View source for Emo Leichtmetallbau, Ernst Modl & Co



During World War II the output of musical instrument companies in Graslitz like F.X.Hüller & Co, Julius Keilwerth and others shifted to war equipment. After the German take over in 1938 the factories in Sudetenland became an important part of Hitler's war economy. On this page I collected some stories about this shift, with a focus on the activities of the F.X.Hüller company.


===War economy===

After the annexation in October 1938 Sudetenland was quickly incorporated in the German war economy. In mid-October 1938, only a few weeks after the Munich Agreement, Hermann Göring demanded at a meeting in the Reich Aviation Ministry with regard to the situation in the Sudetengau: "The economy must be completely converted. An investigation of all production sites should be initiated, to see whether they can be converted to armaments and export, or whether they should be shut down. " 

The territory of the Czech Republic was considered fairly safe from bombings during the Nazi regime. Especially in the final stages of World War II, this lead the concentration camps of  Auschwitz,  Flossenbürg (eastern Bavaria) und  Groß-Rosen (Lower Silesia) to establish an extensive system of subcamps for armament production in the Sudetengau, the border areas which had been annexed by the German "Reich" in 1938, and in the Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia. In the Sudetengau, there was neither war equipment nor ammunition production before the outbreak of war. Therefore new businesses had to be created. The most important new forges in the Sudeten area were state-owned companies built according to the "Montan scheme". The Montan scheme was based on trust agreements between the German Reich and the private sector. Private companies (parent companies) received an order from the Army Inspectorate (HWA) for the construction of an armaments company at government expense. A shell contract was concluded between a parent company and the HWA and a subsidiary was founded, which leased the plant from the army's own society for Montanindustrie GmbH (Montan GmbH). In this way, at least 119 companies were created by the end of the war, employing 190,000 people on November 1, 1944. According to this principle, six large arms factories were founded in the Sudetengau in 1939-1940, which were generally treated preferentially in the allocation of labor. Nevertheless, the newly founded ammunition factories in the Sudetengau suffered from labor shortages.

Between 1939 and 1945, at least 10,000 aircraft, mostly training and later fighter jets, were produced for the German army in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and in the Sudetenland. In the Czech Republic, Hitler produced from training biplanes to strategic bombers, from jet fighters to helicopters. In the other occupied European countries, only 3,881 German aircraft were produced between 1941 and 1944.

===Emo Leichtmetallbau, Ernst Modl & Co. KG===

The production of F.X Hüller & Co shifted from saxophones and trumpets to war equipment, more specifically aircraft parts. 
Already from the start of the war in September 1939 most of the production was diverted to war production and that took off so much that because of that in 1940 extensions of the main building were necessary. By the end of 1940 the amount of war orders made additional factory space needed. On May 6th 1941 F.X.Hüller & Co bought an an old weaving mill in Grünberg that was disused since 11 years. This became the location of F.X. Hüller Werk II. On December 1st 1941 this Werk II was transferred to a separated Limited company under the name <strong>Emo Leichtmetallbau, Ernst Modl & Co K.G. Grünberg bei Graslitz Sudetengau</strong>. Partners in Emo Leichtmetallbau were the same as in F.X.Hüller & Co: the two daughters of Hüller, Susanna and Philipinne and Ernst Modl, the husband of Philipinne. They brought together a RM120.000 share capital. 

The annual turnover of 1938 was RM 287.139, in 1939 it went up to RM 307.605. Net income went down from RM 46727 in 1938 to RM 6497 in 1939. A dip because of the shift away from the lucrative civil manufacturing to the Wehrmacht manufacturing (hull parts). This was split between Modl (25%, his wife Philippine Modl-Hüller (25%) and Susanna Riedl-Hüller, the other daughter of F.X.Hüller (50%).
In 1940 turnover was RM 590.353, (with a profit of RM 16.000) to  RM 1.517.520 in 1941 of which RM 1.164.403 was attributed to Wehrmacht orders. In 1943 the turnover growed to some RM 5.000.000. Profit raised from 61.000 in 1941, through RM 250.000 (181.000) in 1942 to RM 272.000 (122.000) in 1943.

