Rolf Wütherich
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Karl Wütherich was a German
mechanic and race car driver. The former skydiver was a personal friend of James Dean
and became famous for being in the car with the actor in his fatal car crash on September 30, 1955. Wütherich, himself badly injured, received hate mail from Dean fans who blamed him for the actor's death. As a result of head injuries, treatments and the experience as a whole, he suffered from mental illnesses for the rest of his life. Wütherich himself died after a car crash in 1981 in Germany.
Rolf Wuetherich was born in Heilbronn, Germany on August 5, 1927. The identity of his parents is unknown.
Wütherich had been in Porsche
's race car division. He survived numerous dangerous car crashes, including the one with James Dean
in 1955. In 1952, he drove his car off a motorway bridge and plunged to the lower federal road where it exploded. He survived this accident because he was ejected from the car. Six months after this accident, he survived a crash with a test car near Heilbronn
, Germany. And as a rally driver, he almost died "several times" in the French Alps
. "He was "... obsessed with fast cars," says his friend Eugen Böhringer.
as a mechanic in the United States. There, he organized airfield car races and befriended the motorsport fan James Dean
. Wütherich coached Dean to drive his new Porsche Spyder 550
, which Dean had nicknamed "Little Bastard." While the two were on the way to a race on September 30, 1955, Dean (with Wütherich's encouragement) decided to drive the Spyder to the race, rather than towing it behind his Ford station wagon
. Wütherich offered to accompany Dean in the passenger seat. Just outside of Bakersfield, a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer issued Dean a traffic citation for speeding. The pair continued on their way. Two hours after the traffic ticket was issued and roughly a mile east of Cholame, California
, Dean's Spyder was hit by an oncoming car (who had turned into Dean's lane without seeing him). While Dean was killed almost instantly from a broken neck caused by blunt force trauma, Wütherich survived after being thrown from the car by the impact. It took four days in hospital for him to regain consciousness, and he remained in treatment in the United States for many months because of his severe injuries which were a skull fracture, pelvic fracture, and upper and lower leg fractures.
Zuffenhausen
. Shortly thereafter, he had a nervous breakdown and flew back to California
, where he underwent electro shock therapy
in a psychiatric ward. In 1959, he returned to Germany
, where he started to work with a psychotherapist, made progress and regained sanity. He felt stable and went back to work for Porsche, where he was again in charge of car racing. In 1965, he joined Böhringer in the Rally Monte Carlo, where they came in second. He also won the Vice European Championship as a rally driver. During one race, he even climbed out of his car to help an injured cyclist and received the Fair Play sports award in that race. He also opened a Go-Kart
race track in Stuttgart
for a while.
His depression and suicidal tendencies got worse again over time. Wütherich was hospitalized after a failed suicide attempt
in 1966. In 1967, he stabbed his wife 14 times with a kitchen knife in an attempt to kill both her and himself in a murder/suicide. After this incident, he moved to the small town of Kupferzell
, where he worked as a salesperson in a motorcycle shop. In 1979 he joined a Honda dealer in Hohenlohe
near his native Heilbronn. After that he had a job at Neuenstein where he assembled turbo engines for Porsche.
He continually received hate mail from Dean fans, who insisted that he was responsible for Dean's death, and never recovered from the feeling of guilt.
In 1981, he died in a car crash in the town center of Kupferzell
, Germany
, when he was driving while intoxicated and ran his Honda Civic
into a building at Künzelsauer Straße.
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...
mechanic and race car driver. The former skydiver was a personal friend of James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
and became famous for being in the car with the actor in his fatal car crash on September 30, 1955. Wütherich, himself badly injured, received hate mail from Dean fans who blamed him for the actor's death. As a result of head injuries, treatments and the experience as a whole, he suffered from mental illnesses for the rest of his life. Wütherich himself died after a car crash in 1981 in Germany.
Rolf Wuetherich was born in Heilbronn, Germany on August 5, 1927. The identity of his parents is unknown.
Wütherich had been in Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
's race car division. He survived numerous dangerous car crashes, including the one with James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
in 1955. In 1952, he drove his car off a motorway bridge and plunged to the lower federal road where it exploded. He survived this accident because he was ejected from the car. Six months after this accident, he survived a crash with a test car near Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
, Germany. And as a rally driver, he almost died "several times" in the French Alps
French Alps
The French Alps are those portions of the Alps mountain range which stand within France, located in the Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions....
