1884 - Otto Schott forms a partnership with Carl Zeiss and Ernst Abbe which resulted in the production of totally new forms of optical and other glass. The firm became the leading glass and optical glass firm in the world. 1945 - The company is split betwen East and West Germany, as Schott Glaswerke AG in Jena, West Germany and Jena Glaswerke VEB in Mainz. 1989 - 'Jenaer Glaswerk Schott & Gen' is taken over by 'Schott Glaswerke AG', which moves back to Jena, as one company.