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NAZI VOLKSWAGEN PURCHASE AGREEMENT MATERIAL

KdF-Wagen
A COMPLETE DOSSIER
OF CORRESPONDENCE
BETWEEN THE KDF AND
A FORSTMEISTER
CONNECTED WITH HIS
PURCHASE OF KDF WAGEN NUMBER 1149
As early as 1933, the year Adolf Hitler was elected to power in Germany, he discussed ideas with Fredinand Porsche, to produce a car affordable to every average German citizen, a Volkswagen, the German word for “National Car” or “People’s Car”. During the years that followed, several prototypes were built, including a convertible, and they were tested throughout 1936.
Grundsteinlegung
On the 26 May 1938, Hitler ceremoniously laid the cornerstone of the new factory at Fallersleben, and in 1939 several pre-production and demonstration models of the cars were built. When these cars rolled out of the factory, Hitler changed the name from Volkswagen to KdF-Wagen which stood for Kraft durch Freude or "Strength through Joy Car".
The German government, in association with the Nazi organization KdF (which was a part of the Nazi Party DAF or Deutsche Arbeitsfront). started a program for German citizens to buy savings coupons toward the purchase of a KdF Wagen.
DAF NS-Gemeinschaft Kraft durch Freude
In theory, as soon as 200 stamps were collected, they could be redeemed for a car. However, the start of World War II in September 1939 caused a substantial delay in the production and delivery of KdF Cars as the manufacture of military vehicles became more important. In spite of the war, at the end of 1939 it was announced in German newspapers that in 1940 100,000 KdF Cars would be rolling off the assembly line, in 1941 an estimated 200,000 and 250,000 in 1942.
KdF CAR PURCHASE
AGREEMENT
CORRESPONDENCE
The unique grouping of papers we offer for sale here deals with the purchase of just such a KdF Car by Gerhard Limbacher, a Forest Assessor and later Forstmeister from Gemünden, Germany. Mr. Limbacher read in the newspaper that the Prussian Parliament in Berlin had passed a special law on 15 March 1939 that would make it possible to purchase a KdF Wagen for business purposes (Dienstwagen).

The regular version was to cost RM830 ($335.00) and a cabriolet was to be available for RM1050 ($420.00).

In a letter dated 3 May 1939 to the DAF Office in Berlin, Limbacher asked how he should apply for the Kdf-Car, and if he had more of a chance chance to get one of the first cars if he paid the full amount at once, instead of saving with stamps. Judging from a letter dated 8 July 1939, Limbacher had a phone conversation with Parteigenosse Kreisleiter Hedler in which he explained why he qualified for a KdF Dienstwagen.
KdF Quittung Receipt
A letter written by the DAF NS-Gemeinschaft Kraft durch Freude on 11 July 1939 confirmed that Gerhard Limbacher would be allowed to acquire a KdF-Wagen as a Schnellsparer (on the one-easy-payment-plan) and that he had to fill out several forms and wire RM1.00 to the bank account of the KdF to get the process started.

Several receipts (shown at the left) and paperwork from July 1939 show that the payment was made and the forms were filled out by Limbacher. He also requested that if he could get a KdF Car with a folding cloth roof, he would prefer that over the regular sedan.

This historical lot also includes the letter Limbacher wrote the his bank, the Bayerische Vereinsbank München, on 17 July 1939 requesting that RM750 be transferred to the bank account of the KdF. On the 22nd of July, Limbacher wrote to the KdF announcing the imminent arrival of the payment which would equal the first three KdF Sparkarten (Saving Coupon Cards). A reply from the KdF followed on 25 July 1939, requesting an additional payment of RM80 to cover transport costs and special features requested. Limbacher apparently complied as on 31 July 1939 the KdF sent a letter announcing he was assigned KdF Car number 1149 with an expected delivery in “1940/41”
DAF paperwork
In the fall of 1939, Gerhard Limbacher was called up for active duty in the Wehrmacht and he requested that the KdF Car purchase would be put on hold. A letter from the KdF dated 18 December 1939 to Leutnant Limbacher, Feldpost Nr. 34630 confirms that he is allowed to temporarily stop making the last payments on the car. Limbacher’s situation apparently changed rapidly as on the 21st of December he requested to be released from the KdF Car contract and asked how he would be able to get his money back. The KdF response dated 29 December 1939 is very interesting.
They pointed out the advantageous position he was in, that he had so few payments to make, had already been allocated a delivery number, and that it would be possible for him, while he was in the military service, to stop making payments altogether. If he would decide to pull out of the KdF Savings Contract after all, a 20% penalty (RM166) would be taken from the payments he already made. His calculations in pencil on this letter conclude he would only receive back RM664.00.

This interesting 18-piece KdF grouping comes with newspaper clippings, correspondence, KdF payment receipts and an original example of the rare KdF Wagen ,,Merkblatt’’ containing instruction on how to fill out the KdF Savings Cards and outlining the payment schedule (minimum payment of RM5 per week once the savings process had started!), etc.

This is a unique opportunity to purchase a very rare piece of Volkswagen history without equal anywhere!
We are also selling Gerhard Limbacher's Forest Service Promotion documents signed by
Reichsforstmeister Hermann Göring on another web page. To have a look, click HERE.

Limbacher's wife Annemarie was the recipient of correspondence from Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves winner, DAK Generalleutnant Willibald Borowietz, a POW in the USA. Click HERE if you are interested.

This rare KdF-Wagen grouping is
**SOLD**.
Other original Third Reich KdF Wagen material offered on the USM website:
- March 1939 Motor Schau magazine with super rare KdF car transparency insert.
- February 1939 Motor Schau revealing the "secrets" of the KdF Wagen or VW Beetle.
- The rare 1939 KdF glove box-type manual ,,Der KdF Wagen von A bis Z’’ .
- An original KdF Sparkarte application form.
- The heavily illustrated official guide book to the 1939 International Berlin Auto Show.
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