The company "Deutsche Werke AG " Berlin und Erfurt existed just a few years shortly after the end of World War I as remnant of one of the biggest weapons factory in Germany, the "Königlich-Preussische Gewehrfabrik Spandau"
The Peace Contract of Versailes in 1919 meaned the end of the German weapon-industries and by that the end of the "Spandau"-works too.
Article No. 168 said: "The production of weapons, ammunition or any kind of war-materials is just allowed in factories or works, which position will be reported to the governments of the allied forces and associated main forces and to be agreed by them. They keep the right to limit the amount of them. Within 3 month after this contract gets valid, all the rest of institutions for production, distribution, stockpiling or construction of weapons, ammunition or any kind of war material will be closed."
Because of political rumors the factory was closed already on April 17th, 1919. On April, 30th of the same year the National Council decided to continue the "Gewehrfabrik Spandau" under the main management of the "Reichsbetriebe".
On Dezember 4th, 1919 the "Deutsche Werke Aktiengesellschaft" was founded.
Many of the special machines for rifle- and machine-gun-production were no longer of use for the future "public" applications. The allied forces had to get their tributes too. In 1920 for instance all of the forging-hammers of the forges had to be diserected. It is also known from the former ammunition-company Spandau, that 5500 out of the 14500 machines were destroyed, and 760 machines had to be delivered as reparation payments.
Concerning weapons during this short periode just a public pistol-construction of H. Ortgies, some small-caliber "Teschings" as well as ammunition were produced in agreement with the Allies.
After that in September 1922 the "Vereinigte Industrie-Unternehmungen Aktiengeselschaft" (VIAG) was founded, which took over the area of the former rifle factory Spandau.
Later on the company changed over to the "Auto-Union in Chemnitz". More later - many years after the destroyments of World War II and the following diserection activities a large part of the areas was owned by the companies "BMW-Motorrad GmbH", "Bosch" and "Klüssendorf".