SKODA AUTO - Driver of the First Republic 1918 - 1938 by Tomas Novotny

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8— 191 ŠKODA MOBIL SUPPLEMENT

DRIVER OF THE FIRST REPUBLIC ŠKODA MOBIL EMPLOYEE SUPPLEMENT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tomáš Novotný CONTENT CONTRIBUTIONS BY Simona Havlíková, Veronika Halešová, Jindřich Novák, Kateřina Šulcová, Jaroslava Matoušková, archiv ŠKODA AUTO PHOTOGRAPHS ČTK, Profimedia, archiv Jana Tučka, Společnost bratří Čapků a archiv ŠKODA AUTO GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Boomerang Communication PUBLISHED 27 September 2018

Dear readers On 28 October 1918, upon the establishment of an independent Czechoslovakia, many generations of Czechs and Slovaks finally saw their dream for independence come true. However, the euphoria of gaining long-sought freedom soon gave way to daily concerns. The citizens of the young democratic republic had to build their state in many respects and defend their independence. Employees at the Mladá Boleslav‒based carmaker had a similar task before them. Laurin & Klement, the pre-war leader of the automobile market in the AustroHungarian Empire, was nearly brought to its knees 100 years ago due to the difficult economic situation and a devastating fire. The entry of a strong economic partner, the clear vision of the management at the time, the innovation of its designers, the openness of employees to new approaches and a careful observation of the market all helped the factory to rise from the bottom and elevate it to the No. 1 spot in Czechoslovakia’s automobile industry. The breathtaking First Republic story of the carmaker reminds us that companies are successful over the long term only if their employees come up with great ideas and bring their customers products that not only satisfy their needs but also surprise them with unexpected benefits. To this day, the ŠKODA brand has maintained its leading position on the Czechoslovak (and later Czech) automobile market and has continued to grow in foreign markets, too. To a great extent, this success can be attributed to the fact that the company knows how to come to terms with its past. Since the era of the First Republic, the carmaker has managed to satisfy its customers’ demands in a wide variety of areas. For more than a century, ŠKODA AUTO has offered both personal vehicles for private owners and corporate variants. For 100 years already, its management has rewarded employees for their useful suggestions for improvement. Since the 1930s, ŠKODA vehicles have scored big in the most prestigious motoring competitions. The history of ŠKODA AUTO remains inspirational in many respects even today. We wish you an enjoyable read.

THE YOUNG REPUBLIC BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL RETURN TO THE LIMELIGHT KEY MODELS HEARTFELT DEVOTEES AND AMBASSADORS

ADVENTURERS AND ENTHUSIASTS HELPERS IN SERVICES DECORATIONS FOR BOLESLAV LABOUR UNDER THE CARMAKERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WINGS

ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT FATIGUED BY WORLD CONFLICT, RUPTURED BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY TIES, A LACK OF BASIC FOOD AND SOCIAL UNREST. THESE WEEKLY WORRIES GAVE WAY TO EUPHORIA FROM THE NEWLY ACQUIRED FREEDOMS IN A DEMOCRATIC CZECHOSLOVAKIA. EVEN PRIOR TO THE WAR, THE SITUATION HAD NOT BEEN ROSY FOR THE DEVELOPING AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY. THE STATE STRICTLY REGULATED THE SALE OF FUEL AND LUBRICANTS AND BURDENED VEHICLE OWNERS WITH UNREASONABLY HIGH COSTS. AS A RESULT, HAVING A CAR BECAME AN UNOBTAINABLE LUXURY FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE STAGNATED. IT IS NO WONDER THAT BY THE MIDDLE OF 1921 THERE WAS ONLY ONE AUTOMOBILE FOR EVERY 3,138 INHABITANTS IN THE COUNTRY. NONETHELESS, THE VERY ADVANCED REPUBLIC RANKED 51ST IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF INDUSTRY.

