PHOTO of Alfred Henry Grebe’s first hobby-workshop. This “shack” was originally his father’s place for storing greenhouse tools. It was here that he could dedicate his time, without distractions, to his study and practice of “wireless.”

Alfred was the older son of Henry and Annie M. Krick GREBE. He was born in Richmond Hill, Queens County, Long Island, New York on April 4, 1895. Henry Grebe was a horticulturist…having several greenhouses on his property at 10 Van Wyck Avenue, Richmond Hill. The fact of having a large plot of land helps to explain how Alfred, while still a very young man, could expand his radio manufacturing business by first building a two-story wooden factory and shortly thereafter a modern, three-story, poured concrete factory. The Jamaica Hospital was located on a side street opposite the GREBE property. Alfred Jr was born at the Jamaica Hospital.

Alfred had a younger brother, Rudolph Louis Grebe. Rudolf was ten years younger than Alfred. They were both very bright. Rudolph graduated from the PRATT INSTITUTE in Brooklyn with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Rudolph apparently did not share Alfred’s interest in radio. Maybe they didn’t like each other! Rudolph was a “difficult” personality. He died at the age of twenty-three years. My mother stated Rudolph died of pneumonia; but it is possible he died of tuberculosis.

I don’t remember Rudolph at all. The elder GREBE, Henry, died in 1905. In this case my mother stated Henry died of an accidental gun shot wound (cleaning his gun). Newspaper accounts listed his death as suicide while in a state of mental depression.

I remember my grandmother. She married Edwin Grenarius Dorf sometime after the death of Henry. Grandma Dorf was called Aunt Annie by all her family members. As a young woman she was beautiful. I remember her as a relatively old woman, for those days. At age seventy-two, when she died, she was frail and appeared many years older than her true age. She was reported to have died of a heart attack or stroke while visiting a friend, Hilda Weiss. It is very likely her death was brought on partially by her grief of having lost a husband and her only two sons. There were no other children.

I spent golden hours almost every day at my grandmother’s house…which was only three blocks from my grade school. There was a small, enclosed sun porch at the rear part of the house. It had windows on two exterior walls and a large blackboard on a third wall. I spent many hours making clay models (mostly boats) and drawing pictures on the blackboard. There were many opportunities to mix and bake cookies under Grandma’s loving supervision. Grandma also paid me a small sum to stoke the coal-burning furnace and carry out the ashes. The house was still standing at 88-34 189th Street, Hollis, Long Island, NY and was in wonderfully good condition when I visited in 1988.

– by A. H. Grebe, Jr.

A Tribute to the Memory of
Alfred Henry Grebe

Broadcast, Sunday,October 27th, 1935
by the Columbia Broadcasting Station WABC

We pause to pay tribute to a distinguished pioneer. Today radio which owes him so much mourns the loss of Alfred Henry Grebe. This very network owes its beginning to his work, who looked to the future when fascinated by what was called radio and devoted his life to it.

At fourteen wireless was his hobby. At fifteen he was a full-fledged operator. At sixteen he was at sea in charge of the radio shack. After three years he gave up the sea, radio still his absorbing interest. At the insistence of friends Alfred H. Grebe began to manufacture receiving sets. By 1914 when the political and social conflict in Europe began Alfred H. Grebe was being complimented for his achievements in radio. After the war America became radio conscious and Alfred H. Grebe’s factories could not meet the increasing demand for receiving sets. He could have rested on his laurels in that field but he turned his attention to every phase of radio. His experimental engineers were working on all phases of radio bringing it to perfection. Alfred H. Grebe then turned his attention to the establishment of practical radio broadcasting stations. WAHG began broadcasting under his sponsorship. That was the beginning of this station, WABC, the key station of the Columbia Broadcasting Company. November 1st, WAHG became one of the first commercial stations under the present registry with Alfred H. Grebe as president of the Atlantic Broadcasting Company which operated it.

It is fitting that the radio audience, the broadcasting studios in general and the personnel of the Columbia Broadcasting Company pay tribute to the memory of one of its leaders and pioneers, Alfred Henry Grebe.

On Alfred H. Grebe’s birthday, we launch this newly designed web site, dedicated to Alfred H. Grebe, his short, yet brilliant life and his pioneering radio achievements.

Pages have been created for announcements and contributions by the descendants of Alfred H. Grebe.

Additional pages will archive the A. H. Grebe Radio legacy, along with updates relevant to modern times.

Click this link, to see Grebe Radio advertisements.