Before there was Aloha Wanderwell there was Nell: Auto Touring as Vaudeville

Before there was Aloha there was Nell: Auto Touring as Vaudeville -- Part I

 

John Heitmann, Professor Emeritus, University of Dayton

    Over the past decade there has been considerable interest in the career of Aloha Wanderwell Baker (1906-1996). In large part because of the efforts of her grandchild, and indeed before that of Aloha (a name meaning Love) before her death in 1996.  These attempts to place Aloha into the limelight have fallen short, and it is puzzling as to why. There are several clips of her around-the-world travels on Youtube; numerous posts on the internet; recognition of her filmmaking work by the American Film Academy in 2015. Her work and life are well chronicled in Christian Fink-Jensen and Randolph Eustace-Walden's Aloha Wanderwell: The Border-Smashing, Record-Setting Life of the World's Youngest Explorer (Frederickton, New Brunswick, 2016), and Aloha's own Call To Adventure (New York:  Dover, 2020), a reprint of a 1939 edition. 

    No story of Aloha is complete without examining the life of her husband, Walter Wanderwell, whose real name was Valerian Johann Pieczynski. Indeed, he is the central figure in he Aloha story, worts and all. And yet those who celebrate Aloha do not want to get too close to Walter, for his honesty, integrity, and marital fidelity only tarnish Aloha's memory. Before the two met, however, another woman was a part of the Wanderwell story, and she is largely forgotten -- Nell. And it is Nell I want to focus on in this essay. She was critical to the establishment of the Wanderwell organization between 1919 and 1922, and she also drove automobiles between 1919 and 1928, racking up many miles but not to the extent of Aloha in terms of visits to exotic locations or generating the kind of publicity and film footage that Aloha did. 

    As the authors of the monograph on Aloha discovered, this topic  has more pitfalls and traps that one can ever imagine.  It proves quite a test to me as a long-time professional historian, as dates, place, names and claimed achievements all need be checked and rechecked. That is what you get when you deal with the history surrounding Walter Wanderwell. Walter had to be an inveterate liar, an adulterer (most all who have studied anything about him know this as common knowledge), and a phenomenal self-promoter. His past is murky, made difficult to track down because of all the contradictory reports. 

Walter was born in Posen, Germany, and while at times he identified himself as Polish, he also stated at times he was German, having lived in the borderlands of Silesia before WWI. Later in the 1920s he would write a postcard to his mother in German. His father was said to be a veterinarian in the German army during WWI, and killed in 1915. As a young many he joined the Wandervogel, a German group of hikers that traveled around Europe on foot, and he is said to have started his around-the-world travels in 1912. At times he was a seaman, and we have several photographs of him while working in that occupation at are in the National History Automobile Collection in the Detroit Public Library.

The following are three photographs of Walter Wanderwell while he was working as a sailor on an American vessel engaged in the coastwise trade. The date is probably 1915.  He later stated that because he was taken off the vessels by English naval authorities after the vessel left the 3 mile limit, he subsequently decided to walk across America. He ended up on the west coast, and then by early 1917 in Miami, Florida.

View of Walter Wanderwell wearing swim trunks, arm muscles flexed, standing on the deck of the ship Rio Grande. "Rio Grande, N.Y." Handwritten on negative sleeve: "Cap's sailing days, 1912-1916. About 17. Pugilist & health fiend. Detroit Public Library.

View of Walter Wanderwell standing on the deck of the ship Rio Grande. Handwritten on negative sleeve: "Aboard the 'Rio Grande' en route to New Orleans. Ready to measure the world by foot."

View of Walter Wanderwell standing on the deck of the ship Rio Grande. Handwritten on negative sleeve: "At 17, on way up. 3rd mate of 'Rio Grande' & very proud of it." Detroit Public Library.

I have been looking at newspapers in the U.S., beginning with 1916. What astonishing is all the discrepancies concerning his travels to 1916, his experiences as a seaman, his being detained several times as a spy, and  his relationship with a German-American 16 year old girl from Salt Lake City that would later lead to a  change of violating the Mann Act. 