SILVER LINING FOR BETTER TIMES

otoring had one particularly influential supporter and fan. When President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk visited Mladá Boleslav in 1919, he encouraged the carmaker’s management to focus on developing and producing a vehicle for the people. Following his long stay in the United States, he realised how positive an impact on American society the reduction in car prices had had, and in this respect the implementation of assembly lines played a major role. Suddenly, even a working-class family could afford a Sunday trip

by car. Masaryk knew how positively the increased mobility of the labour force on the other side of the ocean had affected employment. In the 1920s, the renewal of economic life brought about economic and technical breakthroughs in Europe, including in Czechoslovakia. Electrical appliances became a regular part of households, and people began using phones, record players and radios. Their attention was again focused on automobiles as well. However, because of low series production, high costs hindered the widespread expansion of vehicle ownership.

1921

SERVICE, CAR WASH AND 6 KILOMETRES PER HOUR

HOW LIFE WAS

WAGES OF WORKERS AT L&K 2.85–5.15 CZK/hour

PRICES OF FOOD Bread

CZK

5.84/kg

Beef loin CZK

15.95/kg Butter

CZK

48.81/kg

PRICES OF L&K VEHICLES L&K type MK 13/40 HP in basic design CZK

190,000

L&K type SO 9/25 HP in basic design CZK

135,000

espite all the obstacles, car production and services for motorists were gradually developing. Just under two years after the war, a motor show was held in Prague under the auspices of President Masaryk. At approximately the same time, the activity of the modern Elka (the colloquial name of L&K) service centre began at Prague’s Valdštejn Riding Hall. Previously, customers had been required to go to the production plant for more extensive repairs. In 1928, eight-storey garages were put up in Maniny in Prague, which could fit 120 vehicles, and drivers also had a car wash available. While waiting, they glossed through motor magazines and bulletins; at the time, 23 were published regularly in Czechoslovakia. Throughout the republic, drivers had 500 fuel stations available to them, and two years later there were already

3,000. However, they did not enjoy fast rides much. In 1927 in some municipalities, drivers could travel only at a maximum speed of 6 km/h, because this was as fast as horses could trot. Only in 1935 was the speed limit increased to 35 km/h.

MAKE ONLY THE CHASSIS FOR ME, PLEASE

uring the era of the First Republic, customers could choose from a large number of vehicle bodies, which were installed on purchased chassis. Mainly at the start of L&K automobile production, these were custom orders. Therefore, each vehicle was original. In inter-war Czechoslovakia, many important companies specialised in installing bodies on vehicle chassis. Among the best-known was Sodomka, whose customers included do-

mestic and foreign brands. The Vrchlabí plant, which has been part of ŠKODA AUTO since 1947, has its roots in the Petera body shop. Other renowned Czech vehicle body design companies included the firms Oldřich Uhlík, Leitner from Pilsen and the renowned Pilsen-based company Brožík, which reached its professional pinnacle in 1925, when, at the request of French studio Kellner, it produced a body for a Hispano-Suiza limousine intended for President Masaryk.

DEMOCRATISATION OF TRAFFIC

t the beginning of 1930, Czech authorities registered the country’s 100,000th motor vehicle – 41,020 of which were personal vehicles. “A personal motor vehicle is understood as a vehicle that can transport a maximum of eight persons, including the driver”, read the 1932 legislation pertaining to automobile traffic. Traffic lights appeared at some intersections. However, at the beginning of the 1930s, a major economic crisis arose that led to lay-offs and lower wages, and there were frequent labour strikes. Just like in the postwar period, people began considering cars an unnecessary luxury. And so, vehicles were sold more to state

enterprises, such as the postal service or militias. The ŠKODA brand reacted more strongly to the complicated economic situation and the demand for the cheapest vehicles than other Czech manufacturers. The price of the POPULAR model, thanks to a change in its design and production concept, fell by more than 40 percent compared with its predecessor, the ŠKODA 420 STANDARD. Therefore, the carmaker was able to offer a vehicle for the common folk, which was a dream of President Masaryk’s. However, more affordable motorcycles did not lose their importance. With a trailer hitch, they could transport even more people and freight.

