Aeg

AEG, short for Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft, was a German electrical equipment company founded in 1883 in Berlin by Emil Rathenau. It became one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of electrical machinery, contributing to the development of power generation and distribution systems, electric motors, transformers, and related industrial equipment. The company also produced consumer appliances and consumer electronics as electrification expanded into households and businesses worldwide.

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, AEG played a major role in electrification projects across Germany and other countries, expanding into multiple lines of business including machinery, rail equipment, and later household appliances. The postwar period brought restructuring and diversification as markets changed and competition increased. In the late 20th century, AEG’s traditional engineering and industrial segments were reorganized or phased and the group’s consumer appliance activities began to move to other corporate structures.

Today, the AEG name survives primarily as a brand used for home appliances under Electrolux in many markets. The brand is associated with European kitchen and laundry products such as ovens, hoods, dishwashers, and washing machines. The original company as an independent entity ceased to exist, but its legacy as a pioneer in electrical engineering is reflected in the long history of the AEG name in industry and technology.