Josef Ganz

Heinz Dehn

Franz Lebrecht

The Nussbaum family

Kitchener Camp

Ida Dehn

The Flieder family

The Dehn family

Ernst Friedlich

Leon Gottlieb

Erich Tichauer

Dr Ernst Wasser

Dr Hans Frankenstein

Josef Ganz

The „Shanghai 12“

Ginette Rozenfeld

George Chodziesner

When a friend heard about our web project on Jewish exile in Australia, he mentioned the name Josef Ganz. As a quick search revealed, the Jewish engineer can be considered one of the inventors of the VW Beetle. The fact that he did not profit from this, but was forgotten, that Volkswagen secured the brand name and others took the credit, must be seen against the backdrop of January 30, 1933. The Hitler dictatorship’s “mobility policy”, as it would be called today, forced the Jewish engineer out of the business, forced him to flee to Switzerland and erased him from memory. Josef Ganz went to Australia in 1951. This biographical article is intended to help wrest the life and work of Josef Ganz from the taboo zone created by the Nazis, even though he only came to Australia long after the world war.

Peter Dehn, January 2024.

The man who invented the Beetle concept

Was one facet of Josef Ganz’s career path predetermined? He was born in Budapest on July 1, 1898. His father Hugo Markus Ganz[1] Wikipedia about J. Ganz (German), retrieved Sep 10, 2023. (1862 – 1922) came from Mainz and worked as a correspondent for the “Frankfurter Zeitung” in Hungary. Josef’s mother was Maria, née Török (1872 – 1926). The family moved with Josef and his older sister Margarete (1893 – 1975) via Vienna to Frankfurt am Main. The young man was caught up in patriotism, became a naturalized citizen in 1916 and volunteered for the Imperial World War Army, which stationed him at Warnemünde airfield[2] This information was taken from the movie "Ganz: How I lost my Beetle" (German: Die wahre Geschichte des VW-Käfers). Insofar as information from the film is used later, we have refrained from single mentions..

For Josef Ganz, “Motor-Kritik” was the platform for his criticism of the car industry’s strategies.

As a specialist journalist …

As a 12-year-old grammar school pupil, Josef Ganz was already approaching one of his later vocations: In 1910, he was granted a patent for a protective device for electric streetcars. After the world war, he studied mechanical engineering in Vienna and Darmstadt. With his diploma in his pocket, he began his career in the automotive industry in 1926.

At the same time, the press became Josef Ganz’s second field of activity. As a journalist, he observed the industry – from 1928 as editor-in-chief of the trade journal “Motor-Kritik” – with a sometimes sharp pen, following the motto “No progress without criticism”. Against the industry trend towards large, fast and expensive cars, he propagated small, light cars, affordable for everyone. The “Motor-Kritik” developed successfully. Josef Ganz also received orders from the industry. Nazi publications[3] Cf. Armin Fuhrer „Porsche war es nicht …“ (It was not Porsche), Focus online (German), retrieved Sep 20, 2023., however, defamed the competent designer and specialist journalist early on as a “Jewish pest”.

… and a car pioneer

At the same time, Josef Ganz developed his own vehicles. In 1930, he was able to have a first prototype built by the Nuremberg company Ardie. A second prototype – later christened the “Maikäfer” by him (Maybeetle; the “Beetle” was already in it!) – prompted the Adler company to hire Ganz as a technical consultant. He also provided “development assistance” for Mercedes and BMW.

In 1931, he had developed the two-seater Butz[4] Wikipedia about the Butz (German), retrieved Sep 20, 2023. for Bungartz & Co. The Munich-based company was specialized in small lightweight cars. Until 1934, only a few examples of the 14 hp convertible with a plywood body were built. From 1932, Josef Ganz developed cars for the Standard company in Ludwigsburg. His revised “Maikäfer” was presented at the “23rd International Automobile and Motorcycle Exhibition” (IAMA[5] Wikipedia about the IAMA fair (German) has been organized since 1897 - until 1939 mainly in Berlin, retrieved Sep 15, 2023.) in Berlin in February 1933 and was celebrated by the “ADAC-Motorwelt”, among others. The small car was launched on the market as the “Standard Superior” for just 1,590 Reichsmarks and was advertised as the “German Volkswagen”.

