Extraordinary Life of Josef Ganz: The Jewish Engineer Behind Hitler's Volkswagen

Discover the remarkable story of Josef Ganz in "Extraordinary Life of Josef Ganz: The Jewish Engineer Behind Hitler's Volkswagen," authored by Paul Schilperoord. This captivating biography delves into the life of a Jewish designer from Frankfurt who, in May 1931, conceptualized the revolutionary small car known as the Maikäfer, or "May bug." Just seven years later, Adolf Hitler unveiled the Volkswagen, a vehicle that not only borrowed concepts from Ganz's innovative design but also adopted the same nickname. With 406 pages of insightful narrative, this book highlights how the VW Beetle, regarded as one of the most significant automobile designs in history, incorporated many features from Ganz's original creation. Published in 2011, Schilperoord's work sheds light on the often-overlooked contributions of this visionary engineer, making it a must-read for enthusiasts of automobiles, history, and biographies.