Bernd Rosemeyer
Encyclopedia
Bernd Rosemeyer was a German racing driver.
racing team with hardly any experience in normal race cars. This was later considered a benefit as he was not yet used to the handling of traditional layout race cars. The mid-engined Silver Arrows
of Auto Union
were hard to drive, and only he and Italian Legend Tazio Nuvolari
truly mastered these 500 bhp beasts.
In only his second ever Grand Prix, at the daunting Nürburgring
, Rosemeyer took the lead from the great Rudolf Caracciola
and was almost in sight of the finish line when he missed a gear and was over taken. However in subsequent years he made up for this mistake by winning three consecutive races at the Nürburgring
, one famously in thick fog. Later in 1935 he won his first Grand Prix at the Brno
Masaryk Circuit
in Czechoslovakia
.
Whilst on the podium he was introduced to the famous aviatrix Elly Beinhorn
. Their celebrity relationship was too good an opportunity to miss for the Nazi Party and Heinrich Himmler chose to make him a member of the SS, an 'honour' he would have been unwise to refuse. All German drivers were required to join the National Socialist Motor Corps
, but Rosemeyer allegedly got away with never wearing a uniform.
Several sensational Grand Prix motor racing
victories in 1936 and 1937 (also in the Vanderbilt Cup
in the USA) made him popular not only in Germany. He won the European driving championship
in 1936.
His marriage to young flying ace Elly Beinhorn
added even more celebrity hype. It also made it possible for him to learn to fly a private plane, something which many race pilots of later generations would do also. Before a testing session, he once used a now defunct airfield next to the Flugplatz section of the Nürburgring
as a landing strip, and rolled his plane to the pits via the race track - in opposite direction.
His son Bernd Jr was born in November 1937, but only ten weeks after his son's birth Rosemeyer was killed during a world speed record attempt.
Rosemeyer considered 13 to be his lucky number. He was married on July 13 1936. 13 days later he won the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. His last Nürburgring victory came on the 13th June 1937. His last race victory came at his 13th start of the 1937 season at Donington Park
.
attempt on the Autobahn between Frankfurt
and Darmstadt
, on January 28, 1938.
Competing for the record on the same day against Rudolf Caracciola
, Rosemeyer went first and set a new record of 432 km/h (268 mph) early in the day. Rosemeyer went out next in his Auto Union
streamliner, despite a report wind was picking up. After two preliminary runs he was on his third and final attempt at 11:47 a.m., when the car suddenly went out of control. Whether caught by a gust of wind or by an unforeseen aerodynamic effect, it skidded to the left and, perhaps after over-correcting, it swerved to the right and off the highway where it went airborne. Rosemeyer was thrown out of the car as it somersaulted through the air; he died at the roadside.
At the south end of the layby a footpath leads west into the forest, where the memorial is located.
Audi honoured the 100th anniversary of Rosemeyer's birth by placing a wreath at the memorial.
49°58′25"N 8°36′11"E
Audi
built a concept car
, the Audi Rosemeyer
, which combined elements of modern design with styling strongly resembling the former Auto Union
s "Silver Arrows
" Grand Prix
racers, namely their 12-cylinder car driven by Rosemeyer, after which the car is named.
There is also a bronze memorial situated next to the entrance to the Donington Park
Museum in Leicestershire
.
Bernd Rosemeyer is buried in the Waldfriedhof Dahlem
on Hüttenweg in Berlin
.
Career
His father owned a garage and repair shop where young Bernd Rosemeyer worked on motorcycles and cars. Having started by racing motorbikes, Rosemeyer became a member of the Auto UnionAuto Union
Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group....
racing team with hardly any experience in normal race cars. This was later considered a benefit as he was not yet used to the handling of traditional layout race cars. The mid-engined Silver Arrows
Silver Arrows
Silver Arrows was the name given by the press to Germany's dominant Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Grand Prix motor racing cars between 1934 and 1939, and also later applied to the Mercedes-Benz Formula One and sports cars in 1954/55.For decades until the introduction of sponsorship liveries, each...
of Auto Union
Auto Union
Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group....
were hard to drive, and only he and Italian Legend Tazio Nuvolari
Tazio Nuvolari
Tazio Giorgio Nuvolari was an Italian motorcycle and racecar driver, known as Il Mantovano Volante or Nivola. He was the 1932 European Champion in Grand Prix motor racing...
truly mastered these 500 bhp beasts.
