As of: February 7, 2024, 5:19 a.m
By: Victoria Krumbeck
Comments
Press
Split
Vladimir Putin mocks the German auto industry.
According to a Russian story, it was a Russian who helped Carl Benz build cars.
Moscow – According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, things are not going well for the German automotive industry.
“They are destroying their automotive sector,” Putin reportedly said during a visit to an exhibition in Moscow, Russian news agency Tass reported on Thursday (February 1).
In addition, a Russian was involved in the success of Mercedes-Benz, as the exhibition guide explained to Putin.
Putin laughs at the German automotive industry: “We should help them”
When asked whether the current decline in the automotive industry was due to the fact that Russia was no longer buying German cars, Putin said: "Not only." Mercedes-Benz, like many other companies, had withdrawn from Russia in the wake of the Ukraine war.
The automotive giant also blocked software access in Russia.
VDA boss Hildegard Müller also takes a critical view of the German automotive industry.
In a conversation with the dpa in September, she warned of a loss of German competitiveness.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (r.) ridicules the German automotive industry.
© Photomontage/Bernd Weißbrod/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool Sputnik Kremlin/dpa
The exhibition guide Zakhar Zaitsev agreed with Putin's assessments.
Zaitsev emphasized Russia's role in the development of the German auto industry with a story.
According to his stories, the Russian Nikolai Kristofari is said to have been traveling in Europe in the 19th century.
Kristofari wanted to have his watch repaired during his trip and found help in a workshop.
The Russian was so impressed by the work that he wanted to speak to the craftsman personally.
Russian story about Carl Benz: “We are the financiers”
This craftsman is said to have been Carl Benz, the founding father of Mercedes-Benz.
The young Benz is said to have told the Russian his dream of wanting to become an automobile manufacturer.
Kristofari is said to have given the young craftsman ten rubles as a sign of goodwill.
My news
Heavy fighting against Wagner mercenaries in Africa: Video shows interrogation by Ukrainian special forcesread
No immunity: Trump lashes out – read “So bad and so dangerous”.
Without Americans: Germany is working on Ukraine's liberation strike
Devastating reports from the front: Ukrainians are now building retreat facilities
Russia reacts to major NATO maneuvers – and threatens “tragic consequences” read
Russia suspects a plan behind NATO maneuvers: diplomat attacks Germany
“So we can rightly say that the German automotive industry started with us,” Zaitsev is said to have said with a smile after the story.
“We are the financiers,” he added.
Putin agreed with him.
“We should help them somehow,” the Kremlin chief said with a smile after hearing the story.
Russian investor in Mercedes-Benz?
Lack of evidence of encounter
The story of the Russian who supported Benz in his dream seems to be completely unknown outside of the exhibition.
The official Mercedes-Benz website states that Carl Benz was born in Karlsruhe in 1844 and studied at the Polytechnic University in Karlsruhe.
As an engineer, he worked his way up from locksmith to designer to foreman.
He later founded several companies until he finally achieved his breakthrough.
However, Russian investors do not appear in this story.
What Putin's statement about the destruction of the automobile industry refers to remains unclear in the report.
However, orders for large car companies such as VW, Mercedes and BMW fell last year.
(vk)