Honorary citizen Prof. Carl H. Hahn presents his book about DKW-Hahn
The honorary citizen of the city of Chemnitz, Prof Carl H. Hahn, presented his book "DKW-Hahn: Ein Manager und Unternehmer der deutschen Kraftfahrzeugindustrie" (DKW-Hahn: A Manager and Entrepreneur of the German Automotive Industry) today in Chemnitz City Hall.
Mayor Barbara Ludwig: "I see this book as a very personal expression of thanks to my father Carl Hahn. At the same time, it is proof of how our ancestors and companions have shaped us. The history of the Hahn family stretches right up to the present day. Anyone who knows Prof Hahn knows the power that strong roots can have.
More than 25 years ago, it was Prof Hahn who immediately remembered his home town of Chemnitz when the rebuilding of the East German economy began. He knew the strengths, the traditions and the potential of Chemnitz. As Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, he was increasingly in favour of a new start at the old production sites in his home town of Chemnitz and in Zwickau. His decision made VW the largest investor in East Germany after reunification. His commitment created many thousands of jobs in the region. To this day, we are grateful to him for his advice and support for Chemnitz!
The book is an exciting life story of an ambitious entrepreneur and lovable man, which Prof Hahn tells us. Through the descriptions and numerous photos, we get to know and understand an important personality in Saxony's industrial history. On behalf of the people of Chemnitz, I would like to thank Prof Hahn for giving us this insight into the family history. It is also a part of our history."
DKW-Hahn: A manager and entrepreneur in the German automotive industry
Together with automotive historian Peter Kirchberg, Prof Carl H. Hahn traces the life of his father, Carl Hahn (1894 - 1961), in this book. The manager and entrepreneur, who went down in history under the honourable name of DKW-Hahn, made an outstanding contribution to the development of DKW and Auto Union. Carl Hahn was one of the key players who shaped the merger to form Auto Union, based in Chemnitz. His specifications for technical progress in motor vehicle construction were formative at the time. By 1945, 500,000 motorbikes (every third motorbike in Germany), 250,000 passenger cars and 100,000 stationary engines had been produced under the DKW brand. Carl Hahn's name epitomises the legend of the DKW brand. His son, Prof Carl H. Hahn, was himself active in top management in the German automotive industry for decades and was Chairman of the Board of Management of the VW Group until 1992.