ŠKODA POPULAR

PUMPS AND TAILORED ATTIRE

hile drivers in the 1920s did not focus much on attire to wear in a car, in the 1930s they began to wear clothing specifically for driving. The attire included English suits, striped shirts with rounded collars, trousers extending to below the knees, pumps, stockings and derby shoes with open laces. Such attire also included a beige coat that some ladies wore inside the car. A combined suit became a popular choice. All of this was complemented by a

head covering, gloves and motoring goggles, which shielded eyes from dust. As early as the 1920s, modern women gradually added trousers to their wardrobes. A trend was to shorten the skirt and hair. With gradual emancipation, women became not only a draw for advertisements for cars for sale but also drivers and racers. For example, a pioneer in women’s automobile sport, Eliška Junková (1900‒1994) presided over the new Ladies’ Section of the Republic Auto Club in the 1930s.

PRICES OF ŠKODA CARS

MID-1920s Luxury L&K ŠKODA 350 and 450

CZK

160,000

1930s

Mid-size ŠKODA 422

CZK

33,000

ŠKODA 420 Standard

CZK

29,800

ŠKODA POPULAR 995 (Liduška)

CZK

17,300

Average annual salary of a male official CZK 18,000 of a female official CZK 10,000

TRAFFIC SIGNS Based on a government regulation from 1935, the first six types of warning markings (stripes, bends, intersections, protected crossing strips, unprotected crossing of tracks and hazards other than the first five) were officially implemented in Czechoslovakia. The signs already had the shape of an equilateral triangle with a side length of 1,000 mm, and the symbols were white on a blue background. Along state roadways, authorities indicated the names of municipalities if they had a population of at least 5,000 inhabitants.

HONK AT AN INTERSECTION

uring the First Republic, those who wanted to become a driver and receive a driving licence did not need to complete a driving course. He/she only had to be at least 18 years of age, undergo a physical examination, prove knowledge of regulations and complete a practical driving test. The fee for all this was CZK 33.20. Basically, at the outset, anyone could drive a motor vehicle. In 1932, a decision was made to prohibit allowing graduates of questionable driving schools from taking driving tests. L&K became a pioneer in the instruction of proper driving in the Czech lands. It had already started teaching its customers to drive and operate vehicles back in 1907. Over time, the traffic infrastructure also improved. Dusty gravel and paved roads were complemented by asphalt and concrete pave-

ment. Although Czechoslovakia had already committed in 1926 to implementing driving on the right, at the time driving was still on the left-hand side of the road. However, not all vehicles at that time were manufactured with a steering wheel on the right-hand side. Certain cars had them installed on the left based on the wishes of customers and many designs. As of 1939, the roads were lined with traffic signs, which remain in effect today, with only minor changes. However, the traffic regulations from the First Republic would seem like a joke to many drivers today. For example, in 1918, a driver was required to make a sound before every intersection. A signal pipe, horn, bugle, signalling whistle or even a siren could be used for this purpose. Therefore, a wide range of different sounds were emitted on the streets.

