Richard Bruhn‘Father of the Auto Union’ in Chemnitz
The “Father of the Auto Union” as he is known, Dr. Richard Bruhn, was born on June 25, 1886 in Cismar, Eastern Holstein. From 1930 onwards, he conducted lengthy negations involving the four car manufacturers Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer, on behalf of the State Bank of Saxony. Auto Union AG was formed in June 1932, in Chemnitz and, and he is largely credited for this historic merger.
After commercial training and studying macro-economics in Kiel, Richard Bruhn became a director of various German industrial companies. When Auto Union AG was established, he was appointed Chairman of the Board of Management. With great competence, he guided the company to its position as one of the leading motor-vehicle manufacturing groups in the pre-war German Reich.
Rebuilding after the war
After the Second World War it was Bruhn’s strong reputation that made it possible to obtain the credit needed to re-establish the Auto Union in Ingolstadt and Düsseldorf, although no security was available. Between 1949 and 1956 Dr. Richard Bruhn was Chairman of the Board of Management of Auto Union GmbH. He retired on November 6, 1956, and later died on July 8, 1964, in Düsseldorf.
