The History Channel's show on Porsche and Hitler

[CoriBug]

Hi!

Has anyone else watched the History Channel's feature on Ferdinand Porsche and Adolf Hitler? That was one aspect of World War II I had not heard of great detail. I found it incredibly interesting and sad how Hitler forced Auschwitz prisoners to work in his Volkswagen factory. I was watching very carefully to find out how the Beetle got its name and the narrator didn't really explain that part. He jumped from calling the car "Joy from Strength(?)" to the Beetle. Who decided to give the car the Beetle name? I find the whole story of World War II very fascinating as both my grandfathers served, one in the Pacific theater and one in Europe. If anyone has more info, please pass it on! Thanks.

Cori

[bludden]

It was called the Beetle because of its design.

The original prototypes had no back window, reinforcing the beetle-like look.

[CoriBug]

Thanks bludden!! It's hard to imagine driving a car with no back window. Amazing how such an evil dictator could finance the world's happiest little car!!

Cori

[boblamb58]

Get thee a copy of "Battle for the Beetle". here on Amazon
An incredibly interesting and detailed history of the VW commpany

[Otto the egg]

Officially, VW has never called the Beetle, the "Beetle" It is a Type 1. Beetle is more of a nickname that just caught on. The first VW "Beetle" is the New Beetle. (alteast from what I have read, and been told by air cooled fanatics).

[CoriBug]

Thanks Otto and boblamb. I will definitely check out some Beetle history books!! And I was looking for something new and interesting to read, too!

Cori

[mentalVdub]

joy from strength is the traslantion from the original name of the beetle... the "KDF-Wagen."

[CoriBug]

I thought that was weird Hitler would use the word "Joy" in anything he was involved in. Not exactly the first word that comes to mind when I think of him!

Cori

[mentalVdub]

oh, and to give you a brief history:

After the war, the Volkswagenwerk (the name of the Volkswagen factory) was in the British zone of occupation. The British arrived at the factory to find it barely operational, severly damanged, and without any leadership. Rather than shut it down, the British realised restarting the factory would be essential for restoring the local economy, providing much-needed jobs to nearby citizens.

Within two months, the KDF-Wagen was officially renamed "Volkswagen." until that point, Hitler and many others had referred unofficially to the little cars as "Volks Autos" or "Volkswagen."

now where the name "beetle" comes in i'm not quite sure... still searching.

but what i do know is that VW got it's type names (IE type 1, type 2, and so on) from the British. This was due to what the British viewed as being efficient, basically to introduce a model number system to correctly identify the various models.

[mentalVdub]

and a bit more info...

"The Volkswagen Beetle was originally known as the Volkswagen or the VW. When the Convertible and Commercial models were added to the range in the early 1950s, the Beetle became known as the Volkswagen Sedan. In workshop manuals and factory documentation, it was described as Type One.

The first use of the name Beetle may have been in England in 1950. There is a story that the nickname was given to John Colborne-Baber's VW (one of the first to be seen in England) by his son's school friends.

The name Beetle was certainly not in general use for the VW at the time. In fact, a team of Morris Minors was named "The Beetles" on the Circuit of Ireland in the early 1950's. In 1958, however, Autosport magazine referred to the "victorious beetles' on the Mobilgas Round Australia Rally". From around that time, the name was used occasionally in print, but with a small ‘b' and usually in inverted commas. Bill Boddy, the editor of MotorSport, who did a great deal to publicise the Volkswagen during that period, sometimes referred to the car as a beetle.

It was probably the introduction of the Type Three in 1961, which led to more general usage of the name Beetle for the Type One. Official nomenclature identified Type Three as VW1500 and Type One as VW1200, but as the model range increased to the 1300 and 1500 engines in Type One, a name became necessary to avoid confusion.

The VW was well-known as the Beetle when John Lennon and friends formed their famous pop group, after which it was sometimes mis-spelt as In 1967, official Volkswagenwerk publications began to recognise the term "Beetle" but it was still shown in inverted commas and the nomenclature remained VW1200, VW1300, etc. By 1969, the name Beetle had become the official generic term and appeared prominently in brochures and other publications."

[TommyK8]

I looked at some pictures online of the owner's manuals and in 1974, it says Type 1, but in 1976 and 1978, it says Beetle right on the Owner's Manual.

[jdesigns]

Another good book on the history of the Beetle is "Small Wonder" by Walter Henry Nelson. You can find copies pretty cheap on eBay and other book sellers.

[Fowvay]

Originally Posted by TommyK8

I looked at some pictures online of the owner's manuals and in 1974, it says Type 1, but in 1976 and 1978, it says Beetle right on the Owner's Manual.

My 1970 Bugs Owner manual says Type-1 Sedan.

[skittle buggy]

Originally Posted by mentalVdub

oh, and to give you a brief history:

After the war, the Volkswagenwerk (the name of the Volkswagen factory) was in the British zone of occupation. The British arrived at the factory to find it barely operational, severly damanged, and without any leadership. Rather than shut it down, the British realised restarting the factory would be essential for restoring the local economy, providing much-needed jobs to nearby citizens.

Within two months, the KDF-Wagen was officially renamed "Volkswagen." until that point, Hitler and many others had referred unofficially to the little cars as "Volks Autos" or "Volkswagen."

now where the name "beetle" comes in i'm not quite sure... still searching.

but what i do know is that VW got it's type names (IE type 1, type 2, and so on) from the British. This was due to what the British viewed as being efficient, basically to introduce a model number system to correctly identify the various models.

Okay to clarify the literal translation of Volkwagen is the People's Car. If I still had it I would post a section on the 6 page paper I did on VW and its economic boost after WWII. I hope that gives you something Cori. happy readings

[Ghia_Roadster]

giving this thread a little bump...ok a BIG bump. KDF translates from German, "Kraft-Derch-Freud", to "Strength-Through-Joy". i hope this helps somewhat.

[CoriBug]

Originally Posted by mentalVdub

joy from strength is the traslantion from the original name of the beetle... the "KDF-Wagen."

wow - this is an old thread. I think this was the first thread I ever started on the new org.

[Fowvay]

The saying actually revolves around a whole series of inspirational signs at factory doors etc.

Germany was in shambles and Hitler's campaign was all about bringing back jobs, money and pride. So over new factory doors you had "Work brings Joy" so it makes sense that if Work brings Joy then Joy should bring quality products and you had signage displaying that message too. Strength through Joy has a doulbe meaning.

Meaning one is Strength the way we would thing of it. As in a stronger nation/people. Second means a quality car. At the factory entrance you can still find the sign that says "Work brings Joy" combine with "Strength through Joy" and you have a completed picture.

Not all of Hitler's Ideas were bad. Too bad he didn't take a bit of prozac and see a shrink. He may have actually turned out to be a good guy instead of the evil lil wanker he let himself become.

[bearzworkshop]

The KdF (strength through joy) was also a State run organization the encouraged healthy recreation (camping, hiking, etc).

Hitler may have had the idea of tying the car to KdF from Henry Ford financing Kingsford charcoal to get people to go on picnics in their cars (and use the scrap wood from the manufacturing).