Zwischen Internationalisierung und Deindustrialisierung

Abstract

This article examines the transformation of the West German household appliance industry since the late 1960s within the broader context of deindustrialization and internationalization. Focusing on the contrasting trajectories of AEG and Bosch-Siemens Hausgeräte (BSH), it analyses how companies responded to market saturation, rising international competition, technological change, and globalization. While production and exports increased, employment in domestic manufacturing declined as companies rationalized production, automated processes, and expanded foreign production. The article argues that the sector did not experience an abrupt collapse, but rather a gradual process of "silent deindustrialization". Drawing on statistical data, sources of company archives, and recent deindustrialization research, the article demonstrates how strategic cooperation, specialization, and international expansion enabled some firms to remain competitive, whereas others lost their independence or disappeared completely.