The 1950s

Optische Werke Passau on the upswing: On the expansion and highly combustible celluloid

With 220 employees and 50 countries that have to be supplied worldwide, the production facility on Passau's Grubweg starts to get a bit cramped. So in 1959, Optische Werke Passau lays the cornerstone for its new plant in Auerbach – a modern production facility that is also a friendly place to work.

Catalogue from the 1950s

It's supposed to be on one level because in the summer of '59, a fire burned the celluloid production entirely to the ground. Including a 40,000 DM inventory of glasses. Cause of the fire: flying sparks from a lamp.

Article from the Passauer Neue Presse, April 1959

The VW Transporter (affectionately known as "the Bulli") came out in 1950, and was used at OWP since the very start.