ME THE R. A C R E V O TE ACTORY OTHER DISAS F E H T WHEN ERE WAS AN S AFFECTED H IN RISIS, T E FACTORY WA E MERGER R C U A L , H R H 1924, T ATING FIRE. T WHAT RLD WA ND TWON O I W T S T R E FI ABLED ICAL EVAS ELL, A D H N D T E W A E Ň G Y R E N B O I Z E O R PL OM BEF T WAS D S MANUFACTU ŠKODA S AN ASTRON N N H E T I M E W L O A E &K TIME W ZK 220 MILLI VEHICL E STATE OF E F H O T S T D E C A R R E TH TU OF THI THE FU RIGINATED AT D TMENT THE PLANT. TH T THE S N I E V 4 1 N I 9 N O A E IN 1 DERNIS F THE GROUP URERS OVAKIA Á BOLESLAV, A L O S M O O H T C CT AD TO S CZE GEMEN THAT MANUFA SWITCH R IN ML DUCTION WA SE A E K N A A M M P O CAR T OF PR RT. THE COLLA EALISED T WOULD NOT D NOT N R E E C M R I E T HA UL RE PO 75 P ICLES T BLY LINES WO EDED FOR EX GARIAN EMPI ED H D E E V D F N O E N M IV INTE G ASSE FINAL STEP N PMENT TRO-HU VIL WAR DEPR N S I U S A U E O E T N LO OF TH RUSSIAN CI ITIONAL E. SO, O AS THE DEVE S THAT D V I A V R E R T H U S T S IT TW LE AND KER OF ESSPEOPLE AT AKEN. I UALITY VEHIC PT A E M B R A O O T E IN THE C P AND Q OTENTIAL OF T TORY. TS. BUS EACTED TO TH 2 A E E K H R C A F O D 192 THE P T A NEW FAC KEY M KLEMENT R N E A S 1 U 2 D 9 & N1 WOUL CHNOLOGY A LAURIN C SITUATION I 0 PERCENT. TE I Y3 NOTCH ECONOM ING WAGES B UCTION UC OD BY RED FOR CARS, PR KERS ALL OR D DEMAN NUMBER OF W E AND TH . ED DECLIN

COMBINATION WITH ŠKODA PLANTS

he consequences of the fire further worsened the company’s financial situation. After careful consideration, the company merged with Škoda Works in Pilsen. This resolved the problem of needing great financial investments to develop production. After the merger, the factory in Mladá Boleslav underwent extensive modernisation. A new body shop was created, along with an assembly facility, which awaited the quick launch of assembly line production. The amount that the new partner added to development became the greatest investment during the First Republic. This led to new models, standardisation of components, and the vehicles became more affordable.

KEY ASSEMBLY LINE PRODUCTION

he modern production method, which had started being used in the United States at the turn of the century and was developed by Henry Ford for automobile production, was implemented successfully at the Mladá Boleslav factory at the end of the 1920s. It was also thanks to assembly line production that in the 1930s the car began succeeding again. From the beginning, during the eight-hour work period, they produced 20 vehicles. Following the implementation of shift operation, this number rose to 85 daily. In the meantime, however, the company had to overcome a period of major economic crisis, which in the 1930s also impacted Czechoslovak industry.

FULFILLING THE DREAM OF MASARYK

he economic decline eventually had a positive outcome. It sped up work on a car intended for common folk. First, the parts were harmonised. After the ŠKODA 4R and ŠKODA 6R vehicle series, the production of a new production series of vehicles was launched: the ŠKODA 422, 430, 645 and 860. The first numerals in the description express the number of cylinders, and the other two express performance measured in horsepower. However, with the 860 model, the carmaker waded into a crisis period. Demand required highly unified but mainly inexpensive vehicles that officials and self-employed entrepreneurs could afford.

n the spring of 1934, the carmaker finally introduced a vehicle that fulfilled these requirements: the ŠKODA POPULAR model. The first promotional flyer proudly boasted of a price never seen before. The four-seat cabriolet was sold for CZK 18,800, and the two-seat roadster for CZK 17,800. This was a veritable price revolution. After all, the lowest value of the ŠKODA 430 vehicle in 1929 had been CZK 45,500. It is no wonder that the first-generation POPULAR enjoyed such success. 900 of them were manufactured with various types of bodies – from semi-cabriolet, roadsters and two-door vehicles to aerodynamic coupés. The chassis was used with minor modifications for all of the models that the brand produced until the early 1970s.

BACK AT THE TOP

he further improved generation of the POPULAR model led the Mladá Boleslav brand to top sales of cars in Czechoslovakia. In 1935, it was among the 1,892 supplied vehicles in third place behind the first-place Tatra and second-place Praga. A year later, ŠKODA with 3,013 sold vehicles dominated and confirmed its position among the big players in the Czechoslovak engineering industry. It never again allowed its competitors to take first place. The successes can be attributed not only to the POPULAR but also to the absolutely new model series that was derived from it.