These are rough figures. 
In 1941 Hüller was active in aviation manufacturing (repair and manufacture of tail units, sliding windows for Argus and other 1st aircraft companies).
For buying the new premisses RM 44.000 was reserved, for repair and renovation an additional RM 103.000
In 1941 some RM 174.000 was spend on vices, riveting hammers, lathes, pipe bending machines and other tools, machines and office equipment.
As of May 1941 they are confirmed as Rüstungsbetrieb betreuung Luftwaffe (Armaments company support Luftwaffe).
In a meeting on January 16th 1942 Modl and his commercial manager tell the bank that from the foreseen investment of RM 438.000 already RM 320.000 was invested. The F.X.Hüller company had made available far more than the foreseen RM 120.000 but now they are getting in trouble, so Modl asks for advance payment of the RM 100.000 public aid. The rest of the RM 438.000 investment is to be paid through a credit of RM 238.000 from the Bank der Deutschen Luftfahrt. By then they have some RM 7.000.000 orders and expect to have 331 people at work, needing another 150.
The list of orders that Emo hands over in an annex of a letter shows Messerschmitt, Junker, Heinkel, Arado,  Märkischer Metallbau, BEW, and the largest ones, REWE, which stands for Reparaturwerke Erfurt and Argus, a airplane motor manufacturor.
<gallery>
File:Auftragsbestand Emo Leichtmetallbau.jpg|<small>Summary of the Emo Leichtmetallbau order book, source Bundesarchiv.de</small>
</gallery>
On March 9th 1942 commercial manager Josef Wesp is replaced by Nordhaus in his authority to sign.
On June 18th 1942 Modl takes out a mortgage of RM 253.000 with the bank the Bank der Deutschen Luftfahrt. On july 23rd Nordhaus states that the new facilities are in use since 4 weeks, employing mor than 600 people, 142 of them Russians.
From October 1st, down payments for orders from the armed forces may no longer be granted, they have to be financed from own resources or credits.

In 1943 a conflict arose about the annual statements over 1941 and 1942. On January 26th Modl talks to the Bank der Deutschen Luftfahrt. His commercial director Nordhaus has left the company per Jan 1st (with a half year salary). Obviously due to different opinions. Also with his technical director Schneedorf there are disagreements, so the report of this visit. There's a complaint made against the company, presumably by Nordhaus or Schneedorf, which is checked by the Gestapo in Karlsbad. Mr. Modl is not aware of any guilt "at most one or the other article from the early days of production could be priced too high'. Modl wants a price check by the RLM. He has also asked the Deutschen Revisions- und Treuhandgeselschaft (German auditing and trust company) for a check of the accounts for 1941 and 1942. On February 2, 1943 an agreement was concluded between the Reich and the firm about expansion of the company in connection with investments of RM 440000. On February 15th Modl appoints Ober Ingenieur Friedrich König as his stand in as technical director and operations manager to reorganise the company. The next day he is arrested by the Gestapo, as is herr Schneewolf. Two employees of Reparaturwerk Erfurt G.m.b.H. (REWE), Küning and Voltz are sent to Emo to keep the company running. The arrest of former commercial director Nordhaus is expected, they say in  phone call with the Bank.
In September König has left the company. already Ernst Modl was arrested by the Gestapo and for several months kept in prison in Karlsbad.  The Deutschen Revisions- und Treuhandgeselschaft (German auditing and trust company) is asked to check the accounts, they start the work but are too busy with other things. 
Mid 1943 business trustee Dr Constantin Reiffert was appointed with the consent of Modl and the Reichs minister to straighten the 1941 and 1942 accounts, which had to be checked then by the Deutschen Revisions- und Treuhandgeselschaft 

