As of: March 5, 2024, 4:23 p.m
By: Anna Liebelt
Comments
Press
Split
In the middle of the meadow at a satellite meeting: Armin Wecks (r.) was already doing a lap in his yellow convertible Trabi 601 with the leading actor of the film “Go Trabi Go” Wolfgang Stumph (l.). © Private
The first Trabant “601” rolled off the production line 60 years ago.
Now the cult car is celebrating its comeback as a classic car.
The small car already has a loyal fan in Finsing.
Finsing – The first warm rays of sunshine in spring not only attract spring bloomers and rodents from the earth.
Under a cloudless sky, the first classic cars roll out of the garage again.
One of them: The Trabant from Armin Wecks from Finsing.
The 65-year-old hobby tinkerer has been working on his three GDR protégés for weeks.
They should ultimately be in optimal condition again by the start of the season.
“These are fair-weather vehicles, so you have to start early,” he says of the annual preparations.
As the first chairman of the “Bavarian Trabant Club”, Wecks knows what he is talking about.
The main goal of the association is to preserve the historic vehicles, whose success story began exactly 60 years ago.
The Trabant 601 was presented to the public for the first time exactly 60 years ago
At the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1964, the state-owned company (VEB) Sachsenring Automobilwerke presented the Trabant 601 to the public for the first time.
That was the starting signal for the success of the cult car: more than 2.8 million examples rolled off the production line in Zwickau in the following years.
By 1990, the Trabi 601 became the best-selling GDR Volkswagen.
Workshop visit of a Trabant 601 before the test drive.
© picture alliance/photo archive for contemporary history
But for many GDR citizens, the dream of owning their own car only came true after long years of waiting.
Because the production of the Trabi could hardly keep up with the increasing demand.
Waiting times of up to ten years were nothing unusual back then.
However, this made the Trabi an object of desire for many.
Interest in cult cars is increasing: “Certain vehicles now cost more than 10,000 euros”
Nowadays, Trabi lovers no longer have to wait as long for a joyride, emphasizes Armin Wecks.
“Old Trabants are being sold everywhere,” he says.
The price is now a much bigger obstacle.
“When I bought my first Trabi, it was still quite cheap,” says the Finsinger.
That was eight years ago.
Since then, interest in classic cars has increased – and so has their price.
Anyone who has their eye on the cult car today will have to pay.
“Certain vehicles now cost more than 10,000 euros,” emphasizes the hobbyist.
There are no electrical helpers.
It doesn't drive 200 km/h either.
Armin Wecks, classic car fan and chairman of the “Bavarian Trabant Club”
That was not always so.
After reunification, the Trabant experienced a real downturn.
Next to the modern western models, the technically outdated Trabi cut a bad figure, even became the butt of jokes and ultimately became a rarity on Germany's roads.
“You don’t have any electrical helpers.
It doesn't drive at 200 km/h either," says Wecks, describing the Trabi's meager equipment, which contributed to the cult car's rapid fall from grace.
Today this robustness is desired again.
“You can repair a lot yourself, so we also help each other in the club,” he says.
My news
Munich Airport threatens strike chaos – Lufthansa explains what passengers can now expect
ABS38 rail project: free travel on two tracks in the mid-2030s
The passenger had just landed: Then inspectors sounded the alarm when the baguette was found
2 hours ago
Among students, teachers are looking for teacher reading
Feckl joins the Green Party
Comment: mandate without much value reading
Finsinger vintage car fan does not want to sell his Trabis: “I have rejected all offers.”
With just 24,000 kilometers on the clock, Wecks got his first Trabi in the Ore Mountains.
A convertible from the 601 series in bright yellow.
“It had just arrived,” says the 65-year-old and laughs.
There wasn't much to do to prepare the GDR car.
“I changed the technology a bit and installed LED headlights,” says Wecks.
The classic car fan doesn't want to spice things up more.
“It should be a relaxing and relaxing drive,” says Wecks, who regularly travels to meetings all over Germany with the “Bavarian Trabant Club”.
There he can feel the interest in the satellite first hand.
“I've had several offers for my Trabis, but I've rejected them all.” Because as long as he can still drive, he doesn't want to give up his cult car.