In only his second ever Grand Prix, at the daunting Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
, Rosemeyer took the lead from the great Rudolf Caracciola
Rudolf Caracciola
Otto Wilhelm Rudolf Caracciola , more commonly Rudolf Caracciola , was a racing driver from Remagen, Germany. He won the European Drivers' Championship, the pre-1950 equivalent of the modern Formula One World Championship, an unsurpassed three times...
and was almost in sight of the finish line when he missed a gear and was over taken. However in subsequent years he made up for this mistake by winning three consecutive races at the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
, one famously in thick fog. Later in 1935 he won his first Grand Prix at the Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
Masaryk Circuit
Masaryk Circuit
The Masaryk circuit or Masarykring, now referred to as the Brno Circuit, refers two Czech racing circuits located close to the city of Brno.The original circuit was made up of public roads, and at its longest measured nearly...
in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
.
Whilst on the podium he was introduced to the famous aviatrix Elly Beinhorn
Elly Beinhorn
Elly Beinhorn-Rosemeyer was a German pilot.-Early life:She was born in Hannover, Germany on 30 May 1907....
. Their celebrity relationship was too good an opportunity to miss for the Nazi Party and Heinrich Himmler chose to make him a member of the SS, an 'honour' he would have been unwise to refuse. All German drivers were required to join the National Socialist Motor Corps
National Socialist Motor Corps
The National Socialist Motor Corps , also known as the National Socialist Drivers Corps, was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party that existed from 1931 to 1945. The group was a successor organization to the older National Socialist Automobile Corps, which had existed since the beginning...
, but Rosemeyer allegedly got away with never wearing a uniform.
Several sensational Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
victories in 1936 and 1937 (also in the Vanderbilt Cup
Vanderbilt Cup
The Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing.-History:An international event, it was founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II in 1904 and first held at a course set out in Nassau County on Long Island, New York. The announcement that the race was to be held caused...
in the USA) made him popular not only in Germany. He won the European driving championship
European Championship (auto racing)
The European Drivers' Championship was an annual competition in auto racing that existed prior to the establishment of the Formula One world championship in 1950...
in 1936.
His marriage to young flying ace Elly Beinhorn
Elly Beinhorn
Elly Beinhorn-Rosemeyer was a German pilot.-Early life:She was born in Hannover, Germany on 30 May 1907....
added even more celebrity hype. It also made it possible for him to learn to fly a private plane, something which many race pilots of later generations would do also. Before a testing session, he once used a now defunct airfield next to the Flugplatz section of the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
as a landing strip, and rolled his plane to the pits via the race track - in opposite direction.
His son Bernd Jr was born in November 1937, but only ten weeks after his son's birth Rosemeyer was killed during a world speed record attempt.
Rosemeyer considered 13 to be his lucky number. He was married on July 13 1936. 13 days later he won the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. His last Nürburgring victory came on the 13th June 1937. His last race victory came at his 13th start of the 1937 season at Donington Park
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
.
Fatal record attempt
Bernd was killed during a land speed recordLand speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
attempt on the Autobahn between Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
and Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
, on January 28, 1938.
Competing for the record on the same day against Rudolf Caracciola
Rudolf Caracciola
Otto Wilhelm Rudolf Caracciola , more commonly Rudolf Caracciola , was a racing driver from Remagen, Germany. He won the European Drivers' Championship, the pre-1950 equivalent of the modern Formula One World Championship, an unsurpassed three times...
, Rosemeyer went first and set a new record of 432 km/h (268 mph) early in the day. Rosemeyer went out next in his Auto Union
Auto Union
Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group....
streamliner, despite a report wind was picking up. After two preliminary runs he was on his third and final attempt at 11:47 a.m., when the car suddenly went out of control. Whether caught by a gust of wind or by an unforeseen aerodynamic effect, it skidded to the left and, perhaps after over-correcting, it swerved to the right and off the highway where it went airborne. Rosemeyer was thrown out of the car as it somersaulted through the air; he died at the roadside.
Memorial
The Rosemeyer memorial is south of Frankfurt at the Rosemeyer layby (German: "Bernd-Rosemeyer-Parkplatz") on the southbound side of A5 motorway at kilometer marker 508.At the south end of the layby a footpath leads west into the forest, where the memorial is located.
Audi honoured the 100th anniversary of Rosemeyer's birth by placing a wreath at the memorial.