1919

450

1920

400

1921

400

1922

700

1923 1924 1925 1926 1927

2.000 2.800 5.500 3.400 9.100

1929 1930

10.200 7.700

1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938

1.300

1928 Major economic crisis

PRESENTING THE POPULAR

PRODUCTION OF PERSONAL AND UTILITY VEHICLES IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

9.000 7.100 5.600 8.000 9.000 11.700 13.300 13.900

ŠKODA 860

FROM CUSTOMISED CARS TO ASSEMBLY LINE PRODUCTION

M ŠKODA 645

assive investments to modernise the plant in Mladá Boleslav led to the first successes in 1929, when series production of the model ŠKODA 430 was launched. The vehicle had a chassis with a wooden step frame, rigid axles and mechanically controlled brakes. A total of 3,028 of these vehicles were sold within four years. The cornerstone of the new production programme was soon enhanced with vehicles for a wealthier clientele. The

six-cylinder 645 with the four-cylinder 430 series had identical components, as evidenced by the implemented standardisation. The culmination of the offer was the 4-litre ŠKODA 860, whose type description revealed an eight-cylinder vehicle with 60 hp. Its success was complicated by the great economic crisis, and so only 49 of them were produced with the body of a sedan, cabriolet or faux-cabriolet that had a sturdy roof, resembling a convertible.

TARGETED SERIES CONQUERED MARKETS

n 1934, many years of systematic work of all of the carmaker’s employees reached a peak. A genuine earthquake on the domestic automobile market was caused by the small ŠKODA POPULAR. It had the descriptive label 418, and its design was based on the 420 Standard model, which, unlike ŠKODA’s production so far, used a backbone chassis frame. The sophisticated design, which the constructors managed to de-

velop and modernise for further generations, brought about excellent driving quality and helped to improve the brand’s sales performance. The POPULAR was followed by its larger and more spacious brother, the RAPID. The range of vehicles with a backbone frame and a uniform design of vehicle bodies was added to by the spacious and efficient FAVORIT and the luxurious six-cylinder SUPERB for prominent customers.

ŠKODA POPULAR

ŠKODA RAPID

THE ROOTS OF SMART SOLUTIONS The Simply Clever philosophy belongs naturally to the carmaker’s DNA. A clear example of this can be found already in 1925, when the factory produced the L&K type 110 model with a combined body. On work days, it served as a two-seat station wagon, but on Sundays, it could be converted into a four-seat personal vehicle. Simply Clever. However, not only designers came up with the innovative solution. For example, in 1919, supervisor Syrovátka received a CZK 600 reward for saving fuel consumption, which produced a new combustion engine solution. The carmaker already supported measures for improvement during the First Republic and, thanks to them, achieved success among customers, just like today.

ŠKODA SUPERB

T L E F T R HEAVOTEES SADORS DE D AMBAS AN

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S VEHICLES

aving been appointed president in absentia, Masaryk arrived by train at Prague’s Emperor Franz Joseph Railway Station (today Prague’s Main Railway Station) on 21 December 1918. He was welcomed there by the chairman of the Revolutionary National Assembly, František Tomášek, and with the Laurin & Klement automobile they took a triumphant ride in a series S vehicle to Sněmovní Street, where the Philosophy professor was sworn in as president. Along the way, they were greeted by crowds of cheering citizens. The ŠKODA Hispano-Suiza luxury limousine, which the carmaker manufactured based on a French licence, began being used as the president’s car in May 1926. His office paid CZK 280,000 for it, and Masaryk used it until he stepped down from his post in 1935. Via the “Liberator President”, the ŠKODA brand also blended symbolically with the young republic.

BRILLIANT DESIGNER In his twenties, Czech Technical University graduate Vladimír Matouš (1896‒1963) contributed to the licensed production of the luxury vehicle ŠKODA Hispano-Suiza. He later began working in Mladá Boleslav, and in 1931 he became the head of the Design Office, which was responsible for the development of personal and light utility vehicles. His emphasis on quality, reliability and standardisation of components was applied during the implementation of assembly line production, like during the fundamental design and technological transition from step to backbone frame chassis design and from rigid axles to independent all-wheel suspension.