The accusation is that Modl has charged too high fixed prices. Modl is arrested along with his directors Schneewolf and Nordhaus
In 1944 it is decided that Reiffert, who led the company in Modl's absence, takes a share of RM60.000 in the company and becomes sole representative as of January 1st. He gets a 50 percent share in the profits and an annual RM 34.200 fee. Modl is withdrawing completely. The Deutschen Revisions- und Treuhandgeselschaft  AG Berlin overlooks the accounts of 1941 and 1942, they finish theid research in October 1943 but it takes until May 1944 befere the report is ready. On May 24th a report of  is sent to the Bank der Deutschen Luftfahrt Berlin by Reiffert and he announces that he'll come to Berlin to discuss the financial consequences with the ministry and the bank.
Over 1941 and 1942, the company must repay a total of RM 361.0000 to the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM).
Of this, it is raised from own resources, RM 125.000 is paid from a credit and 100.000 is given in the form of a subsidy, which is not paid to the company but to the RLM. 
In 1944 the company builds aggregates for Messerschmitt and Arado. Reiffert writes in a July 24th 1944 letter to the Reichsminister that the directors were not familiar with the consent and settlement requirements and that they and that they had obtained no personal benefit, all the money went back into the business. At that time, Emo already had a workforce of 1000 people.
In oktober 1944 Emo realises an extension of the facilities for total of RM 837.000, costs for the building, machinery, tools. Almost half of it is financed from own resources.
The shareholders by then Modl RM 78.128, Reiffert, RM 60.000 PhSusanna RM 50.672 and Philipinne RM 21.728. The company has high stocks from Arado and Messerschmitt because of air defense reasons

After that he handed over the company to Dr. Rieffert. An investigation of the figures led to the conclusion that Emo had to pay back RM 361.000. That was partly paid by Emo, partly financed by a loan and partly subsidized. 

In 1943 the balance sheet already shows a Barackenlager, a barrack camp for RM 27.250, that's on the list of investments for 1942. Also RM 21.869 for the set up. 
In 1943 Rieffert gets RM 120 for his work as manager.

 <gallery>
File:A Meinl 1900.jpeg|<small>The factory of Adalbert Meinl around 1900, in use until 1922</small>
</gallery

Gallery>
File:Emo Leichtmetallbau nu, sinds 1992 Kukal & Uhlíř s.r.o..jpg|<small>The former Emo Leichtmetallbau factory, since 1992 used by Kukal & Uhlíř s.r.o.</small>
File:Factory Zelena Hora.jpg
</gallery>

The back of the fuselage
The list of relocated production from 11.4.1945 lists the companies E. Modl in Kraslice (" E.Modl, Graslitz ") for companies producing the rear part of the Me 262 rupee ("Rumpfhinterteil" - part of the fuselage from the end of the cockpit to the tail surfaces ). Its capacity at that time was supposed to be 220 sets per month, but that was probably a theoretical capacity. The same plant is also mentioned in the post-war interrogation of an FWE employee , who described it as 'Leichtmetall Emo, Graslitz'. The company used to produce parts of kites for Junkers and Heinkel aircraft, but in January 1945 it was already operating in the Me 262. However, the employee did not state what its production content was and we are not able to confirm the information of the German April document. We also did not manage to find out the approximate actual production of the company.  (http://www.vrtulnik.cz/ww2/protektorat2.htm)http://www.vrtulnik.cz/ww2/k_karlovarsky.htm)

===Forced labor===

The work at the Emo factory was done by laborers from different sources, not only Russians. EMO owned a work camp were workers of various nationalities - the Czechs (19%), the Russians (61%), the French (12%), the Belgians (5%), the Dutch (3%) who were totally employed at EMO were interned. During the camp's existence - from February 1942 to April 1945 - there lived 450 people, including 4 women, wives of total workers, and 2 children born in the camp. (Tábory utrpení a smrti, Růžena Bubeníčková et al).
   
On a period postcard sent from about 1943 from Zelená Hora - Tisová, Čech Pepa writes: “I am writing to you as soon as we have arranged a crumb here. We are in a camp. Living is good here, except that we have to get up at half past six. Otherwise it'll work. We met until 8 and they still handed them over to the police on Monday, so they send them here. We're doing quite a good job so I'm curious how it will be, we haven't done it well yet and we have to get to the factory. We have a lot of snow here, that when we go to work, we put on our shoes. Not to mention that I wasn’t wearing low shoes. ”As an address he states: EMO camp, Graslitz, Sudetengau, Wonhajm 2, Štube 3.