Below is  a photograph from the Richmond, Indiana Palladium-Item, dated 12 September 1916, p.10 (why this newspaper when the photo was taken in California?), headlined "They Wander Well." Note the marriage was said to have taken place in Chicago. However, the Nebraska newspaper articles cited below make no mention of a Mrs. Wanderwell!

Later, in March of 1917 during Walter's suspicion of spying, arrest and detention, the story of Mrs. Wanderwell started to become clearer. First, they did not meet and marry in Chicago before the walk to the west coast. Her name was reported as Anna Coltwanger. She was a German girl from Salt Lake City.  Walter somehow met Anna, and then ran away from Anna's home (she was living with her aunt), who had insisted that they marry if she was to travel with him. They did not marry, ran away, ended up in San Diego. He mistreated her greatly, and later (July 16, 1916) Anna would marry another world walker and acquaintance of Walter, Van Enden. Like Walter, the Dutchman was also for a short time also suspected of spying for the Germans in March 1917. The story gets more complex over time, as somehow, Anna reappears in Atlanta along with Walter Wanderwell and a third walker, Hugo Coutadin.

Anna claimed in 1917 that she was not Wanderwell's wife "as he represented." She went on to say that "We meet Germans who say they do not like Wanderwell...He tells so many different stories of who he is."

What we know of Walter's walk across America from newspapers:

1) He left New York on March 16, 1916.

2) He arrived in Bucyrus, Ohio on April 4. The Bucyrus Evening Telegraph, April 4, 1916, p.5. He identified himself as a 21 year old member of the "Wandervogel" Club of Posen, Germany and a German (Not Pole as he later does). He walked on the Lincoln Highway. His stories of marine travel tend to get confusing, but this interview stated he left Hamburg Germany in June 1914 on a British tramp ship, found himself in Valparaiso, Chile when the war broke out. He was interned, released, and then walked from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires in 3 months, then to New York City on an American Vessel. For a time the worked out of New York as a quartermaster for various coastwise vessels, but harassed by the British once outside the 3 mile limit even though he was posing as a Russian.

On his walk, he took along a German Haversack; English Trousers; American shirt; Spanish canteen. He averaged 40 miles per day. He described himself as a strict physical cultures, who eats soft foods, seldom meat, and did not smoke or drink.

3) On April 14 he arrived in Munster, Indiana. See The Times (Munster, Indiana), 14 April, 1916, p.1. He stated that his father was killed in WWI in 1915 and has a 16 year old brother fighting on the front. He walks because he does not feel safe sailing the Atlantic.

4) On 18 May Wanderwell landed in Fremont, Nebraska after 60 days of travel. See Fremont Tri-Weekly Tribune, 18 May, 1916, p.3.  He states that he tried to get back to Germany twice but was stopped by the British. He therefore concluded that "Footing is a good cheap method of transportation, when a fellow is broke."

5) On 20 May he arrived in Grand Island, Nebraska, where he stayed at the Liederkranz. He stated that his father was a veterinarian and that he was arrested in he West Indies as a German spy by the British while on a vessel posing as a Russian.

In January of 1917, Wanderwell appeared in Miami, needing a rest before completing his 23,000 mile walking trek (?)  to Key West. By March,1917 he was in Atlanta, where along with Hugo Coutandin he was arrested by Secret Service Agents for being under suspicion as being German spies. Carrying a book of famous signatures and a bank book from Miami listing $1,720.50, along with several large postal savings drafts, he certainly could have been part of a ring of spies. While in detention, former lover Anna appeared at the police station.

Anna had married another walking wanderer from Europe and Wanderwell acquaintance and rival, A.V.D. Enden, who was also arrested in Atlanta. Enden described himself as a Dutch citizen, and "champion wrestler of Java and Straits Settlement." Enden was accused of spying but subsequently released, and on July 19 Hugo Coutandin was also let go. Walter Wanderwell quickly followed in early August, with the provision of being on parole. 

Wanderwell then held several jobs, until October, 1917, when it was reported that he fractured his leg while working for Western Union as a messenger.

