Here’s how the British army saved Volkswagen after the war!
- Published on 25/08/2026 18:45
In August 1945, Volkswagen is on the brink of collapse. Against all odds, it is the British army that will offer a second life to the German manufacturer and to what will become the legendary Beetle.
The automotive history loves paradoxes. This one is particularly delightful: just a few months after the surrender of Nazi Germany, the British army will directly contribute to saving Volkswagen.
In the summer of 1945, the future of the Wolfsburg factory is more than uncertain. The site has been damaged during the war, supplies are difficult, and Volkswagen is placed under British military administration. Its disappearance or dismantling are perfectly conceivable scenarios.
An Engineer’s Vision
But one man will notably change its fate: British Major Ivan Hirst. An engineer by training, he quickly understands that the factory and its small car can provide valuable services in a Germany where transportation is severely lacking.
On August 22, 1945, the British military government then places an order for 20,000 cars. A huge figure under the conditions of the time and above all a true lifeline for Wolfsburg. Volkswagen still considers this order as crucial for the survival of the company.
The task remains immense. The machines need to be repaired, raw materials must be found, workers need to be fed, and improvisation is required when certain parts are missing. Despite these difficulties, the mass production of the Volkswagen Type 1 resumed before the end of 1945.
The rest is history. This small car will become the Beetle, one of the most famous models on the planet.
Without this astonishing British intervention, the fate of Volkswagen could have been radically different. The Beetle owes part of its incredible career… to the army of Her Most Gracious Majesty.
ALSO READ: 76 years ago, the British returned Volkswagen to the Germans
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This page is translated from the original post "Voici comment l’armée britannique a sauvé Volkswagen après la guerre !" in French.
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