertainment heritage.
Controversies
2019
Loewe faces backlash over outfit resembling concentration camp uniforms
Loewe faced backlash after shoppers and commenters said an outfit in its William De Morgan capsule collection resembled concentration camp uniforms. Loewe said it had not intended to refer to that history, apologized to anyone who felt it had been insensitive, and the outfit was removed from Loewe’s website.
2019
Loewe withdraws outfit after criticism over Holocaust-uniform resemblance
Loewe faced criticism that an outfit resembled a concentration camp uniform and removed the product from its commercial offering. The brand apologized, saying the resemblance was not its intention.
2019
Loewe apologizes and removes criticized outfit
After criticism that an outfit resembled concentration camp uniforms worn by Holocaust victims, Loewe apologized and removed the products from its website and commercial offering. The brand said the resemblance was never its intention.
Brand decisions
2021
Long-term Kronach site investmentStrategyBackground
Loewe sought to secure its established German location for future operations.
Action taken
The company acquired approximately 65,000 square metres of land and buildings from the town of Kronach and announced phased redevelopment plans.
Aftermath
The investment reinforced Kronach as Loewe’s long-term headquarters and production base.
2013
Restructuring through self-administrationStrategyBackground
Loewe faced financial distress after the technology transition and broader competitive pressure in television markets.
Action taken
The company filed for bankruptcy protection and entered self-administration in October 2013.
Aftermath
Major assets were later acquired by Stargate Capital in 2014.
2003
Shift from CRT televisions to flat screensStrategyBackground
The rapid adoption of flat-screen televisions caused Loewe’s premium cathode-ray-tube sales to collapse.
Action taken
Loewe reorganised its television portfolio around flat-screen products and reinforced its premium design positioning.
Aftermath
The move helped the company pursue a differentiated premium strategy, although financial difficulties continued in later years.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Loewe names Phuwin as its newest brand ambassador[5]
WWD reports that Loewe has named Phuwin as its newest brand ambassador.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Loewe launches limited-edition gold-plated TV[6]
Loewe launched a limited edition of 99 handcrafted 77-inch OLED bild s.77 televisions with gold-plated details. The set is available from Loewe.TV, Harrods and other high-end stockists for £12,999.
Reported
Loewe announces Spirited Away capsule collection[7]
Loewe announced a Spirited Away capsule collection created in collaboration with Studio Ghibli. The article said the full collection would be available on Loewe.com on January 7.
Reported
Loewe launches We. lifestyle technology brand[8]
Loewe launched the We. sub-brand for lifestyle technology, featuring We.Hear portable speakers and We.See LED televisions.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Loewe and Studio Ghibli collaborate on My Neighbor Totoro collection[9]
Loewe launched a collection in collaboration with Studio Ghibli featuring characters and landscapes from My Neighbor Totoro. The article says the collection is available now.
Reported
JD Luxury forms official partnerships with luxury brands[10]
JD Luxury reported that in 2021 it formed partnerships with several LVMH Group brands, including Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Dior, Loewe, Givenchy and Berluti, enabling consumers to reach their official stores through JD’s app.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Loewe faces backlash over outfit resembling concentration camp uniforms[2]
Loewe faced backlash after shoppers and commenters said an outfit in its William De Morgan capsule collection resembled concentration camp uniforms. Loewe said it had not intended to refer to that history, apologized to anyone who felt it had been insensitive, and the outfit was removed from Loewe’s website.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Loewe withdraws outfit after criticism over Holocaust-uniform resemblance[3]
Loewe faced criticism that an outfit resembled a concentration camp uniform and removed the product from its commercial offering. The brand apologized, saying the resemblance was not its intention.
Reported
Loewe apologizes and removes criticized outfit[4]
After criticism that an outfit resembled concentration camp uniforms worn by Holocaust victims, Loewe apologized and removed the products from its website and commercial offering. The brand said the resemblance was never its intention.
Sources11 sources
- 1Loewe (electronics)en.wikipedia.org
- 2Loewe faces backlash over outfit resembling concentration camp uniformstoday.com
- 3Loewe withdraws outfit after criticism over Holocaust-uniform resemblancebusinessinsider.com
- 4Loewe apologizes and removes criticized outfit13abc.com
- 5Loewe任命Phuwin为最新品牌大使news.google.com
- 6Loewe推出限量版镀金电视whathifi.com
- 7Loewe宣布推出《千与千寻》胶囊系列harpersbazaar.com
- 8Loewe推出We.生活科技品牌pocket-lint.com
- 9Loewe 与吉卜力工作室合作推出《龙猫》系列fashionunited.uk
- 10京东奢品与多个奢侈品牌达成官方合作finance.sina.com.cn
- 11Loewe launches 99 special edition Bild s.77 TVs for its 99th anniversarypocket-lint.com
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