Josef Ganz, the May Bug and Volkswagen
Joseph Ganz.
When the automobile first arrived in Hungary in 1896 Csonka had been working with petrol-powered combustion engines for over a decade, as these were also used in industrial applications. The university professor – his specialtiy was not engineering – had been commissioned by Joseph Ganz in 1887 to complete an unfinished internal combustion engines the company had purchased. His partner in this work had been Donát Bánki, who also worked with the Ganz concern.
Ernst Henne
A modified version the R-63 was ridden by Ernst Henne when he achieved a world speed record in 1929.
ERNST HENNE, the crack German speedster, has, according to recent cables, established two more world's records on B.M.W. machines. These advices state that Henne, riding a 500 cc. super-charged 8.M.W., attained a speed of 127 m.p.h., while on a 750 cc. super-charged B.M.W. he registered 148 m.p.h.
There is some doubt regarding the actual scene of these phenomenal speed performances; but from all indications they were put up at the Hungarian records meeting staged at Tat (pronounced "tut"). Henne intended to make his attempts here, the stretch of road measuring nine miles, and being constructed, of concrete.
The performance of the 750 cc. B.M.W. is particularly remarkable in view of the fact that it is only approximately 2 ½ m.p.h. short of the world's highest motor cycle speed record (150.7 m.p.h.), which was established by the English 1000 cc. "0.E.C." machine ridden by Joe Wright, of England. This record was gained near Cork, Ireland, last November. 100 b.h.p.
Henne intended to make an attempt on Wright's record on a 1000 cc. super-charged B.M.W. This unit had been specially prepared, and was stated to have developed over 100 b.h.p.!
If such is the case, and there is no reason to believe otherwise, Henne should have a great chance of again clinching the world's fastest speed. Perhaps he was over-optimistic regarding the possibility of regaining the record with the 750 cc. B.M.W.
Such success would have been considerably more striking, because of the lower power of the German machine.
Motor cyclists will eagerly wait for further news of Henne and his flying mounts.
Australian Cycling & Motor Cycling magazine, May 1931. Trove NLA
Richard Kürchen and his brother Xavier
Louis L. Lepoix
A French designer, his projects included Horex (Rebell), Progress, Puch (M125 and SR150), Bastert (Einspurauto), Walba, Triumph TWN (Contessa), Victoria (Nicky and Swing), Kreidler (Florett), Steib...
Marcus
Born in Malchin, Germany, Siegfried Marcus moved to Vienna, the capital of the Austrian Empire, in 1852.
Marcus was removed from German encyclopedias as the inventor of the modern car, under a directive from the German Ministry for Propaganda during World War II. His name was replaced with the names of Daimler and Benz. [1]
It is rather ironic that Hitler's favourite car was the Mercedes Benz given that the father of Benz was a famous Austrian rabbi.
Sources: 1. en.wikipedia.org
Gustav Otto
A German aircraft and aircraft engine designer and manufacturer, his father was Nicolaus August Otto, inventor of the Otto-cycle - now known as the four-stroke internal combustion engine.
Gustav Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik became Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) which in 1917 became Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH (BMW).
Albert Roder
Albert Roder was involved with the Ziro, EMAG and Ermag marques. Later he designed the NSU Fox, and the Ultramax valve train of the Max, Superfox and Maxi.
Fritz Witzel.
One of the most successful German off-road motorcycle riders of the post-war period, he participated in countless national and international off-road motorsport events and won an incredible total of 214 gold medals, 14 silver medals and 9 bronze medals. He rode with Mars, Sachs, Hercules and Maico.
More information: Witzel at meisterdinger.de
