Figure 1.-- The Germans made high-end, beautifully crafted cars with finely ngineered motors only very few Germans could aford them. They wer great cars, only the German companies didn'm make very mamy of them. And as a result, the country's automotive insustry has a rather small productive capacity. The German mindset of high quality craftmanship meant that Hitler could not find an establisghed company intrested in a People's Car (Volkswagen). The design was stollen from a Jewish engineer. Ferdinand Porsh took on the job as a way to get governmrnt funding to build a new company. The German emphasis on craftmanshiop would affect weapon's production, primarily limiting the quantities produced.

Some of earliest work on the automobile occurred in Germany. Hitler loved cars--especially impressive Mercedes convertibles. And there is nothing he enjoyd much more than tooling around the Reich in big, powerful Mercedes sieg heiling adoring crowds. And while the Germans invented the automobile and were highly industrialized, Germany had a rather small automobile industry. German automobile companies made high-end beautifully crafted cars that most German workers could not even dream of owning. German automobile companies made high-end beautifully crafted cars that most German workers could not even dream of owning. The automobile was invented by Karl Benz who had trouble getting anyone interested in it, his wife Betha helped him get it off the ground. Nicolaus Otto developed a four-stroke internal combustion engine (late 1870s). Benz used it to power a coach (1887). This was the first automobile. Germany was producing about 900 cars a year by the turn of the 20th century). Gottlieb Daimler was a major participant in the industry. The German Army was not as motorized as the Allies during World War. American trucks made a huge difference. It is one reason besides limited supplies of oil that the Germans built only a handful of tanks. After the War, Daimler-Benz was formed (1926). They began producing Mercedes-Benz cats. BMW was founded during the War, but didn't begin producing cars until (1928). . The German automobile industry developed slowly after the War (1920s). A mass market never developed. German workers didn't have the money to buy cars and the companies involved did not want to build a low end car like the American Model-T Ford. American companies entered the German auomotive comany after World War I. Even so, modern mass production techniques did not tke hold. Here cultural factors were involved that would adversely affect the German War Economy during World War II. To partially fill this vacuum, American General Motors purchased Opel (1929). Ford Motor Company began operating Ford-Werke (1925). 【Reich, p. 25.】 The New York Stock Market crash (1929) and Government mismanagement led to the Great Depression and Germany with an export dependent economy was severely impacted. s in America, the automobile industry suffered badly. Germany had some 86 automobile companies, most making only small numbers of cars. Very few survived about 12, including Daimler-Benz, Opel and Ford in Cologne. Four of major car manufacturers (Horch, Dampf Kraft Wagen (DKW), Wanderer, and Audi) combined to form Auto Union (1932). New life was breathed into the industry after Hitler and the NAZIs seized power (1933). It is not entire clear just why Hitler placed an emphasis on cars. But he introduced Motorisierung "motorization), a transport policy giving emphasis on motor vehicle construction. Some believe it was an effort to legitimize the NAZI Party by raising the German standard of living. That my have been a long term goal, it was not a short term goal. Very few additional Germans were able to purchase cars. The automobile companies, however, began to get military contrasts. Nor did Hitler want a lot of consumers increasing domestic consumption of oil that the military desperately needed. He pursued public relations gimmicks. The first Autobahn began before the NAZIs seized power was completed with great fanfare (1935). Notice that in all the propaganda, there are virtually no cars and trucks on the new Autobahn. The Volkswagen project was launched (1937), but again not one Beetle was actually delivered. Hitler's interest was more an innate love of powerful cars and a recognition that the automobile industry was a powerful component for any country preparing to use war and military conquest as a major effort. In this case, Hitler failed in two major regards. First, he failed to significantly expand the motor vehicle industry. Second, he failed to obtain the oil he would need to win the war that he was preparing to launch.

Early Years 1885-1914)

Some of earliest wok on the automobile occurred in Germany. The autmobile combined with the internal combution engine was a German invention. The automobile was invented by Carl Friedrich Benz (1844-1929), an engine designer and automotive engineer. His Benz Motorcar is regarded as the first practical modern automobile (1885). It was the first car put into serial production. He received a patent for the motorcar (1886). Benz is seen as both 'the father of the car' as well as the 'father of the automobile industry'. Americans tend to see Henry Ford as the firstv umprtant automobile industrialist. Benz has aa range of problemns. He had trouble getting anyone interested in his invention. So his wife Betha helped him get it off the ground. Nicolaus Otto developed a four-stroke internal combustion engine (late 1870s). Benz used it to power a coach (1887). This was the first automobile. Benz & Cie. was based in Mannheim and had an early lead. It was the world's first automobile plant and largest in the world at the time. its day. Another early German company was Daimler Motoren famous for the first Merrcedes, a griund breaking car (1901). The Mercedes was 35 HP car designed in 1901 by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler, for Emil Jellinek a Jewish entrepreneur. It was named after Jellinek' dasughter. Benz and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft merged to form Daimler-Benz (1926). After seizing control of Germany, there was nothing Hitler liked better than tooling around the Reich in a oopen Mercedes. We susoect he did not know that the kine if cars was naned after a Jewish girl. The German companies that began making automobiles made fine vehicles, high-end beautifully crafted cars madfe by highly skilled craftsmen. This made German cars expensive and limited oriduction to rather small numbers. Merceds-Benz and iother German manufacturers had no interest in producung a low-cost car. This was where Henry Ford stepped in tio theautomobile story. He first designed a very basic, low cost car--the Model-T. And next his assembly line was a very eficient manufacturing system. And it akkowed Fird to use wirkers wuth little to know skills. This difference would fundamentally alter autimotic=ve and 20th century history. German workers could not even dream of owning a car. American wirkers could. Germany was producing about 900 cars a year by the turn of the 20th century). Gottlieb Daimler was a major participant in the industry. They were, however, made in essentially craft shops in small numbers and were very expensive. The automobile was a play thing for the wealthy. More progress was made in France and Britain, but nothing along the lines of what occured in America, especilly begining with Henry Ford's Mode-T Ford (1907).

