{"id":552,"date":"2010-07-29T13:00:31","date_gmt":"2010-07-29T13:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/?p=552"},"modified":"2017-11-14T10:23:14","modified_gmt":"2017-11-14T10:23:14","slug":"the-trabant-the-volkswagen-of-the-former-german-democratic-republic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/the-trabant-the-volkswagen-of-the-former-german-democratic-republic\/","title":{"rendered":"The “Trabant”: the “VolksWagen” of the former German Democratic Republic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since Germany is known for its car industry, I am sure most of you have at least heard about brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, VW, Audi, Opel, Ford, and Porsche. But have you ever heard of a car called Trabant<\/em><\/strong>? If not, let me turn your gaze toward past times.<\/p>\n

After the division of Germany, both East and West Germany made efforts to build a car that was affordable for a breite soziale Schicht<\/em> (broad social stratum). While the Bundesrepublik<\/em> (Federal Republic) was successful with the VW K\u00e4fer<\/em> (VW Beetle) in the 1950s, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) had to face a Ressourcenmangel<\/em> (lack of resources) and insufficient Produktionsst\u00e4tte<\/em> (production plants). Nevertheless, the Regierung<\/em> (government) of the GDR wanted to compete with the economy of the West. Thus, in 1954, the Politb\u00fcro<\/em> (Politburo) commissioned to manufacture an preiswertes Auto<\/em> (inexpensive car) for the people in East Germany.<\/p>\n

The Trabant<\/em> or \u201cTrabi<\/em>\u201d was manufactured in Zwickau at the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke<\/em><\/strong>. Between 1957 and 1991 the company produced 3,051,385 cars. Many of them were exported to Tschechoslowakei<\/em> (Czechoslovakia), Polen<\/em> (Poland) and Ungarn<\/em> (Hungary).<\/p>\n

In the beginning, the Trabant was celebrated as the East German \u201cVolkswagen<\/em>\u201d. But later the car became the symbol of a stagnierende Wirtschaft<\/em> (stagnant economy). The wirtschaftlichen Rahmenbedingungen<\/em> (economic conditions) and the lack of resources in the GDR did not allow any technological developments of the car. The government controlled the economy and fixed a price of 4,000 DDR Marks (equivalent to 400 Euros) per car as well as an annual production capacity of no more than 120,000 vehicles. A free price system did not exist. Consequently, finding a balance between Angebot und Nachfrage<\/em> (supply and demand) was out of the question.<\/p>\n

This economic circumstance affected the lives of consumers. Buying a car was not as easy as today. Firstly, every person had to order a car, which was followed by a very long Wartezeit<\/em> (waiting period) of 12,5 years to 15 years. Because of such a long wait, many young people went, immediately after their 18th<\/sup> birthday, to a VEB Vertriebsfiliale<\/em> (sales office) to order a car.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Trabant has reached cult status and caught the eyes of enthusiasts of car tuning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And here is a commercial, so that you can get a vivid idea of this car.<\/p>\n