In a Nutshell
A rare GDR Radio, that successfully competed with all the West-German Economic Miracle Giants

Introduction:
The history of this radio is deeply embedded in the turmoils of WWII in Germany, the Soviet occupation of East Germany and the permanent post-war aspiration of the former German Democratic Republic ("Ostzone") to International recognition. It is a product of the centrally planned economy of the 1960's GDR, although not a typical one. "Elektro-Apparatefabrik Köppelsdorf in der Sowjetischen Staatlichen A.G. der Elektroindustrie 'Kabel', Keramisches Werk Hescho-Kahla, Filiale Köppelsdorf", was the full name of the company, that on May 1st, 1952 became VEB (Volkseigener Betrieb = People Owned Enterprise) Stern-Radio in Sonneberg. Both, Köppelsdorf and Sonneberg were within sight of the inner German border (Wall = Mauer). SRS eventually became GDR's biggest radio producer (ref.1), and built for example in 1959 the first GDR transistor radio (Sternchen = little star, ref.2). The company after reunification went into receivership and was liquidated in 1991. Export had been mainly to Eastern bloc countries, but also to the BRD (German Federal Republic). Export into countries with different radio systems, like this radio were extremely rare. The Canadian importer was Kuba Imperial, Toronto. Kuba was a radio cabinet maker and later Kuba Imperial a radio and TV manufacture in Wolfenbüttel, West Germany, that is world-wide known as the maker of the 1959 Kuba Komet, the most extravagant home entertainment console ever built (pict.31). Kuba's founder and owner Gerhard Kubetschek [1909-1976], was an export genius whose abroad agencies obviously also imported other companies' products, once they met his high standards. Sternchen and Komet are highly collectible [today, one just sold for $10'000 (ref.5) in England]. Kubetschek sold Kuba Imperial in 1966 for 80 Million DM to General Electric, who ran it into ground as so many other companies they took over. My radio was made the same year 1966, and was targetting International interest, which is obvious from the differences between the domestic and export versions (pict.29). The all-teak front of the radio has similarities with some Saba radios and gives it a Skandinavian look. All circumstances and the low serial number of my radio (588) indicate that there were not many of them built.

Additional information:
ref.1: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombinat_Sternradio (in German)
ref.2: http://www.ostalgieradio.de/taschenradios/sternchen.html
ref.3: https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/stern_sonn_unknown.html
ref.4: https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_multipage_pdf.cfm?pdf=d_sternsonneberg_glewe_1965_saalburg.pdf
ref.5: https://www.ebay.com/itm/252769593793
ref.6: https://youtu.be/D3s093ubybo

About my Radio:
My radio was made on Sept. 29, 1966 (pict.25), two years after its introduction and the same year Gerhard Kubetschek sold Kuba. As one of the last tube radios and a rare GDR export article it is extremely well built and is in mint, serviced and working condition. No faults at all. A 12-page Service Manual (in German) is available at ref.4. The radio plays fine on all its 4 bands. Don't forget to watch the youtube video (ref.6) or click on pict.32. Please e-mail me (Kris) for any questions, ich spreche Deutsch, je parle Français.

Für meine Deutschen Leser: Geboren 1937 in Gera/Thüringen habe ich schon '48, nach Ablegen meiner Pimpfe Uniform, mit meinen Eltern nach drüben gemacht, habe aber meiner Heimat während der Ulbricht Zeit (1961: "Niemand hat die Absicht eine Mauer zu errichten.") zahlreiche Besuche abgestattet, jedesmal an der Grenze schweisstropfend in mich zusammensinkend, um den hurtigen VOPOs keine Angriffsfläche zu bieten, Wir brachten oft Einzelteile mit uns, die drüben nicht zu bekommen waren, z.B. für Melkmaschinen. Einmal brachten wir Bananen mit, in die die Kinder hineinbissen, ohne sie vorher zu schälen. Die Erinnerungen versetzen mich heute genauso in Nostalgie wie die Erlebnisse von Einwohnern der Weltspielzeugstadt Sonneberg und Angetellten des VEB Spielzeugfabrik Sonni, die in zwei youtube videos verewigt sind:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjLaUN7n8-U und https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8tJI2kLMFA
"Es war schon auch schön, es war eben anders schön" Nach der Wende wurde das Kombinat Spielwaren zerschlagen, wie die meisten Kombinate und VEB's, Milliarden an Volksvermögen und hunderttausende von Arbeitsplätzen wurden vernichtet, Das Kombinat Stern-Radio hatte 3300 Mitarbeiter, fast doppelt so viele wie Sonni. Das gesamte RFT-Kombinat Rundfunk- und Fernsehtechnik hatte 23'000 Mitarbeiter. Die kriminellen Machenschaften der Treuhandgesellschaft taten schliesslich das Übrige, um die ehemalige DDR vom Regen in die Traufe zu befördern.

Here are the specifications:

Please have a look at prices and more radios, phonographs and gramophones  here