Congratulations on your 90th birthday Hans Herrmann!
02/23/2018
Hans Herrmann is 90 years young today. The Mercedes, Porsche, Borgward and Abarth works driver was born in Stuttgart on February 23, 1928. He attracted attention as early as 1953 at the German Grand Prix on the Nürburgring. If you ask the Swabian today about his greatest success, he doesn't mention a victory, not Le Mans 1970, the Targa-Florio 1960 or 3rd place at the Swiss GP in Bern 1954, but simply says: "I survived."
This was not the case for everyone, as Herrmann once compiled a list of around 40 colleagues who died in fatal accidents during his active career. Carlo Abarth once said of his driver Hans Herrmann: "I don't know of any racing driver who can drive so fast with so little risk." Perhaps that was precisely his survival strategy. However, he was not spared accidents either, but the vehicle was always partly to blame, and the mishap was never just due to driver error.
A personal, handwritten letter to my father dated August 9, 1955 inspired the Le Mans winner. "Look here, this is unbelievable! Which F1 driver today would still write back to a photographer personally and even apologize for the long wait? That was after my stay in hospital while I was recovering from my accident in Monte Carlo, when I crashed into the stone balustrade in the Massenet corner in my Mercedes with the brakes locked. The fact that you still have the letter is sensational."
Yes, dear Mr. Herrmann, this letter will outlive us all, both as an original and as a reprint in a Reinhard book that will soon be published.
The zwischengas team wishes you all the best for your birthday, continued good health and many more relaxing days with your family!