Jules van Egdom, from Belgium was such a forced laborer at EMO from 09.08.1944 tot 10.04.1945. According to Van Egdom the camp for Modl was in Schwaderbach (now Bublava), some 4 kilometers north. He knew that there were made musical instruments at that location before. Previously he worked in Fischamend and Schwadorf near Vienna (WNF Wiener Neustäter Flugzeugwerke), later in Kratzau (Spreewerk) until the liberation by the Russians.
<gallery>
File:Jules van Egdom (2).JPG
File:Jules van Egdom Ausweis.JPG
Jules_van_Egdom_dienstbevel.JPG</gallery><small>Jules van Egdom, and his Ausweis and Gestellungsbefehl, declaring that he was working at EMO Leichtmetallbau.</small>
[[File:Swaderbach 0.jpg|thumb|left|<small>The Emo/Hüller factory was at Grunberg (Zelená Hora), the workers camp at Schwaderbach (Bublava)</small>]] [[File:Theo_Geijssen.jpg|thumb|right|<small>Theo Geijssen</small>]]

Bublava was already a popular tourist center at the beginning of the 20th century. In the period between the wars, there were 26 pubs and two dance halls. There were cross-country and downhill skiing trails in the area, as well as several ski jumps. 
The end of these idyllic times for Bublava came with Hitler coming to power. After the war, most of the village was demolished, especially in the immediate vicinity of the border. 

Another forced laborer was Dutchman Theo Geijssen from Utrecht (1923-2013). He was in Graslitz before Van Egdom and his description makes me believe that he was at the EMO factory as well.  "I was in Czechoslovakia too, it must have been in 1943. A group was selected and they went to Regensburg to work in the Messerschmidt factories, which were a little further away. But when we arrived in Regensburg, those factories were bombed and so we couldn't go to work there. So we split up again and went to Graslitz, a place in the mountains, where there was a village with a machine factory, and then we had to go to work there. We slept again in a Lager. We were there for about half a year, no longer. In Czechoslovakia we had no freedom at all, we didn't see much there either. You had to go all the way up the mountain, there you were sleeping. And then down, you were exhausted in the evening. I stood there all day behind a lathe, I had the day shift, you also had night shifts, which stood behind the same machine as where I was. Then I got comments that those from the night shift made 20 pieces of something and I only 10. So I had to work harder and when I said that I could not work harder, that machine had to be set faster. So I let that machine run faster and then it crashed, haha! It was not on purpose, of course not. If you didn't do what they said they threatened you to go to a concentration camp that was nearby, Theresiënstadt, a very tough camp. Of course you didn't feel like it at all."

The National Socialist war economy had an almost insatiable hunger for ever new workers. First the need for labor could be largely covered by the use of civilian foreign workers (like Van Egdom and Geijsen) and prisoners of war, but the labor market collapsed in the summer of 1944 due to the lack of influx. Forced labor was an essential pillar of the National Socialist economic system in both the Sudetengau and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. The massive expansion of the network of KZ satellite camps in 1944 was a reaction to the drying up of the influx of previously used groups of forced laborers. Thus, in many cases, a barely comprehensible genealogy of various camps with different groups of forced laborers developed in the same place.

===Luftfahrtgerätewerke Hakenfelde===
Even before the war, the German Reich Ministry of Aviation requested that all Siemens products intended for aircraft on-board equipment be included in one central plant. For this purpose, a new production complex was built in Berlin Spandau - Hakenfelde, and on October 1, 1940, a subsidiary Luftfahrtgerätewerk Hakenfelde GmbH (Aircraft Instrument Plant, abbreviated LGW) was established. LGW manufactured measuring, regulation and control technology (especially autopilots) for aircraft, missiles and submarines. In 1943, it began moving its production to places where they hoped to be more protected from air raids and bombing. These electrical and fine mechanical on-board instruments for the aerospace armament industry were then also manufactured by newly designated factories.
The first private enterprise, which established an external production camp in Sudetengau in December 1943, was the Siemens subsidiary Luftfahrtgerätewerke Hakenfelde GmbH (LGW), which operated another warehouse until the end of the war in Graslitz (Kraslice). These formed together with other satellite camps in neighboring Saxony and Bavaria, a separate sub-camp network. LGW relocated from Berlin to the territory of Sudeten, among others, to protect against air strikes. The headquarter for this branch became the textile firm (velvet production) J.L. De Ball, (now Sametex). (Untere Bahnhofstrasse/ Richard Wagnerstrasse 830 now Československé armády). The plants were housed in two facilities, 1 und II, in the factory buildings of Hupfer & Sohn (a woolen goods factory, at the Lehrerplatz/Dukelská, the former Hlawatsch & Isbary, since 1918 part of Vereinigten Schafwollwaren-Fabriken-A.G. until 1939, now housing the Amati factory), Julius Keilwerth (saxophone factory), Steubing & Co., (Maschinenfabrik, in 1941 listed as munition production, from 1939 in the former factory of Anton Richard Breinl,  229, 231,232 S munition production SudetenCompass 1941,1942, 1944) Hans Rölz (a musical toy company at Wolkerova 1269), and EMO Leichtmetallwerke in the Grunberg/Zelená Hora part of Graslitz. 

