Volkswagen Beetle, the iconic car from Volkswagen is one of the most popular cars of all time. It was manufactured by Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003. During that time more than 21 million of them were made. In 1972 the Volkswagen Beetle replaced the Ford Model T as the top selling car in the world.

Ferdinand Porsche, automotive engineer, submitted a design for a people’s car, a ‘Volkswagen’ to the new German Reich government in 1934. He was awarded a contract to produce the car by Adolf Hitler. Production was interrupted by World War II but in 1954 one million Beetles were produced. Apart from the main production plant Wolfsburg the Beetle was also manufactured at Hanover, Emden, Ingolstadt and Osnabrück in Germany and in 14 countries around the world.

The Volkswagen Beetle ceased to be manufactured at its main factory in Wolfsburg, Germany in 1974. However the car continued to be manufactured at smaller plants in Germany and in countries around the world, including Ireland. Large manufacturing plants in Brazil and Mexico continued mainstream production of the Beetle until 2003. The last of the ‘old style’ Volkswagen Beetles rolled off the assembly line in Puebla, Mexico on July 30^th 2003.

The last Volkswagen Beetle made in Germany was driven out of the Volkswagen plant in Emden, Lower Saxony in northwest Germany in the year 1978 On This Day.

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VW Beetle

Chariots of Fire is a film which tells the story of two athletes, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell. They competed in the Olympic Games in Paris in 1924. They both won Gold Medals at the games. Chariots of Fire was nominated for seven Academy Awards in 1982 and won four.

Harold Abrahams was born in Bedford England on December 15^th 1899. He was educated at Cambridge and later trained as a lawyer. At university he was a member of Cambridge University Athletics Club. He was chosen to represent Great Britain in the Olympic Games in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium. He competed in the 100m and 200m events and was a member of British relay team.

Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell were selected on the British team for the 1924 Olympics in Paris. Liddell was listed to compete in the 100m. A heat for the race was to be held on Sunday. Because of his Christian convictions Liddell would not compete on the Sabbath. Abrahams, who had previously been beaten in the 100m by Liddell, competed and won gold. Liddell later competed in the 400m race and won gold. Abrahams’ athletic career ended in 1925, when he broke his leg in a long jump competition. He later worked as an athletics journalist.

Harold Abrahams, Olympic Gold Medal winner whose story was told in the film Chariots of Fire, died aged 78 in the year 1978 On This Day.

Photo by ianpatterson99