Hitler’s people’s pacifier car

The National Socialists were very interested in driving forward the development of cars. Hitler himself had called for a four-seater “Volkswagen” (people’s car) for under 1,000 Reichsmarks at the opening of the Berlin Motor Show in 1933. A sketch that Hitler is said to have made personally later resembled Ganz’s bodywork designs.

Ganz had obviously made an impression on the Nazi leaders, but this was not favorable for him. On the contrary: on May 21, 1933, the Gestapo arrested Josef Ganz following a denunciation[6] Website Josef Ganz (English), retrieved Sep 15, 2023. that was said to have come from the car industry. His office in Frankfurt was searched and various documents were taken, the journalist and designer later reported. He was held in Berlin-Moabit prison for a month.

Josef Ganz in 1932 with his “Maikäfer” prototype.

Long before there was any thought of a Volkswagen plant, the Standard Superior was advertised as a “Volkswagen”.

“The denunciators are waiting”

A few days after the arrest, on June 6, 1933, an Austrian newspaper ran the headline: “Protective custody of motor criticism”. It picked up on a Ganz article at the end:

“A month before his arrest, he quoted Mr. Göring in ‚Motor Kritik‘ in a black-bordered footnote, as his own Partezettel[7] In Austrian dialect a family ad., so to speak: ‘These days they come, the denunciators, there they accuse this one or that one, out of competitive envy and similar motives.’ Both were right: Göring and Ganz.”

“Der Morgen” on 6 June 1933[8] Nerwspaper „Der Morgen“ June 6, 1933 page 18, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, retrieved Sep 15, 2023..

The paper was alluding to denunciations from the car industry, which were said to have led to the arrest in order to get rid of an uncomfortable and competent critic.

The journalist lost his position as editor-in-chief, but was still able to publish individual articles. His Jewish background came in handy for the Nazis to ban him from publishing and he was silenced. Adler, Mercedes and other customers then terminated their contracts “with regret”. Josef Ganz was thus deprived of his livelihood. From then on, his name was taboo. In March 1934, Josef Ganz drew the line and fled Germany.

From the Superior to the KdF car

The Nazis’ interest in a cheap small car had a military background as well as populist aspects. On the one hand, the Nazis wanted to attack the US registration record sooner or later and propagate the „Reich“ as the home of general prosperity. On the other hand, it was certainly also about asserting a civilian use for the military highway platform of the “Reichsautobahnen”.

To underline the civilian character of a car for the masses, the Nazis sent their “Kraft durch Freude” (KdF; power by joy) organization forward. This was part of the “Deutsche Arbeitsfront” (DAF; German Labor Front), under whose umbrella the Nazis had brought trade unions and industrial associations into line. Long before the foundation stone of the later Volkswagen plant was laid in 1938, the “KdF car”, which had not even been produced yet, was advertised with the slogan “You have to save five marks a week – if you want to drive your own car”. 340,000 interest-free savings contracts contributed up to 258 million Reichsmarks to the KdF coffers[9] Wikipedia about J. Ganz, loc.cit. which were probably used to finance the war.

In 1934, the Nazis commissioned Ferdinand Porsche to develop a “Volkswagen”. Similar to the “Volksempfänger” (people’s radio), an inexpensive car was to create a mass market for cars. Other manufacturers are said to have used the term “Volkswagen” for much longer. A court found that Béla Barény had developed important technical foundations for the later “Beetle” – and not Ferdinand Porsche. However, the latter’s concept was strikingly similar to Ganz’s: rear engine, central tubular frame, swing axles, the streamlined body … Several authors therefore credit Josef Ganz with the concept of the VW “Beetle” or at least a a large part[10] Wikipedia about the KdF-car (German), retrieved Sep 20, 2023. of it.

At the beginning of 1943, the Nazis used the line “10 years of National Socialist reconstruction work” to advertise the “KdF car”, many of which had already been paid for but never delivered. Source: Federal Archives 146-1979-025-30A.

It was not until 1937 that the foundation stone was laid for the huge plant, including a “city of the KdF car[11] The town was named after a nearby castle of Wolfsburg in May 1945.” in the middle of nowhere, about 26 km from Braunschweig. The construction was financed by confiscated funds from the trade unions in the DAF budget. However, only 630 “KdF cars” were built. Apart from a few propaganda pieces, they were delivered to the Wehrmacht. Instead of the propagandized 150,000 “Beetles” per year for the people, 50,788 “Kübelwagen” (bucket-seat car) and 14,276 „Schwimmwagen“ (amphibious cars) were assembled for the Wehrmacht from 1940 onwards based on its chassis concept. Among other things, the V1 cruise missile was also manufactured on the factory premises[12] Wikipedia about the VW plants (German), retrieved Sep 15, 2023.. The plant employed 20,000 forced laborers, including prisoners for whom VW had two concentration camps built.

