Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 15:45:04 -0500
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: jsm@cherry-semi.com (Jim Matta)
Subject: RE: VW Chronology
To all,
I found this in a book i just finished. Thought it may be of interest to some.
History of the Volkswagen
5/18/37 Initial company registration under the name of “Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des
deutschen Volkswagens mbH” (Company for the Development of the German People’s
Car).
5/26/38 Laying of foundation stone for the Volkswagen plant near Fallersleben 50 miles East of
Hanover.
7/1/38 The provincial authorities decide that the plant and the locality shall be known as “Stadt
des KdF Wagens” (Town of the Strength-through-Joy Car).
9/16/38 The original company is renamed “Volkswagen Werk GmbH” and registered as a private limited
company.
1939 Construction of the first permanent living accommodation in the new township.
1940 Production is commenced of a military version of the Volkswagen.
1942 Production is commenced of the amphibian version of the military Volkswagen; a total of
70,000 vehicles of both types had been produced by the end of the war.
1944 Two-thirds of the plant destroyed by daylight raids of the allied forces. By the end of the
year, a total of 336,000 people had entered into savings agreements to a value of 267
million Reichsmark for the purchase of people’s cars. The German Labour Organization in
charge of marketing the car invest these payments in a special account in the state-owned
financial institution “Bank of German Labour”.
4/10/45 Occupation by American troops; at this time, 17,109 people are living in the town,
including 8,234 German nationals. The majority of these people live in makeshift
accommodations.
5/28/45 The British Military Government appoints a new town administration and it is decided to
give the Volkswagen town the name of Wolfsburg. The Volkswagen Company is temporarily
renamed “Wolfsburg Motorenwerke” (Wolfsburg Engine Company).
In accordance with Law No. 52, the Allied Military Government confiscates all liquid assets
of the Volkswagen plant. The Russian Military Government in Berlin confiscates the special
savings account in the Bank of German Labour.
6/45- Limited production is commenced. Apart from repairs to British military vehicles, 1,785
12/45 Volkswagens are ‘produced’ from salvaged components and supplied exclusively to the
occupying armed forces and in the shape of a light delivery vehicle, to the German Post
Office.
1946 Total production for that year amounts to 10,020 Volkswagens.
5/47 The first 56 Volkswagens ever exported are delivered to the Netherlands. Total vehicle
production for that year only amounts to 8,989 Volkswagen.
1/1/48 Heinrich Nordhoff becomes head of the Volkswagen organization.
7/29/48 The registered head office of the company is moved from its original seat at Berlin to
Wolfsburg.
12/48 Production by the end of the year amounts to approximately 20,000 vehicles.
1/49 In January, two Beetles are shipped from Dutch ports: destination, the U.S. This is the
first official importation of Beetles into America.
5/13/49 Production of the 50,000th Volkswagen since the end of the war.
7/1/49 The export model of the Beetle with improved finish and interior fittings is introduced at
a price of 5,450 Deutsch Marks.
8/1/49 Introduction of an additional model, a four-seater Volkswagen open tourer developed in
association with the coach builders Wilhelm Karmann GmbH of Osnabruck, who produce the
body on a chassis supplied from Wolfsburg.
9/6/49 The Allied Military Government relinquishes control of the confiscated liquid assets of the
Volkswagen plant. The Russian Military Government, however, retains the confiscated savings
account.
10/49 Two members of the public who had contributed to the savings scheme commence legal action
against the company for the supply of their cars.
2/50 The first Volkswagen ‘Transporter’, a light truck of new design, is introduced. Production
is commenced on March 8th at the rate of ten vehicles per day.
3/4/50 Production of the 100,000th Volkswagen since the end of the war.
10/5/51 Production of the 250,000th Volkswagen since the end of the war.
1952 Foundation of Volkswagen Canada Ltd. as sales organization.
1953 The Volkswagen do Brasil S.A. is established as manufacturing company.
7/3/53 Production of the 500,000th Volkswagen since the end of the war.
1954 The Volkswagen Co. achieves a turnover in excess of 1,000 million Deutsch Marks for the
first time. From then on, a success reward is paid annually to every employee.
1955 Volkswagen of America Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary company, is established at Englewood
Cliffs, NJ, as the marketing and servicing organization in the USA.
8/5/55 Production of the millionth Volkswagen. On this occasion, the town of Wolfsburg grants
honorary citizenship to Professor Nordhoff.
9/55 Introduction of the Karmann-Ghia coupe, developed jointly by the Volkswagen Company and the
coach builders Wilhelm Karmann GmbH of Osnabruck.
11/55 For the first time, annual average daily production exceeds 1,000 vehicles.
4/56 At a newly constructed plant at Hanover, production is commenced of the first Volkswagen
‘Transporter’ light truck.
