Ivan Hirst
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Major Ivan Hirst (March 4, 1916 - March 10, 2000), was a British Army officer who was instrumental in reviving Volkswagen from a single factory in Wolfsburg, Germany to a postwar major automotive manufacturer.
[edit] Education
Born in Saddleworth, near Oldham, England, Hirst studied at the University of Manchester.
[edit] World War 2
Hirst landed in Germany in the summer of 1945 when the British Army took control of the town of Wolfsburg. He was a major in the Royal electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The original intention was to scrap the factory and use the proceeds as war reparations. But the young Briton found that the factory could be used to produce cars for the British Army. Hence, Hirst laid the foundations for Volkswagen successful automotive business.
[edit] References
Ivan Hirst - Author: Ralf Richter, Published by: Volkswage AG, Corporate History Wolfsburg