Note the photographs below. The date on the photo is 1917, but probably dated so by Aloha, who was not around at that time. I would guess it is actually 1918. It depicts Nell on the left, and Anna on the right. Note that Walter has a cane, probably recovering from his leg fracture. 

View of Walter Wanderwell posing with two young women on porch. Two girls and elderly man stand nearby; men sit on chairs in background. Handwritten on negative: "1917 [rest undecipherable]." Detroit Public Library

Blow up of above photo. Is this Nell, after Walter was injured while working as a messenger. 1917? See second scaled photo. I believe so.

While in recovery little is known of Wanderwell's activities. But somehow he transformed himself from being a suspected German spy to in September of 1918 holding patriotic rallies in Atalanta at Grant Park, as he held the position of "director of war service of the Volunteers of America." It was while at the VOA that he probably met Nell Clark, as other sources suggest that they were married in Birmingham, AL, that same year. 

    Apparently the couple continued working for the VOA in 1919, but Walter was far from an exemplary employee, as it was reported that he beat his wife in July of 1919. (The Atlanta Constitution, 22 July, 1919, p.2). A description of the scene stated that in"Neighborhood in the vicinity of the hall of the Volunteer of America...was startled by screams of a woman last night at midnight." Police responded, Walter was arrested with a charge of disorderly conduct, and later fined.  His wife was also charged, and in addition the prosecutor wanted to know what she was doing with VOA solicited funs. Her response was published in The Atlanta Constitution and is reproduced above. (The Atlanta Constitution, July 27, 1919, p.13

In response to a prosecutor's request for information on how solicited funds for the volunteers of America were spent, Nell Wanderwell prepared this financial report. The Atlanta Constitution, July 25, 1919, p. 13; July 27, 1919, p.13.

So what can I say about Nell at this stage of the story? She was born on May 29, 1896 in Whitlock , Washington -- perhaps! Office government documents provide us with two dates, 1892 and 1896. The 1900 Census lists Nell as 7 years old. In the late 1920s Nell has to go through a naturalization process as former U.S. citizen who gave up her citizenship when she married Walter. At first she lists her date of birth as 1892, then amends that document in 1930 to 1896. The 1930 Census lists her as age 38.  Her 1968 obituary -- death on May 9 -- lists her at age 71. That would place date of birth as 1896.  In the VOA document shown above she signs her name as Nell Clark, so we may assume that she was married previous to that of a marriage to Walter in 1918. 

I have only introduced Nell to you. More to come shortly. She is most mysterious, beginning with her birth date. But when you get wrapped up with Walter Wanderwell, mystery is the rule!

 

How to replace the odometer gear in your Volvo 850 so it will count mile...

IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE ON THE ODOMETER REPAIR ON YOUR VOLVO 850, THIS IS THE VIDEO YOU SHOULD FOLLOW. BE SURE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BEFORE YOU BEGIN!

IPD Volvo - 850 Odometer Gear -- This video is misleading concerning the task at hand

Hi folks -- of late I have been dealing with a broken odometer on my 1996 Volvo 850 Turbo. I used this video as a guide -- I suggest you rather refer to Robert Spinner's treatment on the same topic on Youtube: Robert DIY. The above video MAKES IT LOOK EASY, BUT THE JOB IS ANYTHING BUT THAT. The issue is not the work that needs to be done at the bench -- although be careful to work the odometer gears so they mesh easily, and that you scrupulously clean the housing of any fragments from the old gears that disintegrated.

If you have a Turbo, there are two connections that are difficult given the clearance if you only prop up the day -- the Turbo tube connection and the trip meter located on the bottom of the cluster. It is very easy to gain cleanse by lifting the dash to a point where you damage it. YOU NEED TO FOLLOW SPINNER'S SUGGESTION AND REMOVE THE ENTIRE DASH. THEN YOU HAVE THE CLEARANCE TO DO WHAT MUST BE DONE.

THE PLASTIC PARTS ARE INDEED OLD AND FRAIL. BE VERY CAREFUL IN HANDLING THEM.