. "He was "... obsessed with fast cars," says his friend Eugen Böhringer.
Dean crash
In 1950, Wütherich worked for PorschePorsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
as a mechanic in the United States. There, he organized airfield car races and befriended the motorsport fan James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
. Wütherich coached Dean to drive his new Porsche Spyder 550
Porsche 550
The Porsche 550 was a sports car produced by Porsche from 1953-1956.Inspired by the Porsche 356 which was created by Ferry Porsche, and some spyder prototypes built and raced by Walter Glöckler starting in 1951, the factory decided to build a car designed for use in auto racing. The model Porsche...
, which Dean had nicknamed "Little Bastard." While the two were on the way to a race on September 30, 1955, Dean (with Wütherich's encouragement) decided to drive the Spyder to the race, rather than towing it behind his Ford station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
. Wütherich offered to accompany Dean in the passenger seat. Just outside of Bakersfield, a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer issued Dean a traffic citation for speeding. The pair continued on their way. Two hours after the traffic ticket was issued and roughly a mile east of Cholame, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Dean's Spyder was hit by an oncoming car (who had turned into Dean's lane without seeing him). While Dean was killed almost instantly from a broken neck caused by blunt force trauma, Wütherich survived after being thrown from the car by the impact. It took four days in hospital for him to regain consciousness, and he remained in treatment in the United States for many months because of his severe injuries which were a skull fracture, pelvic fracture, and upper and lower leg fractures.
Later life
He moved back to Germany and became a car mechanic and salesperson in StuttgartStuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
Zuffenhausen
Zuffenhausen
Zuffenhausen is an urban district in the northern suburbs of Stuttgart, the capital of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It consists mainly of the formerly independent city of Zuffenhausen. The Zuffenhausen district has an area of 1,200 hectares and 35,568 inhabitants .The oldest surviving...
. Shortly thereafter, he had a nervous breakdown and flew back to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he underwent electro shock therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy , formerly known as electroshock, is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients for therapeutic effect. Its mode of action is unknown...
in a psychiatric ward. In 1959, he returned to 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...
, where he started to work with a psychotherapist, made progress and regained sanity. He felt stable and went back to work for Porsche, where he was again in charge of car racing. In 1965, he joined Böhringer in the Rally Monte Carlo, where they came in second. He also won the Vice European Championship as a rally driver. During one race, he even climbed out of his car to help an injured cyclist and received the Fair Play sports award in that race. He also opened a Go-Kart
Go-kart
thumb|A [[Kart racing|racing kart]] at the [[Commission Internationale de Karting|CIK-FIA]] European Championship 2008A go-kart is a small four-wheeled vehicle...
race track in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
for a while.
His depression and suicidal tendencies got worse again over time. Wütherich was hospitalized after a failed suicide attempt
Failed suicide attempt
Failed suicide attempts comprise a large portion of suicide attempts. Some are regarded as not true attempts at all, but rather parasuicide. The usual attempt may be a wish to affect another person by the behaviour. Consequently, it occurs in a social context and may represent a request for help....
in 1966. In 1967, he stabbed his wife 14 times with a kitchen knife in an attempt to kill both her and himself in a murder/suicide. After this incident, he moved to the small town of Kupferzell
Kupferzell
Kupferzell is a town in the district of Hohenlohe in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The largest neighbouring towns are Künzelsau and Schwäbisch Hall . The town is named after the Kupfer river that flows through it....
, where he worked as a salesperson in a motorcycle shop. In 1979 he joined a Honda dealer in Hohenlohe
Hohenlohe
Hohenlohe is the name of a German princely family and the name of their principality.At first rulers of a county, its two branches were raised to the rank of principalities of the Holy Roman Empire in 1744 and 1764 respectively; in 1806 they lost their independence and their lands formed part of...
near his native Heilbronn. After that he had a job at Neuenstein where he assembled turbo engines for Porsche.
He continually received hate mail from Dean fans, who insisted that he was responsible for Dean's death, and never recovered from the feeling of guilt.
In 1981, he died in a car crash in the town center of Kupferzell
Kupferzell
Kupferzell is a town in the district of Hohenlohe in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The largest neighbouring towns are Künzelsau and Schwäbisch Hall . The town is named after the Kupfer river that flows through it....
, 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...
, when he was driving while intoxicated and ran his Honda Civic
Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded...
into a building at Künzelsauer Straße.