FRABA was founded by Franz Baumgartner in 1918 as the FRABA Fabrik elektr.
Apparate.
In the same year, Franz Baumgartner received his first patent for a “Petri Switch”.
This patent would be the first of many.
The company specialized in producing mechanical relays for electrical alarm and safety devices.
Until 1943, the company was based in Cologne-Klettenberg with two departments.
From 1919 onward, the production and manufacturing expanded.
Franz Baumgartner's brother, Adolf Baumgartner, was a key figure in the family company, leading one of the two departments and writing numerous technical articles on FRABA's products in several magazines and gazettes in the years to come.

The firm was thriving in the 1920s and 1930s, with expanding export despite the economic crisis of 1929.
Several different relays, such as electro-magnetic and mechanical ones, were produced in series and FRABA pioneered in making relays used in traffic regulations.
In 1930 glass-blowing facilities were incorporated into the company.
The glass was used as a switching mechanism.
Towards the late 1920s other types of relays were developed and FRABA was a forerunner in remote-control systems.
It was a sensation when in 1928, FRABA was commissioned by the mayor of Cologne, Konrad Adenauer, to build the remote-control systems for the public street lights in Cologne.
The cities Mainz, Munich and Duisburg followed.
One person could flip a switch and turn on the lights for the whole city.
The importance of the relay switch in those years can be compared to the modern-day microchip.
FRABA was founded by Franz Baumgartner in 1918 as the FRABA Fabrik elektr. Apparate. In the same year, Franz Baumgartner received his first patent for a “Petri Switch”. This patent would be the first of many. The company specialized in producing mechanical relays for electrical alarm and safety devices. Until 1943, the company was based in Cologne-Klettenberg with two departments. From 1919 onward, the production and manufacturing expanded. Franz Baumgartner's brother, Adolf Baumgartner, was a key figure in the family company, leading one of the two departments and writing numerous technical articles on FRABA's products in several magazines and gazettes in the years to come.
The firm was thriving in the 1920s and 1930s, with expanding export despite the economic crisis of 1929. Several different relays, such as electro-magnetic and mechanical ones, were produced in series and FRABA pioneered in making relays used in traffic regulations. In 1930 glass-blowing facilities were incorporated into the company. The glass was used as a switching mechanism. Towards the late 1920s other types of relays were developed and FRABA was a forerunner in remote-control systems. It was a sensation when in 1928, FRABA was commissioned by the mayor of Cologne, Konrad Adenauer, to build the remote-control systems for the public street lights in Cologne. The cities Mainz, Munich and Duisburg followed. One person could flip a switch and turn on the lights for the whole city. The importance of the relay switch in those years can be compared to the modern-day microchip.
FRABA