FED
1927
1932
1934
1935
1939
1941
1947
1949
1955
1990's
The
Dzerzhinsky Workers Commune (named after Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky
the founder of the Soviet secret police) is founded in Kharkov.
Three
copies of the Leica 1a produced. These are followed, in 1933, by a further
30. None of these cameras are known to have survived.
First production
model (FED 1) introduced. Around 4000 cameras produced.
The
state police service is transferred to the NKVD and this is reflected
in the engraving on the cameras. 10000th FED produced.
The
Ukraine loses its independence, and the FED commune becomes a Kombinat.
The engraving again changes, to indicate this. The 100000th FED is manufactured.
In the
face of advancing German forces, the FED Kombinat is evacuated to Berdsk in
Siberia. The Kharkov factory is destroyed. Cameras are not produced in Berdsk
until 1945/46, when a number are assembled using pre-war parts.
Production
resumes in the rebuilt Kharkov factory.
The
FED logo appears for the first time.
Around
700000 FED Leica copies have been manufactured since 1934. Introduction
of the FED 2, the first Russian Leica copy of Soviet design.
Detailed
information is available in the
book The Authentic Guide To Russian And Soviet Cameras - Jean Loup Princelle
- Hove Photo Books (ISBN: 1-874031-63-0 (English) / 1-874031-02-9 (French))
