HN 2: The British and their Works

survived the attacks practically unscathed. 92 per cent of the
machinery was intact so that by 23rd June 1945, the REME officers
were already in a position to draw up the initial plans for
production as discussed with the factory management.
Some 500 Kübelwagens could still be manufactured from
existing parts stores. 86 vehicles of this type were ready for
delivery, although they still had no tyres or inner tubes. The
Royal Engineers decided that a further 30 Kübelwagens should
be built, as their bodies were already almost complete. After this,
production was to be transferred to half-tonne delivery vans.
The factory management proposed that 250 units per month
should be delivered in the months of July and August 1945,
which meant a daily production of 10 delivery vans. Meanwhile,
in-house production of fuel pumps and carburettors had to be
started up.
It was also planned to produce a half-tonne trailer and a "road
tractor", for which purpose the design office set about developing
a tractor vehicle from the Kübelwagen chassis. On account
of the critical food supply situation, the "Volkspflug" (people’s
tractor), designed by Ferdinand Porsche, also aroused the interest
of the British. During the war, 50 trial examples of this
tractor had been built. Although in the view of the factory
management the "Volkspflug" had been tested "on all types of
soil in Germany" and was "absolutely ready for production",
this project could only be pursued with difficulty, since the components
were manufactured by an Italian firm in Brescia and all
design drawings were at Porsche KG in Stuttgart. Thus the most
pressing task for the Volkswagenwerk remained the production
of Kübelwagens and delivery vans, and the overhaul of jeep
engines for the British army. In addition the press shop was to
start up mass production of urgently needed utility goods,
provided this did not affect vehicle manufacture. For the first
time the factory management was considering the idea of
manufacturing body parts for the Ford plant. 9
It was a requirement of the British production plans that the
evacuated facilities should be returned as quickly as possible to
the main factory. In this matter the Military Government had
taken the initiative at an early stage. On 18th June 1945 it issued
the requisite directives protecting the evacuated facilities from
further looting, and especially from requisitioning. British and
American troops were informed that the facilities concerned
were the property of the Allies, and nothing could be taken
without permission from the British factory management. At
the same time a directive was issued that contact should
immediately be made with the mayors of the evacuation towns
and stolen material secured. Any refusal to return material
would be severely punished by the military authority. Thus in
retrospect the system of short-distance evacuation proved
an inestimable benefit. Orders from the British meant that
equipment, machinery and raw materials could be returned to
the main factory and the previous production process restored,
albeit after a fashion. Nevertheless, a quarter of the displaced
plant, located in the Soviet zone of occupation or in other
regions, was lost. 10
8 9
THE LUCK OF THE VANQUISHED