Crash of VW38/16 and Type 64/03

[Undis]

It was a cool night on 30th August 1940*. It had been raining during the day, but not heavily. Two black cars were driving enthusiastically down the old Freisinger Reichsstrasse in the Freimann area of Munich. One car was, a KdF Wagen with Stuttgart number plate IIIA-43016. The other car was a KdF Wagen sports car with Stuttgart trade number plate IIIA-0685. The sports car was being driven by the head of the German Labor Front Dr. Bodo Lafferentz. He was also the manager of Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH. He had received the car just a couple of days earlier for his personal use. With the car came also an operating manual consisting of seven pages, written on a typewriter, dated 28th August, 1940. A strange thing to include with a sports car but perhaps Dr. Ferdinand Porsche was not too confident of Dr. Lafferentz’s driving skills? After all, he had already damaged one of the sports cars, the first one built. The other car was a regular KdF Wagen that had been given to Dr. Lafferentz about two years earlier. Dr. Lafferentz was super excited to stretch the legs of his new toy so he had let his other car be driven by his adjutant Dr. Tschentscher.

The whining sound of the two flat-four engines filled the quiet night air. The stretch of the road was empty and dark. It was basically a construction zone closed to general traffic. The covered headlights of both cars didn’t help much with vision ahead. The road passes under the unfinished end-section of Ingolstadt – Munich Autobahn. Just after the overpass there was a potentially deadly barrier – a temporary narrow-gauge railway line crossing the entire road surface.

Drivers of both cars were so overwhelmed with excitement of the race that they stood no chance of noticing the railway track. Both cars hit the raised track at high speed and flew across it with damaged undercarriages and bodywork. It’s a miracle both remained on all four wheels.

The following morning the crash scene was photographed and the cars pushed off the road surface to the side. Although the road was officially closed to general traffic, it was not cordoned off completely because the road had to be kept open for Wehrmacht as a connection to the Military Road and for the adjacent properties. Nineteen numbered photos from the crash scene and from the entrance to the Freisinger Reichsstrasse were attached to a scathing letter sent on 3 September 1940 by the General Inspector for German roads, Berlin to the Head of Construction of the Reichsautobahnen, Munich. The other letter is a response from 12 September 1940. The language of these letters is very formal and bureaucratic but interesting is the lack of the usual greetings at the beginning of these letters. Seems they were written by very angry Germans on both sides.

The purpose of the complaint letter is clear, Dr. Bodo Lafferentz suffered embarrassment of smashing up yet another KdF Wagen sports car and in a very adolescent manner, went complaining to the General Inspector for German roads, trying to shift the blame away from himself. He was driving in a dangerous manner and who knows, perhaps alcohol was also involved? Instead he set off to blame the road conditions; that it was not properly closed off with not enough clear signage.

After the crash car VW38/16 was likely scrapped but it’s engine still living on until today. The sports car, Type 64/03 was repaired and towards the end of the war was brought by Porsche to Gmünd and Zell in Austria. In 1949 it was sold to Austrian racing driver Otto Mathé who did not spare it in numerous races in the following years. This car survives until today.

Attached are the front pages of both letters. Clearly the letter text carries over to the other page but was not available to me. I also include available to me photos with numbers 11, 12, 15, 18 and 19 out of the total of 19. The photos are most likely from the flowing morning after the accident and show both damaged cars. Car 16 is seen in some photos as it was left after the accident and in some photos, it has been pushed off the road to the side. The sports car also has been moved. In the background you can see all of the construction work and, importantly, the temporary narrow-gauge railway line crossing the entire road surface.

*Meteorological data shows weather conditions 30 August 1940: temperature high 13.5c, low 8.4c, precipitation 1.64cm
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[Undis]

Photo 15 shows the Type 64/03 with the VW38/16 behind it. Both cars have been pushed off the road surface. Wheel tracks are well visible however it’s hard to say if the car was pushed forwards or backwards as there are also wheel track behind the sports car seen in another photo. Also note the Ingolstadt – Munich Autobahn under construction. The bridge posts are only partially built. The middle post has a distinctive rounded shape with a concrete top.

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[Undis]

Photo 19 shows car 38/16 still on the road surface before it was pushed to the side. It looks sad with its right front wheel collapsed.

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[Undis]

Photo 18 shows car 38/16 still on the road surface before it was pushed to the side. The sports car can be seen just behind it in its original position closer to the overpass bridge.

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[Undis]

Photo 11 shows both cars pushed off the road surface. The 38/16 is now closer to the overpass bridge.