7/56 The Volkswagen Company acquires a financial holding in the business of its South African
importer and establishes an assembly plant in South Africa.
9/57 Introduction of the Karmann-Ghia drophead coupe at the Franfurt International Motor Show.
12/6/57 Australian subsidiary company Volkswagen (Australasia) Pty Ltd is established in Melbourne,
Australia.
1958 A new Volkswagen plant at Kassel commences production of service exchange units.
1959 Production at the Volkswagen plant at Hanover is extended to include the manufacture of all
Volkswagen engines, in addition to the ‘Transporter’ light truck.
1960 The French subsidiary company Volkswagen-France is established in Paris as a marketing
organization.
8/22/60 The Volkswagen Company is transformed from a private company into a public company. 40% of
the share capital is divided between the Federal State and the Government of Lower Saxony.
50% of the shares are made available to the general public.
10/60 Stiftung Volkswagen is established as a foundation to sponsor scientific and technical
research and training. The foundation’s initial capital is provided from the sale of
Volkswagen shares.
1/1/61 Volkswagen shares are traded for the first time at the German stock exchanges.
7/1/61 The first Annual General Meeting of the Volkswagen Company as a public company is attended
by 2,000 people and is held in one of the assembly shops at the Wolfsburg plant.
9/1/61 The new Volkswagen 1500 model goes into production as a limousine and also as a Karmann-
Ghia coupe.
10/61 A settlement is reached in the legal proceedings first instituted in 1949 concerning the
savings scheme.
12/4/61 The five millionth Volkswagen is produced since June 1945.
12/61 The total annual production of the Volkswagen Company for the first time exceeds one
million.
2/62 Production is commenced of the Volkswagen ‘Variant’ model.
6/62 the increasing demand for Volkswagens necessitates the engagement of Italian labour, for
whom a special housing estate id erected in Wolfsburg.
8/63 The Volkswagen 1500S is introduced as an additional model.
1963 More than half of the German automobiles exported during this year are Volkswagens.
1964 Formation of the Mexican subsidiary Volkswagen de Mexico S.A. de CV.
10/64 The German post Office takes delivery of its 25,000th Volkswagen.
12/1/64 Production is commenced at the new Volkswagen plant at Emden, building vehicles specially
for the North American market.
1/65 The Volkswagen Company takes over the Auto-Union Company from Daimler-Benz.
8/65 Introduction of the additional Volkswagen 1600 TL model with fastback.
9/15/65 The ten millionth Volkswagen is produced since June 1945.
12/65 The Volkswagen Company opens a new Research and Development Center and proving ground
near Wolfsburg.
1966 The Volkswagen Company enters the car hire business y establishing the Volkswagen Leasing
Company.
6/66 The Volkswagen Company and Daimler-Benz jointly the Deutsche Automobilgesellschaft mbH in
Hanover, a company which is to concentrate on research and development projects.
8/67 Volkswagen introduces a new range of light trucks.
4/12/68 Professor Dr. Nordhoff dies at the age of 69.
5/1/68 Dr. h.c. Kurt Lotz becomes Presiden of the Volkswagen organization. Since the middle of
1967, he had been acting as deputy to Professor Nordhoff.
8/68 As an additional model, the Volkswagen 411 is introduced as a two-door and four-door
limousine.
11/68 The fifteen millionth Volkswagen is completed since June 1945.
12/68 The Brazilian subsidiary Volkswagen do Brazil introduces the four-door ‘Brasilia’ limousine
specially developed for the South American market.
An extensive roving ground is established near the village of Ehra.
By 12/68 the Volkswagen Foundation has supported 2,000 projects at a cost of 390 million
Deutsch Marks.
5/69 Construction is commenced at Salzgitter of the sixth Volkswagen plant within Germany.
7/69 The NSU Company is absorbed by Audi. In the new company Audi NSU Auto Union AG,
Volkswagen have a 59.9% share.
8/69 As additional models, the Volkswagen-porsche 914 and 916 sports cars are introduced.
The power unit of the Volkswagen 411E is equipped with electronic fuel injection.
As an additional model, the Volkswagen 181, a multi-purpose vehicle, is introduced.
9/69 A further subsidiary known as Volkswagen-porshce Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, a joint venture
of the Volkswagen and Porsche companies, is established to market sports cars.
The Volkswagen Company acquires 1/3 of the share-holding in the newly formed Swedish
marketing company Svenska Volkswagen AB, Sodertalje.
8/70 The additional Volkswagen Beetle model 1302 S for the first time utilizes Macpherson struts
instead of torsion bars for the front suspension.
9/70 Production is commenced at Salzgitter of the additional Volkswagen K 70 model.