49°58′25"N 8°36′11"E
Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
built a concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
, the Audi Rosemeyer
Audi Rosemeyer
The Audi Rosemeyer is a concept car built and shown initially at Autostadt by Audi during 2000, and at various auto shows throughout Europe. Although it was never intended for production, its striking design and highly sporting nature drew considerable attention to the brand, and many potential...
, which combined elements of modern design with styling strongly resembling the former Auto Union
Auto Union
Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group....
s "Silver Arrows
Silver Arrows
Silver Arrows was the name given by the press to Germany's dominant Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Grand Prix motor racing cars between 1934 and 1939, and also later applied to the Mercedes-Benz Formula One and sports cars in 1954/55.For decades until the introduction of sponsorship liveries, each...
" Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
racers, namely their 12-cylinder car driven by Rosemeyer, after which the car is named.
There is also a bronze memorial situated next to the entrance to the Donington Park
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
Museum in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
.
Bernd Rosemeyer is buried in the Waldfriedhof Dahlem
Waldfriedhof Dahlem
The Waldfriedhof Dahlem is a cemetery in Berlin, in the district of Steglitz-Zehlendorf on the edge of the Grunewald forest at Hüttenweg 47. Densely planted with conifers and designed between 1931 and 1933 after the plans of Albert Brodersen, it is one of Berlin's more recent cemeteries...
on Hüttenweg in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Major career victories
- European driving championshipEuropean Championship (auto racing)The European Drivers' Championship was an annual competition in auto racing that existed prior to the establishment of the Formula One world championship in 1950...
19361936 Grand Prix SeasonThe 1936 Grand Prix season was the fourth AIACR European Championship season. The championship was won by Bernd Rosemeyer, driving for the Auto Union team... - ADACADACThe ADAC is Germany's and Europe's largest automobile club, with more than 17 million members in June 2010. It was founded on May 24, 1903 as "Deutsche Motorradfahrer-Vereinigung" and was renamed in 1911...
EifelrennenEifelrennenThe ADAC Eifelrennen was an annual motor race, organised by ADAC Automobile Club from 1922 to 2003, held in Germany's Eifel mountain region even before the Nürburgring was built there.- History :...
(1936), (1937) - Donington Grand PrixDonington ParkDonington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
(1937) - Coppa AcerboCoppa AcerboThe Coppa Acerbo was an automobile race held in Italy, named after Tito Acerbo, the brother of Giacomo Acerbo, a prominent fascist politician. Following Italy's defeat in World War II, and the consequent demise of fascism, the race was renamed the Circuito di Pescara, and in some years was also...
(1936), (1937) - Czechoslovakian Grand PrixCzechoslovakian Grand PrixThe Czechoslovakian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor racing event first held on September 28, 1930 at the Masaryk Circuit now referred to as the Brno Circuit. It was held in the town of Brno in Czechoslovakia .From 1934 onwards, the race was dominated by the German Silver Arrows...
(1935) - Feldbergrennen in HochtaunuskreisHochtaunuskreisThe Hochtaunuskreis is a Kreis in the middle of Hesse, Germany and is part of the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region. Neighbouring districts are Lahn-Dill, Wetteraukreis, district-free Frankfurt, Main-Taunus, Rheingau-Taunus, Limburg-Weilburg.The Hochtaunuskreis and the Landkreis Starnberg...
(not at FeldbergFeldberg* Feldberg , a mountain* Großer Feldberg and Kleiner Feldberg, mountains of the Taunus range* Feldberg, Baden-Württemberg, a village and commune* Feldberg, Mecklenburg, a populated place* Feldberg , a mountain...
in Black ForestBlack ForestThe Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
) (hillclimbingHillclimbingHillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
) (1936) - German Grand PrixGerman Grand PrixThe German Grand Prix is an annual automobile race.Because Germany was banned from taking part in international events after World War II, the German GP only became part of the Formula One World Championship in 1951...
(1936) - Großer Bergpreis von Deutschland at SchauinslandSchauinslandThe Schauinsland , is a mountain in the Black Forest with an elevation of 1,284 m above sea level....
in Black ForestBlack ForestThe Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
(hillclimbingHillclimbingHillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
) (1936) - Italian Grand PrixItalian Grand PrixThe Italian Grand Prix is one of the longest running events on the motor racing calendar. The first Italian Grand Prix motor racing championship took place on 4 September 1921 at Brescia...
(1936) - Swiss Grand PrixSwiss Grand PrixThe Swiss Grand Prix was the premier auto race of Switzerland. In its later years it was a Formula One race....
