Jakob Werlin
Encyclopedia
Jakob Werlin was an Austria
n auto salesman who worked primarily in Germany
. Due to his early contact with Adolf Hitler
, he became an honorary SS leader and Hitler's primary interface with the Daimler-Benz
company.
. He became acquainted with Adolf Hitler in 1923, as the Benz dealership was located next to the office where the Völkischer Beobachter
was printed. That same year he sold a Benz to Hitler for the use of the Nazi Party, and thereafter the Party would come to Werlin to purchase limousines. After the merger with Daimler in 1926 Werlin was leader of the local Daimler-Benz subsidiary, and started the Mercedes
dealership in Munich
(Niederlassung München).
In 1934 Werlin became a member of the Nazi Party and a confidant of Hitler. Along with Ferdinand Porsche
, Werlin was involved with Hitler's attempt to build the People's Car (Volkswagen
), but was critical of its success.
Although placed in an American internment camp until 1948, Werlin survived the war.
Vertriebsgemeinschaft Werlin at Hochstrasse 14 is a Mercedes-Benz dealership started by Jakob Werlin after World War II
. The firm granted Werlin the facility for his part in protecting the safety of Bimbo, the Jewish
wife of Wilhelm Haspel, head of Daimler-Benz from 1942 to 1952.
.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n auto salesman who worked primarily in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Due to his early contact with Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, he became an honorary SS leader and Hitler's primary interface with the Daimler-Benz
Daimler-Benz
Daimler-Benz AG was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motor vehicles, and internal combustion engines; founded in 1926. An Agreement of Mutual Interest - which was valid until year 2000 - was signed on 1 May 1924 between Karl Benz's Benz & Cie., and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, which had...
company.
History
In 1921, Werlin worked for the Benz motor company in MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. He became acquainted with Adolf Hitler in 1923, as the Benz dealership was located next to the office where the Völkischer Beobachter
Völkischer Beobachter
The Völkischer Beobachter was the newspaper of the National Socialist German Workers' Party from 1920. It first appeared weekly, then daily from February 8, 1923...
was printed. That same year he sold a Benz to Hitler for the use of the Nazi Party, and thereafter the Party would come to Werlin to purchase limousines. After the merger with Daimler in 1926 Werlin was leader of the local Daimler-Benz subsidiary, and started the Mercedes
Mercedes (car)
Mercedes was a brand of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft . DMG which began to develop in 1900, after the death of its co-founder, Gottlieb Daimler...
dealership in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
(Niederlassung München).
In 1934 Werlin became a member of the Nazi Party and a confidant of Hitler. Along with Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche was an Austrian automotive engineer and honorary Doctor of Engineering. He is best known for creating the first hybrid vehicle , the Volkswagen Beetle, and the Mercedes-Benz SS/SSK, as well as the first of many Porsche automobiles...
, Werlin was involved with Hitler's attempt to build the People's Car (Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
), but was critical of its success.
Although placed in an American internment camp until 1948, Werlin survived the war.
Vertriebsgemeinschaft Werlin at Hochstrasse 14 is a Mercedes-Benz dealership started by Jakob Werlin after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The firm granted Werlin the facility for his part in protecting the safety of Bimbo, the Jewish
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
wife of Wilhelm Haspel, head of Daimler-Benz from 1942 to 1952.
Death
Jakob Werlin was buried at the Waldfriedhof in Traunstein after his death at age 79. His sons still operate Mercedes dealerships in TraunsteinTraunstein
Traunstein is a town in the south-eastern part of Bavaria, Germany, and is the administrative center of a district by the same name. It is situated at the heart of a region called Chiemgau, approximately 11 km east of Lake Chiemsee between Munich and Salzburg, 15 km north of the Alps, and...
.