The Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft was founded in 1890 by German-born United States citizen Emile Berliner as the German branch of his Berliner Gramophone Company. Based in the city of Hanover, the company had links with the U.S. Victor Talking Machine Company and the British HMV, but severed ties to these companies at the onset of World War I.
In 1941 Deutsche Grammophon was purchased by the Siemens & Halske electronics company.
In 1962 Siemens formed a joint venture with Netherlands based Philips to create the DGG/PPI Record Group, which was to include the PolyGram label.
Deutsche Grammophon were owners of the Beatles' first record label, Polydor Records.
Deutsche Grammophon pioneered the introduction of the compact disc to the mass market, debuting Classical music by Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic for sale in the new medium in 1981.
In 1987 Siemens sold off its interest in Deutsche Grammophon, and Philips became the majority shareholder. In 1998 Seagram Company Ltd of Canada purchased Deutsche Grammophon and Polygram. Since then Deutsche Grammophon has been merged into the Universal Music Group.
See also: List of record labels