September 3, 1949 marks an important date in Audi's corporate history. With the founding of Auto Union GmbH in Ingolstadt, a new chapter begins for the car manufacturer, formerly based in Saxony - now in West Germany. The company resumes production in the old buildings of the Ingolstadt fortress, laying the foundations for the new beginning of the Four Rings in Ingolstadt.
New start after the Second World War
Audi's presence in Ingolstadt developed shortly after the end of the war: Former employees of Auto Union AG in Saxony set up a central depot for spare parts at Schrannenstrasse 3 in 1945, after the supply of parts from the Soviet-occupied zone had become impossible. The supply and production of spare parts was intended to keep the pre-war Auto Union vehicle stocks on the road.
The decision to return to vehicle production is made just a few years later; once the formal requirements have been met, Auto Union GmbH is founded in Ingolstadt on September 3, 1949. The young company initially started with an automobile that was tailored to the needs of the reconstruction period: the DKW F 89 Schnelllaster, a reliable and uncomplicated delivery van, was offered in various body variants. Its design was based on proven pre-war technology, with front-wheel drive and a transversely mounted two-cylinder, two-stroke engine.
A second vehicle followed in November 1949: the DKW RT 125, a motorcycle that made a major contribution to affordable mobility in post-war Germany. It was an "old acquaintance", as the RT 125 had already been developed at the DKW factory in Zschopau in 1939 and had been built during the war both for export and for the German Wehrmacht. As production of the same model was also resumed after the Second World War at the now state-owned motorcycle factory in Zschopau, Saxony, under the name IFA RT 125 (IFA = Industrieverwaltung Fahrzeugbau), the model from Ingolstadt was given the additional designation "W" to identify it as a product from West Germany. Apart from the slightly rounder tank, the RT 125 with its trapezoidal fork and rubber suspension, two-stroke engine with 4.75 hp and foot-operated three-speed gearbox was essentially the same as the model designed before the war.
For around ten years, the production facilities in Ingolstadt city center were the hub of the young Auto Union GmbH's activities alongside the Düsseldorf plant, until a new plant was built on Ettinger Strasse for capacity reasons. On August 21, 1959, production of the affordable small car DKW Junior starts there, marking Auto Union GmbH's permanent focus on the construction of passenger cars after the discontinuation of the DKW RT 125W in 1957.
Lecture, Night of the Museums and anniversary celebration in Ingolstadt city center
Exactly 75 years to the day after the historic founding of the company, a lecture at the Audi museum mobile will kick off the activities for the 75th anniversary: on Tuesday, September 3, speaker Ralf Friese, company historian at Audi Tradition, will report on the difficult new start, the early years in Ingolstadt city center and the relocation of Auto Union to the new plant facilities on Ettinger Strasse. Registration is required for the lecture evening "75 years of the Ingolstadt site - foundation of Auto Union GmbH". However, admission to the lecture evening is free.
A few days later, the Audi museum mobile will continue with a varied program at the Night of the Museums on Saturday, September 7, from 6 p.m. to midnight. Together with the Audi Big Band, which plays a broad repertoire ranging from Latin, soul and funk to pop, the artists of the Circus of Fantasy will take museum guests on a journey through entertaining music and breathtaking artistry. Visitors can also enjoy special guided tours of the Auto-Union Silver Arrows and the current special exhibition "Form perfected? Aerodynamics in automotive design from 1945 to the present day". Of course, younger guests will also get their money's worth at the Night of the Museums: in good weather, a special driving course with go-karts awaits them on the Audi Piazza; in bad weather, a creative alternative program will be offered.
On Sunday, September 8, an anniversary celebration will take place at Josef-Strobl-Platz in Ingolstadt. Under the motto "75 years of Auto Union GmbH at the Ingolstadt site", visitors can look forward to an entertaining program from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. - including speed truck tours through Ingolstadt's city center, city tours "In the footsteps of Auto Union in Ingolstadt" and a vehicle exhibition with models from the early years of Auto Union GmbH in Ingolstadt. The Bavarian ensemble of the Audi Bläserphilharmonie, which itself can look back on a 60-year tradition, will also be performing a mix of Bavarian-Bohemian and modern brass music as well as pop. Catering will be provided.
