Anton Piëch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anton Piëch
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 21 September 1894 |
| Died | 29 August 1952 (aged 57) |
| Nationality |  Austria Nazi Germany |
| Education | Lawyer |
| Alma mater | University of Vienna |
| Occupation | Manager of Volkswagenwerk GmbH |
| Spouse(s) |
Louise Porsche
(m. 1928) |
| Children | Ferdinand Piëch |
Anton Piëch (born September 21, 1894 – died August 29, 1952) was a lawyer from Austria and Germany. He was also the son-in-law of the famous car designer, Ferdinand Porsche. From 1941 to 1945, he was in charge of the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, Germany. This factory made Volkswagen cars, which were also known as "KdF-Wagen" back then.
Contents
Anton Piëch's Early Life and Family
Anton Piëch was born in Vienna, Austria, on September 21, 1894. His father, Anton Paul Piëch, was also a lawyer. Anton Jr. studied at the University of Vienna and became a lawyer in 1922. He worked in Vienna.
In the late 1920s, he helped Ferdinand Porsche with a legal case. In 1928, Piëch married Louise Porsche. She was Ferdinand Porsche's daughter. Anton and Louise had three sons: Ernst (born 1929), Ferdinand (born 1937), and Hans-Michel (born 1942). They also had a daughter, Louise Daxer-Piëch (1932–2006).
How Piëch Joined the Porsche Company
On April 25, 1931, Anton Piëch helped start the Porsche company in Stuttgart, Germany. He owned a small part of the company. In 1937, when Porsche KG was formed, his share was 10%. Piëch was in charge of the company's legal and contract matters.
Piëch's Role During World War II
In June 1941, Piëch became the manager of the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg. He worked alongside Ferdinand Porsche. During World War II, the factory started making weapons, like the V-1 flying bomb.
Under Piëch's leadership, many people were forced to work at the factory. These workers came from countries like Poland, the USSR, Italy, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. German political prisoners and prisoners from the Arbeitsdorf concentration camp also worked there. These forced laborers made up about two-thirds of the factory's workforce during the war.
Sadly, many people died at the factory. An orphanage was built near the factory for babies of the forced laborers. At least 350 children died there. They were taken from their mothers just two weeks after birth so their mothers could go back to work.
After the War
On April 10, 1945, as the war was ending, Piëch ordered his troops to move towards the Elbe River. He also moved 10 million Reichsmark (German money) from Nejdek to Zell am See, where his family had a farm. This money was supposed to be for moving a factory, but it was never used for that purpose.
After the war, Piëch continued to be the chief executive of Volkswagenwerk GmbH until November 1945. He used this time to pay off bills for Porsche KG.
In late 1945, Piëch was arrested in Baden-Baden, along with Ferdinand Porsche and Ferry Porsche. They were accused of forcing French workers to come to Wolfsburg. They were also accused of moving equipment from the Peugeot car company in France to the VW factory. Piëch and Ferdinand Porsche were held in French prisons for 22 months. Ferdinand Porsche was later found not responsible for the accusations.
Later Business Ventures
On September 17, 1948, Piëch helped sign an agreement between Volkswagenwerk GmbH and Porsche Kommanditgesellschaft. This agreement meant that Porsche would continue to develop new designs for Volkswagen. This deal helped create the financial base for the new Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG company.
In 1950, Piëch became the manager of Porsche Konstruktionen-GmbH in Salzburg, Austria. He also managed the "Volkswagen General Agency" in Austria, which later became Porsche Holding. Today, Porsche Holding is a major owner of the Volkswagen Group.
Anton Piëch passed away unexpectedly on August 29, 1952, in Klagenfurt, Austria. He is buried in Zell am See. His wife, Louise, took over the family's business in Austria.
See also
In Spanish: Anton Piëch para niños
- Porsche family
