Where does the name "Ago" come from?

Short answer

From Apparatebau GmbH Oschersleben, the meaning the initials carried in their final form; before that they stood for other things, such as Aktiengesellschaft Otto. The company had been founded in 1911 in Munich under the name Flugmaschinenwerke Gustav Otto, by Gustav Otto and a Dr. Herbert Alberti.

Published: November 1, 2026 · Updated: November 1, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

German soldiers with AEG C IV plane c1917

Initials with several meanings

The initials AGO carried different meanings throughout the company's history, including Aktiengesellschaft Otto. In its final form they stood for Apparatebau GmbH Oschersleben. The firm was established in 1911 in Munich by Gustav Otto and Dr. Herbert Alberti. Its initial name was Flugmaschinenwerke Gustav Otto.

Gustav Otto, the name at the start

Gustav Otto was the son of Nicolaus Otto, inventor of the four-stroke engine. He worked as a pioneering aviator and engine designer. His pilot's licence carried the number 34. As was common in those years, a flying school was added to the business.

From Johannisthal to Oschersleben

In 1912 a separate division was created in Johannisthal under the name Ago Flugzeugwerke, run by Elisabeth Woerner and Hermann Fremery. After the armistice, Otto tried his hand at car manufacturing, but in 1919 he had to dismiss the employees of the Berlin firm and part with the Oschersleben factory. He died in 1926.