Survival in Switzerland

Back to Josef Ganz, who worked in Vienna for some time. There, the press reported with interest on his concept of a lightweight car[13] Newspapaer „Salzburg Chronik“ from July 10, 1934 page 4, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, retrieved Sep 12, 2023. weighing less than 300 kg with a mid-engine. The retail price was calculated at around 3,500 schillings. However, the project was not pursued any further.

Ganz then went to Switzerland. In 1936, he received a warning from a friend: His patents could be taken away from him in order to prevent license payments to a Jew for the “Führer’s” pet project “KdF-Wagen”. Ganz traveled to Frankfurt to save his documents and patents. He was lucky and was not checked at the German border. In 1938, like thousands of Jews, his German citizenship was revoked and his assets taken away by the Nazis. Ganz lost the income from his numerous patents registered in Nazi Germany.

In Switzerland, he found work at Rapid Motormäher. The manufacturer, specialized in small vehicles, presented the Ganz development “Rapid[14] Wikipedia about the Rapid (German), retrieved Sep 15, 2023.” in 1946. The single-cylinder rear engine with a three-speed gearbox acting on the rear axle, but without a differential, continued the concept of the Standard Superior. Only 36 examples of the two-seater convertible were built in 1947 and sold for 3,600 francs.

Ganz was also involved in the construction of the two-man bobsleigh[15] Cf. Blick Online May 1,.2023,  (German), retrieved Jan, 17, 2024., with which the Swiss national team won the silver medal at the 1948 Olympics in St. Moritz.

After the war, Ganz struggled to gain access to his patents. He also had to defend himself against Nazi sympathizers and enviers in the local car industry. Due to numerous court cases, Ganz was discredited as a troublemaker and expelled in 1951.

Production of a “KdF car” successor, now called the “Volkswagen” and later the “Käfer” (beetle), soon resumed at full speed with the support of the British occupying power, while Josef Ganz’s name and achievements continued to be concealed in Germany.

Refuge in Australia

Josef Ganz left Switzerland, where he also left his partner of many years behind. In June/July 1951, he completed the required examinations in Paris for a temporary residence permit in Australia. Coming from Marseille, he arrived in Sydney on the Chang Chow on September 17, 1951. In Melbourne, he lived in the St. Kilda district, a center of Jewish immigration. He became a citizen[16] Documents on Ganz's entry to Australia and naturalization in the National Archives of Australia (NAA), NAA_ItemNumber12136285. of his host country on March 7, 1962.

He worked for the car manufacturer Holden[17] Cf. Wikipedia about Holden (German), retrieved Sep 20, 2023. until retirement age. He proposed an Australian people’s car that would cost have just 400 pounds. Holden marketed its own developments for the domestic market and Asia from the 1950s onwards. However, it became apparent that this Australian branch of General Motors was to implement the financially more attractive business model of modular production of bodies for US chassis – until production was discontinued completely in 2017.

Josef Ganz is naturalised in 1953 and becomes an Australian citizen. Source: Naturalisation file in the National Archives of Australia NAA_ItemNumber12136285, sheet 15.

Josef Ganz in the mid-1940s. Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).

In August 1955, the delivery of the 1 millionth „Beetle“ was celebrated with much pomp. Josef Ganz learned about this from the newspapers and saw how others became famous thanks to his preparatory work. What might have motivated him? The VW factory had, of course, communicated the names of the designer Ferdinand Porsche and the Group boss Heinrich Nordhoff. The name Josef Ganz was not mentioned and remained taboo.

It was only years later that the Wolfsburg management remembered the constructor: “With the fervent conviction of a missionary, Josef Ganz attacked the old and established car companies with biting irony in his criticism of the industry,” VW boss Nordhoff[18] Quoted from „Josef Ganz“-website, loc.cit.. is quoted as saying.

Mail from Wolfsburg arrived in Melbourne all the more unexpectedly: Nordhoff invited Josef Ganz to work for VW on February 28, 1961. At the age of 63, Ganz seemed quite interested “in working in the shadow of a benevolent master at a plant that helped open up the world to the Maybug idea”. However, Josef Ganz suffered a heart attack shortly before leaving for Germany. Since then, he was unable to work and suffered from depression. He was disillusioned, but was still able to inspire a major article about his story in an Australian car magazine.

