Page 79 - History of War - Issue 18-15

HOW FERDINAND PORSCHE’S WAR MACHINES ARMED THE THIRD REICH

AlbertSpeertakesaType
130 Ferdinand for a spin,
with Ferdinand Porsche
perched to his left

e may be one of Germany’s most
famed entrepreneurial engineers – with
Hhis automotive company today making
some 14,326 million Euro in revenue – but
the origins of Ferdinand Porsche’s engineering
legacy lies far away from the boulevards that
nowhosthisglamoroussportscars.Instead,
the Czech-born stalwart has an incredible yet
relatively unknown facet to the early stages
of his career: building a series of vehicles for
useintheGermanmilitary,beforeeventually
swapping trenches for tarmac to further exert
his engineering prowess.
Thesonofatinsmith,Ferdinanddisplayed
attributes of a competent engineer from an
earlyage,bringingelectricitytohishomeand
his family’s workshop by the age of just 13.
He soon turned his fascination with electricity
into a career, joining Austria’s most revered
company in electrical equipment, Bela Egger
and Company (the German acronym of which
was VEAG). The 18-year-old Ferdinand wasted
little time displaying traits of a competent
engineer, progressing quickly at VEAG
from a trainee to the man in charge of the
testlaboratories.ItwasherethatPorsche
met Ludwig Lohner, an esteemed Austrian
coachbuilderofthe19thcenturywhowaskeen
to explore opportunities for electric vehicles.

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