Carl Zeiss founded his optics workshop in Jena, Germany, in 1846, initially focusing on microscopes. In 1872, physicist Ernst Abbe joined, revolutionizing lens design and establishing Zeiss as a leader in optics. By World War I, Zeiss had become the world's largest camera manufacturer, notably with the Zeiss Ikon brand. After both world wars, the company split into East and West German branches, with major operations in Jena and Oberkochen.