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Addiator Duplex
cipher variant
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Hand cipher device for numbers
Addiator Duplex 1 was a manual cipher device
for the encryption and decryption
of numbers — in particular financial results — developed around 1961 by
Addiator Rechenmaschinenfabrik C. Kübler GmbH in Berlin
(Germany) [3].
It was intended for encryption of financial information of department stores
– typically the daily turnover – so that it remained unknown to the workforce.
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The device measures 127 x 78 x 5 mm and weights 128 grams. It consists of 8 slide rules
that are accessible through windows and slots at both sides of the enclosure. The position
of the sliders can be altered with an aluminium stylus.
The front side is known as the addition side, whilst the rear is named the
subtraction side.
It is based on the design of the Addiator Duplex calculator, which was first released
in 1930. It offered financial personnel a way to mechanically
add and subtract numbers, and was available until the demise of the
company in 1975 [2].
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As the cipher variant is similar, it allows adding and subtracting values,
even when they have already been encrypted. This was particularly useful when calculating
accumulated results, such as the weekly turnover. It is clear though that the cipher is
very week, as the slide rules cannot be altered and the key setting procedure is limited.
It is suitable for obscuring the results at best.
Numerous variants of the standard Addiator Duplex were produced between 1930 and 1975,
in a variety of materials (aluminium, brass and even iron) and colours. They were sometimes
printed with different company or brand names. In total, ~ 1 million standard units were
produced [3].
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Addiator Duplex Code — the cipher variant — was custom-made for the well known
German department store chain Kaufhof, 2 where it was used to decipher the daily turnover.
Kaufhof had problems with money loss, as a result of which the cashier had to count the
money each evening and compare it to the total on the cash register's control strip.
The cash register however, printed the total turnover in encrypted form, so that this
was of no use to the 'ordinary' workforce [8][9].
Only the cashier had the key in the form of the custom-made Addiator Duplex.
After entering the encrypted turnover from the cash register's control strip at the
front side of the device, the actual turnover became directly readable at the other
side. With the resulting value, the amount of cash could be verified.
The devices remained under control of Kaufhof and were not publicly advertised or sold.
Between 1961 and 1970, around 3000 - 5000 units were manufactured [8].
Very few of these devices have survived.
The device shown here was recovered from the public bankruptcy sale when Addiator
– the manufacturer – was liquidated in 1975 [1].
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The device has the same name (Addiator Duplex) as the calculator it is based on.
The difference is that the cipher variant has letters in addition to numbers.
Nevertheless it is for the encryption of numbers only.
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Kaufhof was one of the largest German department stores that existed from
1930 to 2010 [10].
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Addiator was a German manufacturer of mechanical (unpowered) calculators, in particular
devices for adding and subtracting numbers, founded on 13 February 1920 by Carl Kübler [2].
The company was initially known as Addiator Rechenmaschinenfabrik C. Kübler, but
the name was later changed to Addiator GmbH. The company was initially located
in Berlin-Charlottenburg 1 (Germany), but moved in 1962 completely to Wolfach. 2
By the time of its 40th anniversary, in 1960, the company exported its products to
no less than 92 countries, most of all the USA [5].
In 1959, the company almost went bankrupt, after their calculators were copied by a
variety of manufacturers in the US and in the Far-East. It led to the closure of
the production facilities in Berlin in 1962, after which production continued in
Wolfach.
In the early 1970s the market further declined when the first electronic calculators
entered the market and rapidly took over from mechanical devices. Although Addiator
added an imported electronic calculator to its portfolio, the profit was too small to
stay afloat. It was too little too late. In 1974,
the production was terminated and the premises was sold. A year later, in 1975, Addiator
was officially dissolved [6].
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Leibnizstr. 44, Berlin-Charlottenburg (Germany).
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The location in Wolfach was established in 1958 and co-existed with Berlin until 1962.
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Device Manual cipher device Purpose Obscuring financial results Manufacturer Addiator, Berlin/Wolfach (Germany) Country Germany Years 1961-1970 Material Brass Dimensions 127 x 78 x 5 mm Weight 128 g Quantity 3000-5000 [8]
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- Reinmar Wochinz, Addiator Duplex - THANKS !
Crypto Museum, June 2023.
- Rechnerlexikon, Addiator
Visited 30 June 2023.
- Rechnerlexikon, Addiator Duplex
Visited 30 June 2023.
- German patent DE 1,839,666, Vorrichtung zum Entschlüsseln von ...
Filed on behalf of Addiator, 31 July 1961.
- Heim und Welt, 40 Jahre ADDIATOR-Werk
Magazine, 1960. Obtained from [2]
- Die Firma ADDIATOR - ein kurzer Überblick
18 August 2017. Visited 30 June 2023.
- Addiator Duplex Prospect France
1960.
- W. Denz, Addiator (Herst.: Carl Kübler) — Addiator Duplex Code-Maschine
Visited 1 July 2023.
- Übersicht über die ADDIATOR-Typen
18 August 2017. Visited 1 July 2023.
- Wikipedia (Germany), Galeria Kaufhof
Visited 1 june 2023.
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Friday 30 June 2023. Last changed: Saturday, 01 July 2023 - 22:11 CET.
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