125 years of Veritas
The Latin word "Veritas" means "truth". In 1894, the ingenious Friedrich August Clemens Müller (1828-1902) from Dresden, Germany’s first manufacturer of sewing machines, thought of giving a newly-developed sewing machine the name "VERITAS".
Establishment
Clemens Müller sewing machine factory
Friedrich August Clemens Müller, the son of a linen weaver, came up with the idea of building a sewing machine that he brought back from a visit to the USA
. From 1855 onwards, he constructed the machines himself in a small workshop in the Schössergasse in Dresden.
Brand registration
On 1st October 1894, Friedrich August Clemens Müller registered the name "VERITAS" for his sewing machines with the German Imperial Patent Office. Clemens Müller subsequently used the brand name VERITAS until 1945.
Nationalisation
In 1945, parts of the factory’s premises in Dresden were attacked during air strikes. The remainung premises were largely dismantled after the war
and the company itself was nationalised.
Wittenberge’s heyday
The production of domestic sewing machines, previously carried out by VEB Schreib- und Nähmaschinenwerke in Dresden, was relocated to the (former SINGER) sewing machine plant in Wittenberge. The rights to the VERITAS trademark were acquired on 2nd October 1955 by VEB Nähmaschinenwerk Wittenberge.
New logo
Berlin graphics designer Lothar Ziratzki designed the new "VERITAS" signature in 1975.
Modernisation of the factory
Huge demand at home and abroad required the Wittenberge plant to be modernised more extensively, which was done between 1976 and 1980. 3,200 workers and employees worked in the VEB Nähmaschinenwerk Wittenberge in 1989. The seven millionth domestic sewing machine was produced on 4th October 1989.
Liquidation
After German reunification, the factory was liquidated on 31st January 1992 by the Treuhandanstalt [Trust Agency]. This resulted in several changes of ownership of the rights to the name.
Revival by Crown Technics LTD
The international rights have been held by the Swiss "BERNINA" Group since 2010. It uses the trademark rights by the Crown Technics Ltd., a 100% subsidiary based in Steckborn in Switzerland. Since then, modern sewing machines have once again been marketed across Europe under the VERITAS brand. They are distinguished by their especially favourable price to performance ratio.
VERITAS relaunch party on Berlin’s Alexanderplatz
The old-for-new event took place in the AlexOase on Berlin’s Alexanderplatz in 2016.
The party of the year
The latest milestone in the brand’s history – the combined embroidery and sewing machine VERITAS Florence – is continuing the tradition of innovation, a recurring theme throughout the VERITAS brand’s history. Join us for 125 good reasons to celebrate – and lots more in the near future!