Since 2006, the Forum for Vehicle History, better known as F-kubik, has been honoring personalities or institutions at the start of the season at the Bremen Classic Motorshow (BCM) who have made a special contribution to the historical authenticity of vehicle history through their work: the jury for the "Golden Piston 2022" decided to recognize the exemplary achievements of the alumni and young enthusiasts working at the IFA Museum. They have not only succeeded in setting up a museum on the history of diesel developments and production at the site, they have also successfully preserved and passed on technical and theoretical experience across generations.
The IFA Museum in Nordhausen stands for almost 100 years of living technical history on the southern edge of the Harz Mountains. Locomotives and engines were built here in the early days of industrial development. After the Second World War, vehicle and agricultural machinery construction was rebuilt in the GDR. By 1989, more than 40 large companies and research centers existed under the logo of the GDR Industrial Association of Vehicle Construction (IFA). Tractors, trucks and combine harvesters, often mobilized with robust, innovative and powerful diesel engines developed in Nordhausen, achieved particular fame. After the political change and privatization of the IFA companies, not only the loss of identity was imminent, but also many a document, exhibit and still available expertise from research, production and use seemed lost. After the insolvency of the last "investor", 4300 employees had left the plant in the meantime.
Initiative of a small group
In 2007, a small group led by Nordhausen entrepreneur Helmut Peter mobilized to preserve the life stories of the people and the evidence of their work for future generations. None of the technicians involved at the time could imagine what it would mean to set up a museum and run it successfully and sustainably. "They weren't historians," reports association chairman Hans-Georg Franke, "but they knew the history. They were part of this history themselves".
It took four years to collect the samples, historical machines and vehicles, restore them and integrate them into an exhibition with a high didactic standard. Ten years later, more than 130 historical exhibits have been collected, including mine and light railway locomotives from before the Second World War, tractors from the 1950s and 1960s and complete cutaway models of the legendary "Famulus" tractor. At the center of the exhibition is a complete collection of engine developments from the last largest engine factory in the GDR up to the common rail technology of today. A short episode from the region is also documented: The takeover and successful further development of German rocket technology by the Soviet Union after the end of the war.
With an extensive archive
The IFA Museum's collection now also includes an extensive archive with over 20,000 documents and publications. Temporary loans from important technology museums complete the collection available today and accompany current special exhibitions. The museum, which is run by volunteers, is open to the public from Tuesdays to Saturdays and offers informative guided tours, training courses and lectures, including by contemporary witnesses, to keep history alive for younger generations in particular.
Extension of the F-kubik honorary award
With the IFA Museum and its active operators, the F-kubik group is expanding the circle of honorary piston owners with an exemplary institution for experiencing vehicle history. Individuals and institutions with this award have contributed in their own way to the positive development of the German classic car scene in the public eye. The "Golden Piston" has been awarded unanimously and independently by the F-kubik group every year since 2006 in the form of a polished engine piston on an engraved base with a certificate and individual pin. In this way, F-kubik aims to encourage and promote committed public action to preserve vehicle history. The IFA Museum is the 17th winner of this "Golden Piston" series, which is still the only award in the field of vehicle history.
The Golden Piston and its previous winners
The award is presented in person each year at the Bremen Classic Motorshow.
- 2006: Günther Krön for reviving the historic "2000 km through Germany" tour in 1989 and organizing it annually as a "mobile museum".
- 2007: Karl-August Almstadt for his early journalistic work on historic vehicles in his role as TV presenter and deputy editor-in-chief at AutoBild Klassik.
- 2008: Winfried A. Seidel as initiator and operator of the Veterama since 1975 for vehicle and spare parts trade and the establishment of the Dr. Carl Benz Automuseum in Ladenburg.
- 2009: Prof. Dr. Peter Kirchberg for his many years of work at the University of Dresden and his documentation of the history of the Auto Union.
- 2010: Dipl.-Ing. Mag. phil. Wolfgang M. Buchta as editor-in-chief of the specialist magazine Austro-Classic for supporting the classic car scene not only in Austria.
- 2011: Karl Reese (+) as a long-standing expert and one of the first publicists of motorcycle history in an unknown variety.
- 2012: Michael Graf Wolff Metternich (+) as an interpreter of Maybach history and corresponding documentation and publications on the history of technology.
- 2013: Erika Kübler for her selfless commitment to preserving the life's work of the artist and designer Louis L. Lepoix from Baden-Baden.
- 2014: Ivan Mahy for his tireless efforts to preserve a unique vehicle collection in Belgium and present it to the public.
- 2015: Roger Gloor from Switzerland for his many years of in-depth coverage of the automotive past in Automobil Revue and auto exclusiv magazine.
- 2016: Karl Ludvigsen as manager of the automotive industry with the special skills of systematic research, processing and publication of automotive historical topics.
- 2017: Johannes Th. Hübner, automotive expert, publicist and designer, who as a presenter is able to convey his knowledge of vehicle history to the public in an inspiring way.
- 2018: Heiner Rössler and his team at the Melle Vehicle Museum for their exemplary concept of a lively presentation and documentation of vehicle history.
- 2019: Jürgen Book as the initiator of the Glasurit Classic Car Colors program, the world's largest color database for historic vehicles as a contribution to the preservation of historical monuments.
- 2020: Dieter Dressel for setting up a museum with archive in Bad Homburg v.d.H. for the organization of changing informative exhibitions in the "Central Garage".
- 2021: Matthias Kaluza from Zwickau for his accurate and sensitive portrayal of historical vehicle history in books, exhibitions and digital media.
- 2022: The IFA Museum initiative in Nordhausen for preserving and communicating technical knowledge, unique exhibits and documents not only on diesel technology.