Adolf Daimler and the Herkomer-Konkurrenz Rallies, 1905-1907

150 years ago, Adolf Daimler was born as the second son of Gottlieb Daimler on 8 September 1871 in Karlsruhe. Like his brother Paul Daimler (Technical Director of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft between 1907 and 1922), he also made a career for himself in automotive engineering. After having graduated in Mechanical Engineering, Adolf Daimler started out at the company in 1899, before being appointed to the Board of Management and becoming Chief Operating Officer of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft in 1907. One year prior, he had raced in a Mercedes 70 hp with a four-cylinder engine at the Herkomer-Konkurrenz Rally, one of the most popular automotive events at the time. This vehicle was said to be a tuned version of the Mercedes 65 hp with a displacement of 9.2 litres. The touring car rally can be traced back to painter, artist and automotive aficionado Hubert von Herkomer. In 1906, a whole 115 years ago, a field of 159 vehicles covered the second edition’s total distance of 1,700 kilometres.

Adolf Daimler, Gottlieb Daimler’s son, was born 150 years ago. 115 years ago, he competed in a Mercedes 70 hp at the second Herkomer-Konkurrenz Rally between 5 and 13 June 1906. The endurance rally took competitors from Frankfurt/Main to Munich, Linz, Vienna, Semmering, Klagenfurt, Innsbruck, Zirler Berg and Forstenrieder Park near Munich. The photo shows Daimler at the wheel of the vehicle said to have been a tuned version of the Mercedes 65 hp with a 9.2-litre four-cylinder engine. (Photo signature in the Mercedes-Benz archives: 19309)

Mercedes had been very successful at the first Herkomer-Konkurrenz Rally in 1905, considered the successor to the Gordon Bennett Cup races. Flinsch & Co., at the time the German Mercedes general distributor based in Frankfurt/Main, proudly placed a full-page advert in the Berliner Tageblatt newspaper on 27 August 1905. It stated that “in a field of 80 competing vehicles, 13 were Mercedes and 7 of these finished in the top 15 classed as having finished the race. Three Mercedes claimed first prize.” At the wheel of these three Mercedes were Edgar Ladenburg, Herman Weigand and Willy Pöge. The advert described the “specialist test of the vehicle’s usability and effective output” as the aim of the rally: four-seater touring cars featuring four seats, wings, lighting, rain guards and a luggage compartment had to prove their endurance, everyday suitability and reliability.

The public’s interest in the Herkomer-Konkurrenz rallies – held between 1905 and 1907 – was vast. As a result, the passion for the motor car, then still a quite recent development, grew across Germany and Europe. At the rally’s second edition between 5 and 13 June 1906, Emil Neumaier (Benz) finished as the runner-up, followed by Willy Pöge and his Mercedes. Prince Heinrich of Prussia, Emperor Wilhelm II’s brother, also took part in the Herkomer-Konkurrenz Rally. Between 1908 and 1910, he continued to organise the race as the “Prinz-Heinrich-Fahrt” with virtually unchanged regulations. Adolf Daimler died on 24 March 1913 in Tübingen at the young age of only 41. Ever since 1997, the Herkomer-Konkurrenz Rally has been revived as a rally for classic cars in and around Landsberg am Lech, a town in southwest Bavaria.

Mercedes-Benz Introduces Three Models at the 1961 IAA Show in Frankfurt (W 111, W 110)

The Mercedes-Benz stand at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main, 21 September to 1 October 1961. Prof. Fritz Nallinger (right) guides German President Heinrich Lübke through the Mercedes-Benz exhibition hall. To the left of Lübke is Hermann Josef Abs from Deutsche Bank. (Photo signature in the Mercedes-Benz Classic archive: 1992M7898)

The Mercedes-Benz stand at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main, 21 September to 1 October 1961. Mercedes-Benz vehicles from front to back: 180 D (W 120), 190 (W 110, exhibition newcomer), 220 (W 111), 300 SE (W 112, exhibition newcomer) and 220 SE Coupé (W 111). (Photo signature in the Mercedes-Benz Classic archive: U2798