OP ES, IANS, T POLITIC S AND ATHLET E, ER MANAG CULTURAL LIF F STARS O ENIUSES. THE D G YE DESIGN AND HAS PLA E R TH B ŠKODA TANT ROLE IN OR E AN IMP ORE THAN ON AR M -W LIFE OF LITY OF INTER A PERSON LOVAKIA. S CZECHO

A LEADER WITH A VISION

nder the leadership of Karel Hrdlíčka (1888–1979, pictured on the right), the ŠKODA brand again became the No. 1 carmaker in the First Republic. This was enabled through stages that he successfully implemented and realised, from modernising production and increasing its capacity to expanding the sales network and offering models that meet the needs and economic buying power of customers. He was appointed designer and experienced manager by the director of the Mladá Boleslav factory in 1930, and eight years later he became the top director of the jointstock company Akciová společnost pro automobilový průmysl (ASAP), which was the name of one of the divisions of Škoda Works at the time. He was among the greatest personalities in the First Republic’s industrial sector.

PROUD OWNERS During the First Republic, it was possible to see many well-known personalities riding in vehicles of the brand, including: Count Jiří Sternberg – ŠKODA 6R, Count Zdenko Radslav Kinský – ŠKODA 430, Prime Minister František Udržal – ŠKODA 650 and SUPERB, motorcycle racer František Juhan – POPULAR roadster, football players František Plánička and Ladislav Ženíšek – POPULAR, music composer Jaroslav Jankovec – RAPID Tudor, businessman Tomáš Baťa Jr. – POPULAR 418.

WOMEN BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL Female drivers were a phenomenon of the time. Eliška Junková was famous for her love of racing, as was Olga Scheinpflugová and motorcycle diarist Lída Horská. Regular sections in the women’s magazine Lada also focused on automobile enthusiasm.

PROPELLED BY LUCK

he small vehicle will go up hills with cool temperatures on snowy mountains, quietly and easily, as if propelled forward by luck instead of petrol”, writes actress and writer Olga Scheinpflugová in the book Český román (The Czech Novel). She took her first vacation with Karel Čapek in 1935 after 15 years of knowing him. They were taken to the Alps in a newly purchased ŠKODA POPULAR 418 Standard vehicle by a hired chauffeur. Along the way, the famous writer proposed to the actress, and she said yes, so somewhat later they were taken to the town hall in their POPULAR. Two years after the wedding, the couple treated themselves with a new ŠKODA RAPID model.

A VEHICLE FOR A KING

he beautiful special intended for fans of the Popular Monte Carlo even went in two parts all the way to the royal court in Belgrade. The car for Petar, the last Yugoslav (then still adolescent) king, had a royal crown on it instead of the classic arrow symbol.

THE MANAGEMENT OF THE FACTORY IN MLADÁ BOLESLAV CAREFULLY MONITORED SOCIAL TRENDS. IN THE MID-1930S, CZECHS AND SLOVAKS BEGAN TRAVELLING ABROAD IN NUMBERS THAT HAD NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE. CARS NATURALLY OFFERED THEM GREATER FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND COMFORT THAN ANY OTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORT. THEREFORE, THE ŠKODA BRAND BEGAN USING THE EXPLOITS OF TRAVELLERS, AS WELL AS MOTORING ENTHUSIASTS, TO PROMOTE ITS MODELS. READERS ENJOYED THEIR TRAVEL ACCOUNTS AS WRITTEN IN NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES, AND THEY COULD NOT OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT ON DEMANDING TERRAIN DURING OFTEN DIFFICULT CLIMATE CONDITIONS THEY RELIED ON THE QUALITY AND DEPENDABILITY OF THE POPULAR AND RAPID MODELS. THE LONG-DISTANCE JOURNEYS OF THESE SPECIALLY DESIGNED ŠKODA VEHICLES ALSO RECEIVED ATTENTION IN THE WORLD AND SIGNIFICANTLY SUPPORTED THE EXPORT OF VEHICLES TO DOZENS OF COUNTRIES.

