Carl Zeiss was the MOST FAMOUS optical company in Europe (Germany, East (Jena) and West (Oberkochen).. now it is only western.. and it is not so famous any more, obviously)
Vario-sonnar is design, see here:
http://www.pbase.com/kkawakami/image/61106437
and here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_lens
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeiss
etc...