The IAA is an important platform for Mercedes-Benz. It is the biggest industry event in Germany and thrills both experts and car enthusiasts. In almost 125 years of IAA-history, Mercedes-Benz has secured itself a firm spot there: the event originated as a one-day and very modest automotive exhibition in 1897 in Berlin. Back then the newly founded Mitteleuropäische Motorwagen-Verein (Central European Motor Vehicle Club, MVV) organised a “demonstration of motor vehicles” for the first time. Eight cars were displayed – four by Benz alone and one by Daimler. Yet over the years, the exhibition grew considerably. By 1899 at the latest, the name “Internationale Motorwagen-Ausstellung (International Motor Vehicle Exhibition)” had taken its relevance beyond Germany and in 1904 it became known as the “International Automobile Exhibition” for the first time. Most IAAs before the Second World War took place in Berlin, but some were also held at other locations such as Frankfurt am Main (1904) and Leipzig (1928).

After the Second World War, the car manufacturers initially exhibited at the “Exportmesse” in Hanover from 1947 to 1949 and at the “Autoschau” in West-Berlin in 1950. In April 1951, 70 years ago, the IAA was held in Frankfurt am Main, where it would have its home for the next several decades. Just as it was before the war, Daimler-Benz AG was a solid partner back then. The exhibition was a major event right from the start: in 1951, across 44,000 square metres, 537 exhibitors presented a total of 553 cars and commercial vehicles. 570,000 visitors came from 45 countries. The Mercedes-Benz 300 (W 186), later known as the “Adenauer-Mercedes”, as well as the 220 (W 187) were sensations of international note, and the corporate presence was convincing: “Vast, colourful lengths of fabric transform the Mercedes hall into an intimate tent. Like a monument in the middle of the hall, there is an old Daimler-Benz, a petrol-powered carriage from the infancy of the car. It shimmers and shines all around,” the “Hamburger Abendblatt” enthused. The rush of visitors to Mercedes-Benz was considerable. “The entrances to the Mercedes-Benz hall had to be constantly occupied by mounted police,” the “Automobil Revue” reported.

Since then, new vehicles by Mercedes-Benz have been cause for furore time and time again at the IAA. It became a tradition that the brand would completely take over the festival hall right by the City entrance. For many years an escalator transporting visitors to the top level meant people were able to get a first glance from a bird’s eye view before strolling back down through all the noveltiesThe list of vehicle premieres and innovative technologies at the International Motor Show (IAA) introduced to the world’s public for the first time by Mercedes-Benz and its predecessor brands at this exhibition is long. In 2021, several vehicles of the brand are celebrating significant anniversaries of their IAA presentation. The IAA is the largest trade event in the German-speaking region and has international importance. It can trace its history all the way back to 1897.

This year IAA Mobility is taking place in Munich with a new and exciting concept (7 to 12 September 2021). Under the motto “What will move us next”, the event organised by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) considers itself a global stage, showing the way to climate-neutral mobility.

60 years ago: Top-of-the-range 300 SE (W 112) model

The luxury-class top-of-the-range 300 SE model was one of the new Mercedes-Benz vehicles at the IAA in Frankfurt am Main 60 years ago (21 September to 1 October 1961). The S-Class predecessor – like the “tail fin” models 220, 220 S and 220 SE (W 111) introduced before it in 1959 – had the safety body with crumple zones and a rigid passenger compartment, a milestone in automotive technology. The 300 SE (W 112) expanded its range upwards: its six-cylinder engine had 118 kW (160 hp), plus it had air suspension and the new automatic transmission, developed in-house by Mercedes-Benz, as standard equipment. The long-wheelbase version of this model appeared in 1963 and founded a new tradition in the luxury-class saloon portfolio of Mercedes-Benz: the 100-millimetre-longer wheelbase offered passengers in the rear significantly more legroom and travelling comfort.

