the Peoples's Car 2014 page 1

the People's Car 2014 page 1 by ric gustafson


In fall 1927, a small car club was founded in the Berlin suburb of Oberschoneweide.  The Small Car Club of Germany had lots of ambition and a sense of mission. It demanded measures for the purchase and maintenance of small cars so that car ownership could be reached by every German. It's reasoning was that to afford an automobile would raise the social level of the German people.
In the late 1920's, car ownership was a rare sight on German roads. The ratio was one passenger vehicle for 242 residents. Germany was famous for producing the first horseless carriages that were propelled by a combustion engine. In 1929, Carl Benz died and was hailed as a genius. The country's lack of car ownership was dwarfed by it's economic and social problems.
Many factors were involved in Germany's slow use of automobiles. One reason was that small companies were unable to shoulder the investments necessary for mass production. In 1927, twenty seven automakers operated in Germany. Both Daimler and Benz had over two thousand workers on their payroll. They averaged between 4 and 5 cars daily. When the two companies merged in 1926 and became Daimler Benz AG, their production costs were higher than companies in the US. Opel, which was the largest car producer in Germany had twelve thousand workers in the late twenties. The company introduced production modes to reduce costs and increase capacity. Foreign producers began to view Germany as a promising automobile market.


research help: ' The People's Car' by Bernhard Rieger


Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric