| Volkswagen owes its post-war existence largely to | | | | demobilized, and one of the very first Beetles brought |
| one man, British Army officer Major Ivan Hirst, REME. | | | | back in that way (UK registration index JLT 420) is still |
| In April 1945, KdF-Stadt, and its heavily bombed factory | | | | owned by Peter Colborne-Baber, the son of the |
| were captured by the Americans, and subsequently | | | | original proprietor of the UK's first official Volkswagen |
| handed over to the British, within whose occupation | | | | Importer, Colborne Garages of Ripley, Surrey. |
| zone the town and factory fell. The factory was | | | | By 1946 the factory was producing 1,000 Volkswagen |
| placed under the control of Oldham-born Hirst. | | | | cars every month, a remarkable feat considering it |
| At first, the plan was to use it for military vehicle | | | | was still in disrepair. Due to roof and window damage, |
| maintenance. Since it had been used for military | | | | rain stopped production and steel to make the cars |
| production, and had been in Hirst's words a "political | | | | had to be bartered for new vehicles. |
| animal" rather than a commercial enterprise, the | | | | So, what is Major Ivan Hirsts legacy? In 2008 |
| equipment was in time intended to be salvaged as | | | | Volkswagen is recognized as one of worlds leading |
| war reparations. Hirst painted one of the factory's cars | | | | automotive brands, with Volkswagen Car Services |
| green and demonstrated it to British Army | | | | centres spanning the globe, offering new models every |
| headquarters. | | | | other year, and supporting these with Volkswage |
| Short of light transport, in September 1945 the British | | | | Parts and Servicing departments. They are also |
| Army was persuaded to place a vital order for 20,000. | | | | leading the environmental battle with theirpartnership |
| The first few hundred cars went to personnel from | | | | with Mercedes and other companies to market |
| the occupying forces, and to the German Post Office. | | | | BlueTec clean diesel technology, calling it BlueMotion. |
| Some UK Service personnel were allowed to take | | | | Quite some progress from such humble beginnings. |
| their VW Beetles' back to the UK when they were | | | | |