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[Undis]

Photo 12 again of both cars off the road. Note the fuel can and what appears to be a tool roll.

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[Undis]

Below are translations of the two letters:

3rd September 1940, Via express courier to Head of Construction of the Reichsautobahnen Munich Maillinger Street 33

On the Autobahn end-section Ingolstadt – Munich, which has not yet been opened to traffic, in the last few days there have been various accidents near Freimann due to the fact that the access road in Freimann is apparently insufficiently marked and blocked off, which lead to illegal use of this closed section, especially because the Wehrmacht is accustomed to use some sections that are still under construction but open to "Operational traffic".

The 19 photos included were taken by the gentlemen Dr. Tschentscher and Dr. Lafferentz of the DAF, who drove the route at night under the assumption that it was open to the public. Only by chance they remained uninjured while driving over the temporary railway tracks. The existing barrier (see Figures 1 and 3) is sufficient for daytime lighting, but at night this barrier is insufficient in all cases due to the low light from the darkened headlights.

As Dr. Tschentscher reported, a military vehicle had an accident on the railway track shortly in front of the DAF car. Fortunately, there were no injuries here either. The accident of a military staff carrier occupied by 18 men could have been prevented by appropriate signage. I urge you to ensure that the crossing points (see Figures 1 and 3) during the dark…

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[Undis]

12th September 1940
To the General Inspector for German roads BERLIN W8 Pariser Platz 3

Regarding: Car accident in the not yet opened section Dirnismaning – Freimann on August 30, 1940.

Picture 1 is not taken on the motorway, but at a diversion point from the old to the new Reichsstrasse to Freising that has now been decommissioned. There was a prohibition sign "No entry allowed" with a detour sign underneath it. In picture 1, this signpost is unclear because of the black background. The city of Munich was responsible for maintaining this diversion. A barrier to the old Freisinger Reichsstrasse could not be installed at this point because the road has to be kept open for the Wehrmacht as a connection to the Military Road and for the adjacent properties.

Picture 2 shows the end of the old Freisinger Reichsstrasse and to the left which crosses this military street at the beginning of the RAB (Reichsautobahn), which will later lead through the still unfinished underpass. The temporary makeshift route to the RAB (Reichsautobahn), is visible in the foreground and cordoned off. The arrow points to the Wehrmacht vehicles…

A special thank-you goes to Thomas Goerlitz and Remat Efe for their help with translation of the letters.

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[Undis]

I was searching for the possible location of the crash and I believe I found it. The place is now the crossing of Bundesautobahn 9 and Heidemannstrasse. The surroundings have changed considerably in 84 years however the old bridge pylons seem to match. This street-view image is roughly from the spot where the railway track was.

Look at the middle pylon with its stonework and the concrete top. It would have only be built up to the archway back in August 1940.

The red dot is where I believe the accident happened. Note that Heidemannstrasse ends at Freisinger Landstrasse which ties in with what was described in the letters.

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[scarabee]

Fascinating read! Thanks, Undis.

[finster]

thanks undis, very interesting. imagine night driving at speed with 6v masked headlights, they were both lucky to walk away from the accident!
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nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect...

[allsidius]

Hats off to another deep dive into VW prototype minutiae. Thanks Undis.
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[Undis]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Some of these photos were floating around the internet for years without much context. I was lucky to stumble upon the two letters and it all started to make sense. I put the story together to the best of my ability with available information. This is still work in progress as I'm hoping knowledgeable people will chime in and add more facts.

I am aware of rumors that the driver of the VW38/16 may have been Robert Ley. The letters do not mention anything about him at all. Knowing the climate of the time, I would not be surprised that his involvement could be suppressed. Who knows...
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[vwhelmot]

Wonder if the Mathe car still shows signs of the damage? Amazing that it survived so well looking at the height of the tracks across the road.

[Undis]

[Zwitterkafer]

Interesting story!
The headlights were well covered as required at the time, but was the almost skyward-pointing central brake light on the VW38's exempt? This pre-war design feature seems to have been dropped rather quickly.
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[Undis]

[Zwitterkafer]

Well, that has to be one of the more obscure things I've ever learned about early VWs....thanks, Undis!
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"Criticism comes easier than Craftsmanship"
- Zeuxius, 400 BC

[KTPhil]

The pope wore a condom on his nose!
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Current Fleet:
- '71 Fastback
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Retired:
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[mandraks]

very cool
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regards

Uli

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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel