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Thread: 75 years ago in Wolfsburg: Start of series production of the Volkswagen Beetle

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  1. 75 years ago in Wolfsburg: Start of series production of the Volkswagen Beetle 
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    • Civilian series production starts just after Christmas 1945
    • British Major Ivan Hirst enables vehicle production in record time with considerable improvisation
    • The VW Beetle becomes the symbol of the German “Economic Miracle”


    On December 27, 1945 the serial production of the Volkswagen Limousine (Type 1) got started. This was the real beginning of the success story of the Volkswagen. The model had originally been planned as a prestige project of the National Socialists. But from 1939 onwards the Wolfsburg plant had produced armaments instead of vehicles. Up to the end of World War II, only 630 units of the model, which had been renamed “KdF-Wagen” in 1938, left the Volkswagen plant. It was only under British trusteeship that the unique success story of the VW Beetle began at Wolfsburg thanks to the strategic vision of Major Ivan Hirst.


    Series production of the civilian Volkswagen, referred to internally as “Type 1”, which later became world-famous as the “Beetle”, only started following the end of World War II on December 27, 1945 under the trusteeship over Volkswagenwerk GmbH which had been assumed by the British Military Government in June 1945. The British intended to use the Volkswagen Type 1 to perform urgently needed transport tasks within their occupation zone. It was this British pragmatism that finally protected the plant against impending demolition.
    Senior Resident Officer Major Ivan Hirst played a key role in this development. It was his farsightedness and talent for improvisation that made it possible to start automobile production in the years of rationing under conditions dominated by shortages. With his enthusiasm for technology and cars, his purposefulness and distinct attitude, he succeeded in transforming a former armaments plant into a civilian industrial company in an impressively short space of time.

    The British Military Government had already issued an order for 20,000 vehicles in August 1945. The start of production was a visible sign of a new beginning and hope at the factory which had been largely destroyed by the end of World War II. This solution was in line with later British policy for Germany, which saw financial security and future prospects for the population as key elements in the development of democratic structures. Finally, democracy finds its way into the Volkswagenwerk: on November 27, 1945 the the Works Council elected in a democratic ballot held its constituent meeting.

    Nevertheless, there were considerable problems in supplying the workforce with food and living space and production was hampered by raw material and energy supply bottlenecks. Despite these difficult conditions, the first Volkswagen sedan left the production line shortly after Christmas. Wolfsburg and Volkswagenwerk GmbH received a belated Christmas present only eight months after the end of the war. By the end of 1945, 55 vehicles had been produced.

    From 1946 up to the currency reform, about 1,000 vehicles were produced per month. It was not possible to produce more vehicles in view of material shortages and rationing as well as a lack of personnel. The trustees responsible laid the foundations for further growth of the company by the fall of 1949. They established a sales and after-sales service system and began to export the Volkswagen sedan in 1947.

    The decision to develop a civilian factory and to start series production of the Volkswagen Type 1 was the starting point of a unique success story. Thanks to the early restart, the Volkswagenwerk GmbH got an excellent initial position for the economic upswing after the introduction of the D-Mark. Under the unofficial designation of “VW Beetle”, the car became more popular than almost any other automobile model throughout the world. It was also a record breaker in terms of production duration and volume. Volkswagen only discontinued production of the VW Beetle in Mexico in 2003, after 21,529,464 vehicles had been manufactured, including about 15.8 million in Germany.
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  2. Re: 75 years ago in Wolfsburg: Start of series production of the Volkswagen Beetle 
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    This was sent by a Member regarding the Army involvment...

    I read your interesting information on the history of volkswagon and thought you may be interested in reading this extract from the REME museum. I am a REME veteren and all recruits are told this story.

    Of the many stories of WW2, the role played by the British army – and REME in particular – in kick-starting one of Germany’s post war car industries, is one of the most surprising.


    On 28 May 1937 the Nazi Party formed a new state-owned automobile company in Wolfsburg to produce affordable cars for the masses. The Company became known as Volkswagenwerk, or “The People’s Car Company.” The car designed by Austrian automotive engineer Ferdinand Porsche was the KdF (Kraft-durch-Freude)-Wagen meaning “Strength-Through-Joy” or known more popularly now as the VW Beetle.


    During WWII the factory switched to the manufacture of military equipment and was subjected to bombing raids by the Allied forces. At the end of the war the factory now badly damaged was deemed surplus to the post-war level of industry by the Allied forces and was scheduled for dismantling.

    However by June 1945 a British Army Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) Workshop was operating out of the bombed out factory repairing military vehicles.

    In August 1945 a REME Officer, Major Ivan Hirst arrived at the factory along with another REME Officer, Colonel M.A McEvoy. They soon came up with a plan aware there was a need for vehicles to be used by the occupying forces, and after discovering a VW beetle that could be made serviceable they sprayed it green. They took the Beetle to the Headquarters in Bad Oeynhasen and an order was placed for 20,000 cars, securing the immediate future of the factory.


    The early days were not easy. Maj Hirst who was appointed as the Senior Residence Officer of the factory, needed to clear hazards from the site, rebuild lines, source raw materials – and trickiest of all – find a workforce amid the post-war chaos, with many German men still being detained as POWs.


    Nonetheless, with help from the Allied administration – and REME –the 10,000th car had rolled off its production lines in October 1946.


    Under Major Ivan Hirst’s stewardship strict quality control measures were introduced as well as an extensive service and dealership network was created.


    On October 8th, 1949 the Volkswagen factory at Wolfsburg was handed over to German responsibility. Colonel Charles Radclyffe signed the protocol for the British.


    To mark this amazing Anglo-German story, REME Museum at MOD Lyneham is mounting a temporary exhibition on the 70th anniversary of Volkswagen’s relaunch as a civilian controlled company.


    The exhibition telling more of this fascinating story runs from October 8th to 13th and Dr Ulrike Gutzmann from the Volkswagen Heritage Department in Wolfsburg will be providing a talk on Volkswagen 1945 – 1949 on the evenings of the 8th, 9th and 10th.


    The REME Museum is located at MoD Lyneham the former RAF Lyneham site near Chippenham in Wiltshire. It sits just outside the camp with full public access and its own large car park. It’s open Tuesday-Saturday 10am to 4.30pm, with last admission at 3.30pm.
    Stuart l VWAudi Forum
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