<gallery>File:Hans Rölz Wolkerova 1289.jpg|<small>Hans Rölz, Wolkerova čp 1289</small>
File:4Keilwerth nu Havlíckova 1348.jpg|<small>Julius Keilwerth, Havlíčkova 1348</small>
File:Hlawatsch & Isbary 44.jpg|<small>Hupfer & Sohn/the former Hlawatsch & Isbary/now Amati, Dukelská 44</small>
File:Steubing & Co former AR Breinl.jpg|<small>Steubing & Co, the former AR Breinl,ul. 5. května čp. 231</small>
File:JL Ball Sametex.jpg|<small>J.L.Ball, now Sametex, Československé armády čp. 830</small></gallery>

The relocation of a part of the LGW production to Kraslice was based on the creation of Arbeitslager Graslitz (Kamp Graslitz) at the De Ball factory. Milena Kalčíková, a prisoner in the camp of Svatý Kateřina, went to the new Graslitz camp to assemble the beds. She remembers: "The Kraslice camp was such a red building at the station. Burnt bricks." The camp was a women's camp. The (female) prisoners were housed on the floor above the factory hall of De Ball. Another source states that the womens camp was located in the former Durst & Krey dyeing plant at the riverside of the De Ball-complex. At the beginning of August 1944, the first 150 women from KT Ravensbrück were relocated to Kraslice. The Kraslice district camp was originally governed by KT Ravensbrück, but since September 1, 1944, it was included under the Flossenbürg KT.  In December there were already 483 prisoners. In March and April 1945 this number increased rapidly to the number of 900. The cause was evacuation transport of other camps, as it was in the case of Svatavy. Kalčíková: "Most of the women in the camp belonged to the German 'asocials', the rest a few 'political' Russians, a French woman, a few 'asocial' Polish. There were also 15 Czech political prisoners and 29 Czech and Slovak gypsies."
There now is a textile company (Sametex S.A.) in the former camp. There is a commemorative plaque on the wall of the building with the inscription: "Arbeitslager Graslitz, branch of KZ Flossenbürg was located in this building in the 2nd World War".

====Hans Rölz====
At the Hans Rölz factory hulls for Arado and Messerschmitt were made. The Messerschmidt 262 was build here in 1944. From 1940, the Kraslice company Püchner also had to take over arms orders, which were carried out through the Rölz company.
Hans Rölz - a factory for the production of children's musical instruments and toys - had 2 camps called HARO. The "HARO I" labor camp was established in October 1942. It was located in an old factory building at 471 Klingenthalerstrasse. The company's building stood in today's B. Smetana ulici in the parking lot at the KMS boiler room. The camp was home to 80 workers totally employed by this company (mostly Czechs and also a group of French and Italians). They could go out freely during the day, but they were not allowed to stay outside the camp. 
The "HARO II" labor camp was in 15 wooden houses of the H. Rölz factory at 1269 Eibenbergerstrasse. Today, the former premises of the Denak company, Amati in Wolkerova Street. Ukrainian (about 80%) and Italian (about 20%) workers were interned here, totally assigned to work for the named company. During the day, they could move unattended, but they were not allowed to stay outside the camp. The camp has existed since November 1941 and was home to about 180 people. Shortly before the arrival of the American army, in April 1945, everyone was released.

