Groma Kolibri typewriter

Groma Kolibri typewriter made in GDR (ca.1956/57)

Groma´s Kolibri model was manufactured by VEB Groma Schreibmaschinen Markersdorf, a GDR state ("people")-owned company. Previous to the Second World War, this was Maschinenfabrik G. F. Grosser in Markersdorf (hence Groma).(source: Arnold Betzwieser, Kleine Ausstellung historische Bürotechnik, at: http://www.stb-betzwieser.de/aktuelles/ausstellung/kategorien/groma.html).

The production line of small Groma typewriters ran from about 1950 to 1960 (source: Will Davis, East German portable typewriters (and a few West German portables too), at: http://www.geocities.com/wbd641/germany3.html). The Kolibri model looks very similar to the Gromina, however, there are small differences in design (Will Davis, precit., states that Gromina was also sold under the name of Kolibri). For comparison, see the images on Richard Polt's The Classic Typewriter Page:
- Groma Gromina
- Groma Kolibri

Our Kolibri has the serial number 579.197. Using comparative data on R. Polt's page, we can conclude that it was produced in 1956 or 1957 (source: http://staff.xu.edu/~polt/typewriters/tw-collection.html). It has a German keyboard, and is still with its original bag.

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