USSR Occupied Germany markings

Hello all,

Is there someone here that may know the history behind the "USSR Occupied Germany" markings? Were they engraved in DDR for export into United States specifically (I heard there may have been a regulation in United States that required all DDR products to bear this markings) or this was not related to USA exports? Or maybe they were engraved in USA by importer? Can anyone shed any light on this?

thank you!
Vlad

Usually pre-GDR (officilly) products were marked only "Made in Germany" (in Brazil).
It was noted that only units that were bought in the USA came with¨"USSR Occupied Zone" We really do not know if these markings were USA made or done by manufacturer. Curiously all Contax S, D etc I have never seen one with such markings.
Regards

A very intriguing question.
LP

Hi Luiz,

thanks for your reply! That is what I heard as well..

this question of course stems from the Kiev No Name camera, and Peter Hennig's claim that this engraving is false with which I disagree. (see article http://tinyurl.com/jwhta7d)

Since then there were multiple cameras found here in the USA, including mine with scratched off such engraving that establish a pattern of these 1963-64 cameras bearing this markings..

The most popular theory about these Kiev 4a's that's been floating around the internet is that a batch of these camera bodies were exported to DDR/GDR where they were equipped with Zeiss lenses to pass as Contaxes (since in 60s "Kievs" would be frowned upon in USA), engraved "USSR Occupied Germany" per U.S. regulations in East Germany and exported to USA. Again no proof of any of this, just a working theory people pass around.

Cheers,
Vlad

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Luiz Paracampo</i>
<br />Usually pre-GDR (officilly) products were marked only "Made in Germany" (in Brazil).
It was noted that only units that were bought in the USA came with¨"USSR Occupied Zone" We really do not know if these markings were USA made or done by manufacturer. Curiously all Contax S, D etc I have never seen one with such markings.
Regards

A very intriguing question.
LP
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I don't completely agree.
Here are two photos of my Contax S (for sale on eBay) with that famous marking.
But I must say that I bought it in USA...[:)] So, who knows exactly...

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1952017_contax s 4.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1952017_contax s 4.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/resize/resize_image.aspx?ImgWd=800&IptFl=/UserContent/1952017_contax s 8.jpg

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/1952017_contax s 8.jpg

Amitiés. Jacques.

I have never seen a Contax camera with this markings.
And they were regularly imported in our country
I believe this "proves" that these prints were done only in USA
Pehaps to commemorate oe enhace the "Cold War" ?
Regards
LP

Specially Vlad, the Kiev no-name was my first attempt.
I now particularly was ever intrigued why there were no
markings in British <b>Occupied </b>zone (sttutgart) French or USA zones?
Soon after the war Japanese câmeras and various produts had the slogan
Made in Occupied Japan with no mention who else occupied.
Regards
LP