(1936) - Vanderbilt CupVanderbilt CupThe Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing.-History:An international event, it was founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II in 1904 and first held at a course set out in Nassau County on Long Island, New York. The announcement that the race was to be held caused...
(1937)
Complete European Championship results
(Races in bold indicate pole position)| Year | Entrant | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | EDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 1935 Grand Prix season The 1935 Grand Prix season was the third AIACR European Championship season. The championship was won by Rudolf Caracciola, driving for the Mercedes-Benz team.-Teams:-Works teams:-Independent teams:-Private entries:... |
Auto Union Auto Union Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group.... |
Auto Union Auto Union Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group.... |
BEL 1935 Belgian Grand Prix The 1935 Belgian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on July 14, 1935.- Race :- Starting grid positions :-Notes:... |
GER 1935 German Grand Prix The 1935 German Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at the Nürburgring on July 28, 1935.- Race :- Starting grid positions :-Notes:*Ernst von Delius destroyed his car during practice, so shared Mays' car in the race.... 4 |
SUI 1935 Swiss Grand Prix The 1935 Swiss Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Bremgarten on August 25, 1935.- Classification :-Notes:* Hanns Geier crashed in practice, ending his driving career.... 3 |
ITA 1935 Italian Grand Prix The 1935 Italian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Monza on September 8, 1935.- Classification :-Notes:* Paul Pietsch and René Dreyfus were called in so that Bernd Rosemeyer and Tazio Nuvolari, respectively, could take over their cars.... Ret |
ESP 1935 Spanish Grand Prix The 1935 Spanish Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Lasarte on September 22, 1935.- Classification :-Notes:* Paul Pietsch took over from Achille Varzi after the latter's face was cut due to a stone smashing his windscreen. After treatment, Varzi took the car back but gave it back to... 5 |
5 | 25 |
| 1936 1936 Grand Prix Season The 1936 Grand Prix season was the fourth AIACR European Championship season. The championship was won by Bernd Rosemeyer, driving for the Auto Union team... |
Auto Union Auto Union Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group.... |
Auto Union Auto Union Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group.... |
MON 1936 Monaco Grand Prix The 1936 Monaco Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Circuit de Monaco on April 13, 1936.Heavy rain contributed to a series of accidents, while a broken oil line on the Alfa Romeo of Mario Tadini led to so many wrecks in the chicane out of the tunnel it was almost impassable... Ret |
GER 1936 German Grand Prix The 1936 German Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at the Nürburgring on July 26, 1936.-Classification:... 1 |
SUI 1936 Swiss Grand Prix The 1936 Swiss Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Bremgarten on August 23, 1936.-Classification:... 1 |
ITA 1936 Italian Grand Prix The 1936 Italian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Monza on September 13, 1936.-Classification:... 1 |
1 | 10 | |
| 1937 1937 Grand Prix Season The 1937 Grand Prix season was the fifth AIACR European Championship season. The championship was won by Rudolf Caracciola, driving for the Mercedes-Benz team... |
Auto Union Auto Union Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group.... |
Auto Union Auto Union Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group.... |
BEL 1937 Belgian Grand Prix The 1937 Belgian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on July 11, 1937.-Classification:... |
GER 1937 German Grand Prix The 1937 German Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at the Nürburgring on July 25, 1937.Driver Ernst von Delius collided with Richard Seaman during this race on lap 6 and the accident was eventually fatal for von Delius, experiencing thrombosis. Von Delius was 25 years old.-Classification:... 3 |
MON 1937 Monaco Grand Prix The 1937 Monaco Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at the Circuit de Monaco on August 8, 1937.-Classification:... Ret |
SUI 1937 Swiss Grand Prix The 1937 Swiss Grand Prix was a 750 kg Formula race held on August 22, 1937 at the Bremgarten Circuit.-Race Report:After the start, Hans Stuck chopped across the nose of the other drivers to take the early lead, followed by Caracciola and Rosemeyer. Rosemeyer was soon in trouble though, under... Ret |
ITA 1937 Italian Grand Prix The 1937 Italian Grand Prix was a 750 kg Formula race held on September 12, 1937 at the Livorno Circuit.-Race report:Caracciola took an early lead from pole, Lang was second but he soon took the lead from Caracciola, the two Mercedes drivers pushing each other hard. Team manager Alfred... 3 |
7 | 28 |
Publications
- Chris Nixon & Elly Beinhorn Rosemeyer: "Rosemeyer!", Transport Bookman Publications 1989, SBN 0851840469