60 years ago: The luxury-class W 111 model series cabriolet

Another major attraction at the 1961 IAA was the cabriolet of the W 111 model series. The open-top luxury-class vehicle not only drew attention with its impressive design and its timeless elegance, but also with its four fully fledged seats and generous spaciousness. As early as the spring of 1962 Mercedes-Benz had already expanded the model range with the 300 SE Cabriolet (W 112). To this day, the open vehicles – along with the respective coupés – count among the most beautiful Mercedes-Benz vehicles and are considered to be some of the most sought-after classics worldwide. The designs proved so perfectly timeless that the coupé and cabriolet stayed in production for eleven years. In addition, they had a lasting influence on the design of the W 108/W 109 model series of luxury saloons built from 1965 onwards, and were built in parallel with them until 1971.

60 years ago: The E-Class predecessor W 110

Mercedes-Benz also had a third new passenger car at the 1961 IAA: the “tail fin” model series (W 110). Its accomplished combination of spaciousness, comfort, power, price/value ratio and economy were considered ideal. In the luxury mid-range series, too, the rigid passenger compartment with crumple zones at the front and rear set standards in safety. Furthermore, the “tail fin” models spoiled their occupants as early as the mid-1960s with amenities taken for granted today such as automatic transmission, power steering, electric windows, steel sliding roof and air-conditioning system. Initially the four-cylinder saloons of the 190 and 190 D model were available. Further models successively became available, up to the 230 model with a six-cylinder engine

Chancellor Adenauer's Mercedes-Benz 300 (W 186) dates back to 1951

Mercedes-Benz 300 (W 189) used by Konrad Adenauer

Statesmanlike: Black paintwork and subtle chrome trim, paired up with plenty of space and soft upholstery in the rear. The Mercedes-Benz 300’s rear door makes a rich sound when it closes – a sound that Konrad Adenauer, the Federal Republic of Germany’s first Chancellor, experienced every time he took his place in his last official vehicle. Might state guests like John F. Kennedy have sat back on these seats? It is highly likely, given the time this vehicle was in service. When the President of the United States of America visited the Federal Republic of Germany between 23 and 26 June 1963, this very vehicle was the one his host Adenauer used for official occasions. Both politicians attended official parades while standing up in a Mercedes-Benz 300 Landaulet – in Cologne, for instance. However, this saloon was most likely also part of the fleet at the time. Nowadays, it is on display at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Collection 4: Gallery of Celebrities.

Working atmosphere: What must it be like in 2021 – a year in which a general election will be held in Germany – to take a seat in the rear, which, back in the day, formed part of the recently established Federal Republic’s centre of power? To this day, standard features of the prestigious vehicle, such as wood trims, still bear witness to the positioning of the Mercedes-Benz 300 as a luxury vehicle. However, Adenauer’s seat in the right rear also radiates a genuine working atmosphere: on the back of the divider, which features an electrically powered window pane, a small folding table is fitted that can be used for tasks such as analysing documents or going through the post. A roller blind operated by a cable pull was installed to obscure the rear window and protect occupants from sunlight, as the Chancellor’s vehicle did not feature air conditioning at the time. However, a three-vane fan was installed above the head of government’s seat to guarantee a refreshing breeze. The 1959 saloon’s communication technology was ultramodern: the glove box concealed an early version of an in-car phone.

Safety: Static three-point seat belts in the rear were also state of the art at the time. Mercedes-Benz had been offering them as optional equipment since the end of 1958 – the Chancellor’s official car, built soon after, boasted this safety feature. The statesman was obviously convinced by the passive safety system: in 1965, following his tenure as the head of government, Konrad Adenauer was involved in an accident on a train. He subsequently criticised the railway company, saying that the management should be contemplating the integration of seat belts.

A piece of history: The exhibit at the Mercedes-Benz Museum is the last official vehicle used by the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. Mercedes-Benz delivered it to the Republic’s official fleet in January 1959. In 1963, at the end of his tenure in office as the head of government, Adenauer then purchased the Mercedes-Benz 300 from the Federal Republic of Germany, using it as a private individual from then on until he passed away in 1967. For this reason, the exhibit at the Mercedes-Benz Museum does not bear the usual number plate of the Federal Chancellor’s vehicle, 0-002, but rather an authentic, private number plate. Adenauer continued to be chauffeured around in the prestigious saloon as a pensioner. Having a driver was paramount to him, given Germany’s first Federal Chancellor did not hold a driving licence.

