Morning Qualifying – History Lesson, Part IV

At Hooniverse, we teach history the old fashioned way….by showing a filmstrip so I can skip out for a smoke in the teacher's lounge.

Students, please take your seats.  I had hoped that you would, once a-gain, fill this room with your intelligence.  However, your scheduled oral presentations on maritime law, and it’s application to the case of Dearthair v. Canuckistanian Bikini Team, L.L.C. must be postponed for another day.  Please adjust your syllibi accordingly.  In the interim, we will discuss Nazi race cars.

The Auto Union streamliner at Avus in 1937.

In 1933, at the Berlin Motor Show, Adolf Hitler announced his intent to subsidize manufacturers for the purpose of developing a “high speed German auto industry” and awarded 500,000 Reichmarks to Mercedes-Benz, who began developing in earnest their new W25 grand prix car.  At the urging of Auto Union board member, Adolf Rosenberger, Auto Union’s chairman Klaus von Oertzen met with Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, who had his own grand prix concept, the P wagen.  Enter Hans Stuck, who already knew Hitler and was unable to secure a seat with the Mercedes-Benz works team.  Stuck arranged to have Porsche and von Oertzen meet the Chancellor, and they convinced Hitler that, for the glory of Germany, that two German manufacturers should compete for this prize.  Hitler agreed, much to the annoyance of Mercedes-Benz.  For the next five years, Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz would slug it out for Grand Prix supremacy, utterly decimating all other competition in the process.
Today’s installment of Shell Films’ documentary, the History of Motor Sport, concentrates on the years 1935 to 1939, the zenith of the Silver Arrows.  You’ll see Caracciola’ mastery of the W25, the meteoric ascent of Bernd Rosemeyer and Richard Seaman; the first grand prix win for Hermann Lang, sports car racing at Dundrod and LeMans, Nuvolari’s heroic win at the ’35 German Grand Prix, Wilbur Shaw at Indianapolis, Rosemeyer at the Vanderbilt Cup, Sir Malcolm Campbell at Bonneville, and much more.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0esekd4thmM[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BU8SwiJ9kU&NR=1[/youtube]

 

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  1. SSurfer321 Avatar
    SSurfer321

    Excuse me, Professor Scroggs.
    Could you tell me more about the meteoric ascent of "Dick" Seaman? Was it a linear rise into the eye of the public or was it more hit and miss?
    /sorry it's Friday and last night was college ID night.

    1. scroggzilla Avatar
      scroggzilla

      (checks watch)….well that didn't take long, did it? I figured we might get to 2 or even 3 comments before the commentariat played the Dick Seaman card.
      If I might be serious, for just a moment, Seaman was a bit of a tragic case. His desire to race and win, at any cost, alienated him from his family and his country. http://www.sportscardigest.com/richard-seaman-dri

  2. muthalovin Avatar

    Thank gawd. I will lay my head down, one eye open and watch. Two too many car bombs last night. Woof.

  3. lilwillie Avatar

    How could have the History channel miss this section of Nazi history?

  4. OA5599 Avatar
    OA5599

    "You teach yourselves the hoonery. I train your minds. You come in here with a skull full of mush, and if you survive, you'll leave thinking like a hoon."
    — Professor Charles Scroggs Kingsfield, Jr.

    1. scroggzilla Avatar
      scroggzilla

      Have a +1….you earrrrrrned it.

    2. Black Steelies Avatar

      Teacher's pet.

  5. BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ Avatar
    BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ

    As an appriciator of bikini teams I'll wonder how a Canuckistanian Bikini Team looks like?
    <img src="http://images.radcity.net/5163/4526494.jpg"&gt;
    What was the real topic again???

    1. scroggzilla Avatar
      scroggzilla

      Nazi……bikini……I'm sorry, did you say something?