====J.L. de Ball====
In the J.L. de Ball factory parts for fighter planes of the German Air Force, possibly also parachutes, and hammocks for the Afrika Korps were made. Vinzenz Kohlert made components for aircraft, AK Hüttl manufactured aircraft engine piping. Johann Köstler, a manufacturer of flutes and wind accordions with production in Dlouhé ulici č. 354(Lange Gasse, today ulice Pohraniční stráže No. 357 - 359) also was forced to become a supplier for the war industry. They worked for Emo - Grünberg and made parts for the aerospace industry. At EMO Leichtmetallbau the tail pieces and parts of the landing gear for aircrafts were made.

===Steubing==== 
The premises of A. R. Breinl - a factory for children's musical instruments and toys, Kraslice No. 229, 230 - 233 Hübelpeint Street (today 5. května) were taken over by the German company Maschinenfabrik Steubing & Co. KG from Berlin. The area is known as the long-standing seat of AUTOBRZDY n. P., Today Kornet, s. R. O.  Like most Kraslice companies, it produced for the armaments industry during the war. The prisoner-of-war camp "Steubing A. K. 2005/3" was located in Mánesova ulici (then Schönbacherstrasse), about 100 m behind the railway line. It was built in 1944 and moved to Mánesova ulici from Anglické ulice (today Palackého), where it has existed since 1942. 242 Russian prisoners of war were interned here, totally assigned to work in the Steubing factory in Kraslice. Working hours lasted 8-12 hours a day, the diet was very poor and insufficient, so 4 prisoners died of malnutrition, exhaustion. Several of them suffered accidents at work.

====Stowasser====
W. Stowasser and Brüder Stowasser, manufacturers of musical instruments, were replaced by a joint venture between the two companies in the Stowasser factory building on Kamenný potok with 50 employees under the name Metallwarenfabrik Stowasser, which produced components as a military weapons company under Wilhelm Stowasser for the air plant in Cheb. Today, the company Šťastná - textile production is located in the buildings U Plynárny (formerly Gasweg) No. 253 and No. 1909.
====A.K.Hüttl====
At A. K. Hüttl - a factory for the production of brass wind instruments (Fabrik von Metallblasinstrumenten) - a labor camp was established in 1942 in a long wooden building on the factory grounds (in the factory garden). There were 63 workers of French nationality living in it, who were totally assigned to work here. They were able to move freely around the day during the day, but in the evening they had to be in the camp at the appointed time and they were not allowed to stay outside the camp. This is the area of the former Amati company catering (no. 1149), today the seat of the company RZ Woodwind Manufacturing, s. R. O. and the school club (villa of the factory owner A. K. Hüttl no. 965/57) in Dukelská street. 

The place for the assembly until the removal was determined by the District Administrative Commission
EMO Lager in Tisovská street and Steubing Lager meeting place in Mánesova ulici. 

<gallery>[[File:Schwaderbach 1928.jpg]]
</gallery>






https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_234
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Me_262

[[File:EMO Grunberg.jpg]]
In SOKOLOVSKO Magazine of inhabitants and friends of Sokolovsko (nr 2, 2020) Pavel Palůch describes how at the end of the 1980s, during the demolition of the boiler room extension in the then AUTOBRZDY company, in the 07 Tisová plant near Kraslice, the company's employees, Mr. Zdeněk Minařík and Mr. Karel Uhlík, found about 50 hidden metal signs. Today, this factory complex houses the company Kukal & Uhlíř, s. R. O. The metal signs with a diameter of 35 mm bore the designation "EMO - GRÜNBERG" (EMO - GREEN MOUNTAIN) and a stamped up to three-digit number. The characters were found in 3 colors - yellow (with a capital letter "T" in the middle), green (with a capital letter "O" in the middle) and purple (with a capital letter "F" in the middle).

The characters found were probably used to identify the deployed workers who worked for EMO and were attached to clothing using a safety pin on the back. The letters on the signs indicate T - Tschechen (Czechs), O - Ostarbeiter (Eastern workers - officially referred to as citizens introduced to work from Soviet territory, except Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, i.e. mainly Russians and Ukrainians) and F - Franzosen (French ).