E. Leitz New York in World War II

Keith Fleming

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A frequent forum contributer, buzzardkid, just sold a 1941/42-vintage Leica IIIC in the classifieds. The body had an E. Leitz New York mark permanently attached. I know E. Leitz New York had lenses manufactured in the U.S. during the war, but was it able to obtain new camera bodies indirectly through neutral third countries? Or did the company just sell used bodies during that period when the U.S. was at war with Germany?

I should add that I tried to search this forum's archives for the answer, but no matter how many words I used, I always got a message on my screen that I was using less than the minimum three words in my question.

Keith
 
A frequent forum contributer, buzzardkid, just sold a 1941/42-vintage Leica IIIC in the classifieds. The body had an E. Leitz New York mark permanently attached. I know E. Leitz New York had lenses manufactured in the U.S. during the war, but was it able to obtain new camera bodies indirectly through neutral third countries? Or did the company just sell used bodies during that period when the U.S. was at war with Germany?

I should add that I tried to search this forum's archives for the answer, but no matter how many words I used, I always got a message on my screen that I was using less than the minimum three words in my question.

Keith

I'm sure he added that marking, they were no Leica IIIC's sold in the USA untill 1948..........go ahead and ask him 🙂

Leica sales to the US Public ended in August 1939 with the closure of ELNY and the end of the printing of the American Leica Photography magazine. No cameras were received from Germany after this time and no business was conducted with the German factory after August 31st 1939. (this is documented in some issues of the Leica Photography magazine printed in the 1950's, I have also read that ELNY assets and business records were all put into holding at that time, for an indefinite period etc. etc.)

Hostilities between Germany and Great Britain ended the cross Atlantic imports of many items and the Leica camera was one of those items.

Privately owned camera shops that might have carried Leica cameras and accessories would have had stock untill it was all sold out, but no one else received anything new once war in Europe had broken out.

Between August 1939 and early 1940 the US Army may also have taken in some deliveries of left over Leica IIIA's and IIIB's just how many I don't know?
Some US Army Signal Corps historians have told me this story over the years, but I have still to see some military documents supporting the fact.
(I have seen Leitz New York accessories like lens hoods and filter boxes stamped with USASC triangles and mid 1940's dates so some equipment did go to the US Army from ELNY deadstock).

The Leica IIIC and "wartime" IIIC K was NEVER sold to the general public outside of Nazi Germany (and in the Nazi controlled countries) , a handful (less than 100) may have been captured by Allied forces between June 1940 and May 1945 and also some IIIC cameras were must surely acquired over the Shetland Bus ~ Via Great Britain over Norway from Sweden.........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shetland_bus


And some cameras were even shipped to Japan (for use by the Japenese Air Force and Navy) , but the only civilian issues of cameras/lenses during the war to an outside country were to Neturals like Spain, Sweden and Switzerland (less than 500 cameras).

Regular civilian production and sales to and from ELNY didn't reopen untill 1948.

All Leica "stepper" style IIIC cameras and also "flat top" styled cameras made between May 8th 1945 into 1947 were issued to the US Forces In Germany.

I hope this clears up your questions about Leitz New York during the war. 😀

Tom
 
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Taken my post off , since Leica Tom knows the full story below.

Thanks Pan Sir!

Well, it's only part of the story, seems that the postwar period of 1945 to 1949 with the history of Leica is kinda dim when it comes to written research. 🙁

Seems the model years, cameras and lenses are covered well in many books, but I have never seen a good book written about the business role Leitz New York played in bringing the Leica back to the USA after WW2.

In the postwar era many people were strangely errie about talking about let alone using cameras and products made by a country who had been our ememy just a few years before.

The returning American GI's had alot to do with brightening up the reputation of the company in America back then as well.........with that it's all water under the bridge now and Leica despite it's qurips and issues is still one of a best camera companies around. 😉

Tom
 
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Leica Tom,

Thank you for your thorough answer to my question about ELNY. Your broad and deep knowledge of Leica cameras is most impressive.

Keith Fleming
 
Between August 1939 and early 1940 the US Army may also have taken in some deliveries of left over Leica IIIA's and IIIB's just how many I don't know?
I've seen advertisements in American wartime periodicals in which the US military requested high quality cameras from camera stores and the public. One can assume some of those cameras sold to the Army were Leicas from patriotic owners. But again. no idea one what numbers we are talking about.

Coincidentally, I have been seeing an increasing number of IIIB's being sold lately.
 
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I've got an unused Leitz New York polarizer still in the box. Never could figur out why Leitz had a New York production facility. Thanks for the info.
 
When I had a clear our a while ago I thought I sold a 1939 catalogue from Leitz NY with a 1941 supplement or price list. I'll see if I can find any pictures or info on it.

Regards, David
 
Two hours later...

Two hours later...

Hi,

I found the ebay slip for the old Leitz NY price list etc.

The bundle was a letter from Leitz NY apologising for a missing packet and enclosing a replacement. The letter was dated 23rd February 1943 and the enclosures were a 1939 catalogue with a price list dated 15th March 1941 and another dated 1st October 1941.

Most with "Prices on Application" stamped on them. I can't say more than that as it was a small picture for ebay...

I'm sorry I can't say more than that but I've been slowly getting rid of all my Leitz NY stuff as I replace it with "Leitz Wetzlar and London" versions. The latest is on ebay this week; a full set of 1935 and 1938 "Directions" etc.

One other point of interest, the NY copy of "Handle the Leica" went up to the IIIb but the London version went to the IIIa and both were almost the same date (August and October 1938) but the London version showed colour prints as examples of Leica work and the NY version only had B&W illustrations for the examples...

Regards, David
 
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