The Eisenach Automobile Plant ( German VEB Automobilenwerk Eisenach , abbr. - AWE ) was a German automobile manufacturer from 1896–1991.
| AWE | |
|---|---|
| Type of | |
| Base | 1896 |
| Abolished | 1991 |
| Reason for abolition | bankruptcy |
| Location | Eisenach |
| Industry | automotive industry |
| Products | Cars and motorcycles |
History
Founded in 1896 in the city of Eisenach , a German Empire called the Eisenach Automobile Factory ( Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach ). In 1898, the first car Wartburg-Motowagen was introduced. At the beginning of the XX century, the plant produced a car under the brand name Dixi . In the 1920s, a license was purchased for the production of British cars Austin 7 , which were produced on farbrik under the brand name Dixi. In 1928, the plant came under the control of BMW and produced cars received the BMW brand.
Before World War II, BMW models 315, 319, 321, 326, 327, 328, 335 were produced here.
After the end of World War II, the plant fell into the Soviet zone of occupation of Germany and became part of the Soviet-German joint-stock company AvtoVelo . The factory resumed the assembly of the pre-war model BMW 326 , (several dozen units were assembled from 1945 to 1946 from the remaining reserve of parts) and BMW 321 from 1945 to 1950, as well as the BMW R-35 motorcycle. Soon the plant was nationalized by the authorities of the newly formed East Germany . Already in the late 40s, the plant began developing a new model of its own, which was created on the basis of the previously released BMW 326 and a promising prototype 332 created just before the war. In 1949, began production of this model called the BMW 340 . Soon the plant and its products affected an international scandal, since the real owners of the BMW brand located in Germany , in Munich, said that the plant in Eisenach uses their brand illegally and is obliged to rename it. After long trials in 1951, the plant received the name VEB Automobilwerk Eisenach ( People's Enterprise Eisenach Automobile Plant), and the cars produced are given the brand EMW , by analogy with the abbreviation BMW. In 1953, the production of the IFA F9 car, called EMW 309, was moved from the Audi plant in Zwickau to the plant in Eisenach. Since 1955, the plant has begun production of a completely new car under the Wartburg brand.
This event determined the life of the plant for the next three and a half decades.
After the unification of Germany , in 1991 the plant was closed.
Logo
| Logo | Description |
|---|---|
| With the logo and brand BMW cars and motorcycles left the factory until 1951. | |
| In 1951, a new logo was developed as a matter of urgency for the newly created EMW brand. |
Models
| Years of release | Model | Description | A photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1945-1946 | BMW 326 | Pre-war model of the car produced shortly from the remaining reserve of parts | |
| 1945-1955 | BMW / EMW R-35 | Pre-war model of a motorcycle restored in production | |
| 1946-1950 | BMW 321 | Pre-war car model restored in production | |
| 1949-1955 | BMW / EMW 340 | In fact, the first car developed in the GDR on the basis of prewar BMW projects | |
| 1952-1955 | BMW / EMW 327 | Pre-war car model restored in production, actively exported | |
| 1953-1956 | IFA F9 / EMW 309 | It was produced from 1950 to 1953 at the VEB Kraftfahrzeugwerk Audi Zwickau plant as IFA F9, from 1953 the production was moved in Eisenach as EMW 309 | |
| 1955-1967 | Wartburg 311/312/313 | The first generation of cars brand Wartburg | |
| 1965-1991 | Wartburg 353 / 353S / 1.3 | The second generation of cars brand Wartburg | |
| 1969-1979 | Melkus RS 1000 | sports car manufactured by Melkus on Wartburg units and assemblies |
See also
- Trabant
- IFA W50
- Multicar
- Barkas
- Automotive industry GDR