Can the Holocaust be time-barred?

In 1965, the Federal Republic of Germany decided to give Josef Ganz belated recognition for his work for the German car industry, which had been stolen by the Nazis. Josef Ganz was to be honored with the Federal Cross of Merit[19] German Embassy to the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Oct 18, 1965, National Archives of Australia (NAA), NAA_ItemNumber3349216. 1st Class. In a communication to the Australian Foreign Ministry, the German embassy explained: “It is in his capacity as editor of the magazine ‘Motor-Kritik’ between 1928-1934 that Mr. Ganz took a keen interest in the development of a German ‚Volkswagen‘ and, together with other engineers like Professor Porsche, greatly contributed to realizing theis project.” The message also highlighted Josef Ganz with his  technical ideas „greatly furthered the German automobile industry“.

However, the Australian government banned its citizen Josef Ganz from accepting the prestigious award. According to the regulations, the acceptance of foreign honours[20] Reply from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs no. 1535/25/17 on Dec 1, 1965 and letter from the Prime Minister dated Nov 24, 1965, ibid. is prohibited if “the service to be recognized was completed more than five years prior to the question of entitlement to the award. Mr. Ganz has not rendered any services to the German motor industry since 1934”, commented Australian authorities. In other words, Australia’s government prevented modest moral reparation because the Nazi crimes were committed more than five years ago. As if the Jewish victim had not suffered enough from National Socialism, those robbed of their work and expelled from their homeland have now been deprived of the recognition and honor they deserve.

Can the Holocaust be time-barred?

In Australia, you are not allowed to accept a foreign honour if the merits were awarded too long ago. Source: NAA-Akte NAA_ItemNumber12136285,

A neighboring family now supported the sick and impoverished man in his everyday life. Josef Ganz died in Melbourne on July 26, 1967. Since 2017, the car pioneer[21] Quoted from „Josef Ganz“-website, loc.cit. has been commemorated by a plaque on prominent residents of his last home.

Memories of a forgotten car developer

He left his archive and 3,000 Australian dollars in debt to relatives in Switzerland[22] Wikipedia (German) about the Australian Dollar (German), which in 1966 replaced the pound based on the Caraolingian-British system.. The heirs were able to pay the debts, otherwise they would have had to renounce the inheritance[23] From the movie "Ganz: How I lost my Beetle", loc.cit.. Ganz had letters, documents, drawings etc. copied onto microfilm. The extensive materials were then sent to Europe. Josef Ganz was an enthusiastic amateur photographer. His estate includes an extensive photo archive with images from both his professional and private life. He is even said to have secretly taken photographs in the Berlin-Moabit prison.

More than a year after his death, it took Australian authorities[24] Documents in the National Archives of Australia, NAA_ItemNumber12136285. from the beginning of July to the end of November 1968 to obtain a document to confirm Josef Ganz’s correct date of birth to a life insurer. The delay was said to have been caused “outside this department” ends the last archived letter of correspondence.

The Dutchman Paul Schilperoord and the Swiss Lorenz Schmid, a descendant of Josef Ganz’s uncle Alfred Ganz, have been researching the life and work of Josef Ganz for a long time. This has resulted in a book[25] Paul Schilperoord „The Extraordinry Life of Josef Ganz. The Jewish engineer behind Hitler’s Volkswagen“, RVP Publishers 2012, ISBN 978-1614122036, 240 pages., a documentary film[26] "Ganz: How I lost my Beetle" by Suzanne Raes, 2019, Coproduction ´The Netherlands/Germany, retrieved Aug 10, 2023. with the participation of Germany’s public broadcaster WDR and a website[27] Cf. josefganz.org, retrieved Sep 25, 2023.. Schilperoord and Schmid succeeded in retrieving two rudiments of the Standard Superior from barns. On this basis, a “Standard” was reconstructed in running order. One “Rapid” is owned by the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne, another by the Louwman Collection in The Hague. A “Maikäfer” prototype can be seen in the Museum Central Garage Bad Homburg.

Please note: Some of the information in this article was taken from the above-mentioned documentary film or the Josef Ganz website. Not all sources are individually referenced here.

Footnotes