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Post-war, Audi saw a new beginning and became the company
that we see today. Here are the cars and the incidents that brought
the Four Rings back into glory.
A new beginning in Ingolstadt
A new company bearing the name Auto Union GmbH came into being
on September 3,1949 in Ingolstadt, to uphold the automotive tradition
of the four rings. It is this company that is the actual precursor
of the present-day AUDI AG. From its base in West Germany, its purpose
was now to maintain the tradition that the former Auto Union AG
had established in Saxony.
Life at the time of its re-establishment was frugal, so small,
economical vehicles were called for. In the early years, the only
vehicles built in Ingolstadt with the four-ring emblem were DKW
motorcycles and cars, with their typical two-stroke engines. The
formal re-establishment of the company in 1949 was actually already
the second step towards a new beginning after the war. The first
move after "zero hour" took place on December 19, 1945,
when the "Zentraldepot f?r Auto Union Ersatzteile GmbH"
was founded in Ingolstadt. This central depot had the task of supplying
spare parts for all pre-war Auto Union vehicles that had survived
the ravages of the past six years; there were all of 60,000 such
vehicles in the western occupied zones. So why Ingolstadt?
One argument in favour of Ingolstadt as the home of the central
depot was its good transport connections, located as it was at the
heart of Bavaria. Influential figures in the Ingolstadt city authorities
presented a good case in favour of the central depot, arguing that
it would aid the regional employment market. However, the key reason
for the reestablishment of the company in Ingolstadt was its centuries-old
military tradition as a garrison town: this legacy included expansive
outdoor areas and numerous barracks, outbuildings, casemates and
the like - invaluable assets at a time when there was precious little
capital for erecting new buildings. From its headquarters in the former army supplies office in Schrannenstrasse,
the company was gradually able to take over a variety of other buildings
such as the Friedenskaserne barracks, the New Arsenal, the NCOs'
building, the vehicle halls, the ammunition store, the riding hall
and the large parade ground. As its facilities were scattered all
over the city, a rational production process was scarcely possible.
The workers referred to it tongue-in-cheek as the "United Hut
and Shed Company." |
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