World War I (1914-18)

The German Army was not as motorized as the Allies during World War even without the Americans. The Allies began to motorize during the War, the Germans did not. We are not sure jut why. The autiomotiv industry was not as devlooped as in Britain and France. We suspect the Germans were mmost focused on weaponry rather than transport. American trucks made a further huge difference. The limited supplyn of oil may have been another factor. Whatever the cause, no only dud the Germns have few trucks and built only a handful of tanks. The tasnks they built were not well houghout. They were much lasrger than the Allied tacks and oproved much less effective. BMW was founded during the War, but didn't begin producing cars until (1928).

Post War Years (1919-33)

The German automobile industry developed slowly after the War, much more sloely than in Britasin and France, let alone America (1920s). A mass market never developed. German workers earmed less than in Britsin and France and ionly a fraction of American wages. This meant thast they didn't have the money to buy cars, even the Model-T for which Ford had cut production costs to the bone. This would be a major ikmpediment to industrial expansion after the War. And German automotive companies do not appear to have had any desire to create a low-end car like the American Model-T Ford. Rather the dominant focus was on vreating a beatuifully engineered, quaslity, high performsnce car. The market was highly competive, consisting of a large number of small companies. Daimler and Benz formed (1926). They began producing Mercedes-Benz cars. The slow development of the German industry opened the way to the Ameicans. Amrrican companies entered the German auomotive comany after World War I. To partially fill this vacuum, American General Motors purchased Opel (1929). Ford Motor Company began operating Ford-Werke (1925). 【Reich, p. 25.】 The New York Stock Market crash (1929) and Government mismanagement led to the Great Depression and Germany with an export dependent economy was severely impacted. Resulting in many German automotive countries were forced to close. In America, the automobile industry also suffered badly. Germany had some 86 automobile companies in gthe 1920s, most making only small numbers of cars. Very few survived the Depression--about 12 companies, including Daimler-Benz, Opel and Ford in Cologne. The American companies inttoduced the assembly line, but on a smaller scale because of the limited runs. Unlike Britain and France, mass production techniquws wre not widely adopted by Gernman industry. This would have profond inopact on Wirkd War II. Four of the major car manufacturers (Horch, Dampf Kraft Wagen (DKW), Wanderer, and Audi) combined to form Auto Union (1932). We notice a few American cars in Germany, but notably no Model-Ts. We see only see a few luxury Americam models. Presumavly German tariffs and regultions discouraging imports.

NAZI Era (1933-45)

Some of earliest work on the automobile occurred in Germany. Hitler loved cars--especially impressive Mercedes convertibles. And there is nothing he enjoyd much more than tooling around the Reich in big, powerful Mercedes sieg heiling adoring crowds. And while the Germans invented the automobile and were highly industrialized, Germany had a rather small automobile industry. German automobile companies made high-end beautifully crafted cars that most German workers could not even dream of owning. T Even so, modern mass production techniques did not take hold. Here cultural factors were involved that would adversely affect the German War Economy during World War II. New life was breathed into the industry after Hitler and the NAZIs seized power (1933). It is not entire clear just why Hitler placed an emphasis on cars. But he introduced Motorisierung "motorization), a transport policy giving emphasis on motor vehicle construction. Some believe it was an effort to legitimize the NAZI Party by raising the German standard of living. That my have been a long term goal, it was not a short term goal. Very few additional Germans were able to purchase cars. The automobile companies, however, began to get military contrasts. Nor did Hitler want a lot of consumers increasing domestic consumption of oil that the military desperately needed. He pursued public relations gimmicks. The first Autobahn began before the NAZIs seized power was completed with great fanfare (1935). Notice that in all the propaganda, there are virtually no cars and trucks on the new Autobahn. The Volkswagen project was launched (1937), but again not one Beetle was actually delivered. The cokmpany began collecting paymebts wiyth a promise of future drliveries. Ferdinand Porsh was beginfd the project, Established companies wanted nothing to do with an inexpensuve, low-end car. Hitler's interest was more an innate love of powerful cars and a recognition that the automobile industry was a powerful component for any country preparing to use war and military conquest as a major effort. In this case, Hitler failed in two major regards. First, he failed to significantly expand the motor vehicle industry. Second, he failed to obtain the oil he would need to win the war that he was preparing to launch. At the time of World War II, ermany was far behind America. German car ownership was a tiny fraction of American car onership and this was reflected in the size of the German automotive sector. While Hitler was promoting mass production and the Volkswaggen for the German worker. He was to anxious to launch his War, however, to wait for the Germn automobile industry to grow. Thus the German automoble industry was not fully capable of equipping the Wehrmacht. The VW plant using forced labor produces over 66,000 Kübelwagens for the German Army, but a fractiion of what was occuring in America and Britain.

Sources

Reich, Simon. "Volkswagen and the State,.The Fruits of Fascism: Postwar Prosperity in Historical Perspective (New York: Cornell University, 1990).

Created: 12:22 AM 9/20/2021
Last updated: 12:22 AM 9/20/2021