A superb and rare photo of the 1953 Volkswagen
Beetle , officially called Volkswagen
Type 1 , and in Germany known as the Volkswagen Käfer ( VW
Bug in English).
The image shows the Bug during the 1953 Monte Carlo Rally and
the car was driven by E.K. Wiener.
The Volkswagen Beetle,
officially known as the type 1, and originally called in German ‘Käfer’, is an
economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen (VW) from 1938 until
2003. Although the names "Beetle" and "Bug" were quickly
adopted by the public, it was not until August 1967 that VW itself began using
the name Beetle in marketing materials in the US. In most countries the Beetle is
known as either the "Type I" or as the 1100, 1200, 1300, 1500, or
1600 which had been the names under which the vehicle was marketed in Europe; the numbers denoted the vehicle's approximate
engine size in cubic centimetres. In 1998, many years after the original model
had been dropped from the lineup in most of the world (production continued in Mexico until
2003), VW introduced the "New Beetle" (built on a Volkswagen Golf Mk4
platform) which bore a cosmetic resemblance to the original. Starting in 1931,
Ferdinand Porsche and Zündapp developed the "Auto für Jedermann" (car
for the everyman). This was the first time the name "Volkswagen" was
used. Porsche already preferred the flat-4 cylinder engine, but Zündapp used a
watercooled 5-cylinder radial engine. In 1932, three prototypes were running.
All of those cars were lost during the war, the last in a bombing raid over Stuttgart in 1945. In 1933, Adolf
Hitler gave the order to Ferdinand Porsche to develope a
"Volks-Wagen" (the name means "people's car" in German, in
which it is pronounced, a basic vehicle that should be capable of transporting
two adults and three children at a speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). The People's
Car would be made available to citizens of the Third Reich through a savings
scheme at 990 Reichsmark, about the price of a small motorcycle at the time (an
average income being around 32RM/week). Erwin Komenda, Porsche's chief
designer, was responsible for the design and styling of the car. Production
only became financially viable, however, when it was backed by the Third Reich.
War broke out before the large-scale production of the "People's Car"
could commence, and manufacturing capacity was shifted to producing military
vehicles. Production of civilian VW automobiles did not start until after the
post-war occupation began. Initially called the Porsche 60 by Ferdinand
Porsche, it was officially named the KdF-Wagen when the project was launched.
The name refers to Kraft durch Freude (Strength Through Joy), the official
leisure organization in the Third Reich. It was later known as the Type 1, but
became more commonly known as the Beetle after World War II. Prototypes
appeared from 1931 onwards. Much of the Beetle's design was inspired by the
advanced Tatra cars of Hans Ledwinka, particularly the T97. This car also had a
streamlined body and a rear-mounted 4 cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled
engine. The Tatra V570, a prototype for a smaller car, also shows quite a resemblance
to the later Volkswagens. Tatra launched a lawsuit, but this was stopped when Germany invaded
Czechoslovakia.
At the same time, Tatra was forced to stop producing the T97. The matter was
re-opened after WW2 and in 1961 Volkswagen paid Tatra 3,000,000 Deutsche Marks
in compensation. These damages meant that Volkswagen had little money for the
development of new models and the Beetle's production life was necessarily
extended. In occupied Germany,
the Allies followed the Morgenthau plan to remove all German war potential by
complete or partial pastoralization. As part of this, in the Industrial plans
for Germany,
the rules for which industry Germany
was to be allowed to retain were set out. German car production was set at a
maximum of 10% of the 1936 car production numbers. The Volkswagen factory at Wolfsburg was handed over
by the Americans to British control in 1945; it was to be dismantled and
shipped to Britain.
Thankfully for Volkswagen, no British car manufacturer was interested in the factory;
"the vehicle does not meet the fundamental technical requirement of a
motor-car ... it is quite unattractive to the average buyer ... To build the
car commercially would be a completely uneconomic enterprise." The factory
survived by producing cars for the British Army instead. The re-opening of the
factory is largely accredited to British Army officer Major Ivan Hirst
(1916–2000). Hirst was ordered to take control of the heavily bombed factory,
which the Americans had captured. His first task was to remove an unexploded bomb
which had fallen through the roof and lodged itself between some pieces of
irreplaceable production equipment; if the bomb had exploded, the Beetle's fate
would have been sealed. Hirst persuaded the British military to order 20,000 of
the cars, and by 1946 the factory was producing 1,000 cars a month. During this
period the car and its town changed their Nazi-era names to Volkswagen
(people's car) and Wolfsburg, respectively.
You can always contact us for more Volkswagen and other automotive photos!
This is a very nice and very rare non
period photo that reflects a wonderful era of Volkswagen ‘s automotive history
in a wonderful way. This is your rare chance to own this photo, therefore
it is printed in a nice large format of ca. 8" x 12" (ca. 20 x 30 cm). It makes it perfectly suitable for framing.
Shipping costs will only be $ 7.00 regardless of how many photos you
buy. For 5 or more photos, shipping is free!
(Note: A. Herl, Inc. does not appear on
photo, for ebay purposes only)
No copyright
expressed or implied. Sold as collectable item only. We are clearing out our
archives that we have gathered from various sources.
All items always sent well
protected in PVC clear files and board backed
envelopes.
We have
photographs that came from professional collections and/or were bought from the
original photographer or press studio! They are all of professional and
excellent quality.
After many decades
of professionally collecting photographs and posters we are clearing out our
archives. They make the perfect gift and are perfectly suited for framing. They
will look gorgeous unframed and will be a true asset nicely framed with a
border. They are a gorgeous and great asset in every home, workshop, workplace,
restaurant, bar or club!
First come -
first served. And you can always contact us for your requests. Please ask any
questions before the auction ends.