Enthusiasm for technology: The saloon on show at the Mercedes-Benz Museum forms part of the W 189 model series, produced as of 1957. In contrast to the first Mercedes-Benz 300 dating back to 1951 (W 186), it featured significantly evolved technology and stylistic elements. These included a six-cylinder engine and manifold injection instead of a carburettor. As a result, the output increased from 92 kW (125 hp) to 118 kW (160 hp) and the top speed from 160 km/h to 165 km/h. The Chancellor will have been pleased about the increased output as Adenauer enjoyed being chauffeured around at high speeds. He is said to have told the driver in his Cologne accent to put the pedal to the metal many a time.

Prestigious saloon: On 15 September 1949, Germany’s parliament – the Bundestag – elected Christian-democratic and liberal-conservative politician Konrad Adenauer as the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. Two years later, Adenauer then had to choose himself: at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt/Main between 19 and 29 April 1951, the new prestigious Mercedes-Benz 300 (W 186) vehicle celebrated its premiere, attracting a great deal of attention in the process. The head of government attended the exhibition and spontaneously opted for the saloon by the Stuttgart-based brand as the new official vehicle. It was handed over on 8 December 1951 at Palais Schaumburg in Bonn, the headquarters of the Federal Chancellery at the time. The first ever Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Theodor Heuss, also used a Mercedes-Benz 300 as his official vehicle. On official occasions, the vehicles bore 30 x 30-centimetre pennants on one of the wings. The Mercedes-Benz Museum showcases the Federal Chancellor’s pennant (“Bundesadler” eagle on black, red and gold background) and the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany’s pennant (“Bundesadler” eagle on gold background with red frame) in a display case as part of the historic tour in Legends 4: Post-war Miracle – Form and Diversity, 1945 to 1960. While Adenauer’s first Mercedes-Benz 300 official car featured two pennant holders in 1951, the 1959 vehicle on show at the Museum only features one holder on the right-hand wing.

Continuity: Adenauer and his Christian Democratic Union party’s election campaign slogan in the 1950s was “no experiments”, a motto the chancellor also seemed to apply to his official vehicles: he used a total of six different “300s” of the W 186 model series and its successor, the W 189 model series, between 1951 up until the end of his tenure in October 1963. The model was soon colloquially known as the “Adenauer Mercedes” because his public appearances were soon inextricably linked to the prestigious – always black – saloons.

Superiority: These vehicles were simultaneously also a symbol of the recently established, aspiring Federal Republic of Germany. The Federal Chancellor took the vehicle on official visits whenever he could. He travelled long distances on the official train and consequently the official vehicle was also transported by rail. For instance, this was the case for the official visits to London (London and Paris Conferences, 1954), Moscow (1955) and Paris (1962). Adenauer could also rely on the official vehicle for holiday trips to Cadenabbia on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. The original “Adenauer Mercedes” on show at the Mercedes-Benz Museum even appeared in the 1960 documentary entitled “Ferien ohne Urlaub. Ein Besuch in Cadenabbia.” (No rest on holiday. Visiting Cadenabbia.), centring around the Chancellor’s visits to Lombardy.

“Adenauer” No. 1: The Chancellor’s first Mercedes-Benz 300 dating back to 1951 is also a pivotal piece of history. The official vehicle was taken out of service and sold in 1956, having covered more than 150,000 kilometres. In 1971, it made its way to the United States of America and was purchased by the soon-to-be-established “Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland” (House of the History of the Federal Republic of Germany) in 1989. Ever since the establishment opened its doors in 1994, Adenauer’s first “Adenauer” has been a pivotal exhibit – with the matching number plate: 0-002. Back then, body, chassis, suspension and vehicle interior of the Mercedes-Benz 300 were comprehensively restored to an outstanding condition with the support of Mercedes-Benz Classic experts.