Klaus von Oertzen

Who was Klaus von Oertzen?

Baron Claus-Detlof von Oertzen was involved in the motor industry for most of his long life and is sometimes referred to as the “Father of Volkswagen of South Africa”.

During 1932, four motor manufacturers of Saxony in Germany, namely Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer, amalgamated under the pressures of the depressed German economy to form Auto Union. The new company’s four-ringed emblem, which von Oertzen suggested, can still be seen in the modern Audi logo. Baron von Oertzen, who had been in charge of sales at Wanderer, became sales director and chairman of the board of directors of Auto Union.

Von Oertzen wanted a showpiece project that would bring fame to his new firm. Together with Ferdinand Porsche and Hans Stuck, one of Germany’s most successful racing drivers, they began work on a new “people’s car” and also a government-sponsored racing programme. Initially a sum of 500,000 Reichmarks was pledged to Mercedes-Benz, but Dr. Porsche was able to convince the government that two programmes were better than one, and the 500,000 RM would be split by the two competing firms. Mercedes-Benz was not pleased at this turn of events and a great rivalry began on the race circuits.