Robotron: Inside East Germany's electronics empire — and why it vanished overnight

During the GDR era, Robotron was one of the most significant technology companies in Eastern Europe. With over 60,000 employees spread across numerous combines and factories, it was the heart of East Germany's electronics and computer industry, producing everything from calculators to mainframes and control systems. However, with German reunification in 1990, the state-run conglomerate, which operated on central planning rather than market demand, collapsed almost overnight, unable to compete with Western technology or survive the transition to a market economy