In their treatment of Distler Toy Trains the Western Division of TCA reports in some detail the growth and then decline of this company founded in Nuremburg around 1900 and incorporated in 1909 by Johan Distler and Kathe Distler. The company operated until 1968 in various forms and under different management but always retained the "Distler" name. Their initial product up until the beginning of WW1 was lithographed penny toys and other action transportation toys. In the course of time, the Distler's passed on ownersip of the company to new owners by the name of Braun and Meyer who ran the company from late 1920's until 1935 when Nazi anti-jewish laws forced them to reliquish the firm. The firm was purchased by Ernst Voelk who also took over Trix. Voelk was an avowed Nazi and became a powerful figure in Hitler's organization. Yet the company prospered, nearly tripling in the number of employees and still producing metal action toys and trains. Voelk ,despite his despicable political leanings, was quite the inventor and accumulated some 14 international patents in the construction of toys & trains. During WWII the Distler firm (like most others) produced war materials and was virtually wiped out with over 85% of its facilities and manufacturing capability destroyed. However due to its location in the U.S.zone , after the war between 1948-1953, Distler's major facilities were completely rebuilt . It continued to produce toy trains, mostly battery powered or clockwork, of a quite excellent quality. However over time the line continued to be reduced both in number of offerings and their quality and finally in 1957 Distler switched from making 0 gauge trains to H0 claiming it could no longer compete with the larger German firms. By that time the 0 gauge trains had been reduced to a very few offerings, almost all clockwork and of a very simple nature. The trains below are of that nature, dating from about 1955.
This is the presentation of my Distler set, likely circa about 1955. Note the "cartoon" like character of the illustration on the box lid. Oh by the way, as an interesting note, the tubular track supplied with the set, was a Distler innovation, in that it is tilted inward to allow faster speeds in the turn. It does this by having the sleepers slightly triangular with the outside higher than the inside.
Well that is about it for me this Friday, Best Wishes
Don