52,000 KM ACROSS AFRICA Experienced travelling couple Stanislav Škulin and Marie Škulinová set out on a trip to Africa in June 1936. In the RAPID, they drove across the continent, and the vehicle did not disappoint them on their journey over two years and 52,000 km. The backbone frame enabled a significant reduction of weight strain, and due to its stability the vehicle body did not suffer very much during the drives across the terrain. Its reliability was also demonstrated by a trip through the rainforests during the rainy season. Adventurers in the mud propped up the wheels with tree trunks, and they crossed rivers by

driving over bridges or floating on improvised rafts. They managed their adventurous trek with grace, and when they arrived at the Cape of Good Hope after a year, they re-evaluated their original plans to use ship transport and decided to return to Prague in their own vehicle! “We believe in the RAPID”, they proclaimed via telegram. At home, they held popular seminars for the public and promoted the brand to a great extent. They also significantly increased sales in the countries through which they transited. For example, in South Africa they increased sales by a remarkable 200 percent.

100 DAYS IN A SMALL CAR

n the same year, journalist František Elstner and his wife, Eva, set out on a road trip across the United States and Mexico. Over a period of 100 days, which included two trips by boat across the Atlantic, they travelled 25,000 km at a daily average of 525 km. They gave their trip the name “One hundred days in a small car”. Their ŠKODA POPULAR had to deal with ice, transit areas devastated by tornadoes and extensive flooding and climb a height of 2,500 m above sea level on the

side of Popocatépetl in Mexico. On their return trip, they also travelled through Spain, where a civil war was raging. Eva Elstnerová suffered a broken rib and injured forehead resulting from a collision with a truck driven by Franco’s guards, and this proved that she certainly was not a traveller “for the sake of appearance”. In 1938, she accompanied her husband in a new POPULAR 1100 HV vehicle across Argentina. They managed to cover more than 6,000 km of difficult rocky terrain in just 12 days.

PATH AROUND THE WORLD IN 97 DAYS

rague entrepreneur and adventurer Břetislav Jan Procházka was one of the celebrity travellers of the First Republic. “I gained the most respect for the POPULAR vehicle. I gave it my all, having only one shot at it. To this day, I don’t understand how I managed to keep the half-shafts in place on these challenging trips”, he commented regarding the series vehicle, which he first took to the Sněžka Mountain. He ascended the highest mountain in Bohemia with the help of his friends, some of whom turned around when the going got tough along the way, and with two wooden planks to support the wheels. But that was not enough. So the car enthusiast and co-owner of a vehicle service shop in Prague’s Smíchov neighbourhood decided to undertake a riskier journey with a friend of his, Jindřich Kubias, who was a butcher from Vamberk. In 1936 with the ŠKODA RAPID semi-cabriolet, they set out on a trip around

the world. The vehicle differed from the standard design only in its terrain tyres, added fuel tanks, batteries and horns, as well as fog lights, a car radio and a Scintilla Vertex ignition magnet. The cushion design enabled a two-member crew to take a non-stop journey. The route led them from Czechoslovakia through Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, the Soviet Union, Iran, present-day Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Japan, the USA and France back to Prague. They travelled 27,000 km in 97 days, 53 days of which they spent on ferries or resolving the demanding official formalities. They covered an average of 630 km daily, and their achievements were carefully monitored by the press. News was sent home via letter and telegram, including details such as seeing Baťa shoes being worn by Chinese women. The RAPID managed the journey without problems and with only two service checks – in Tehran and San Francisco.

FULL FIELD FOR TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD Kubias/Procházka crew certainly did not pack light for their trip. Everything that they fit into their vehicle Two fire extinguishers, tools and hoists, compasses, binoculars, camera, tent, kerosene cooker, four inflatable mattresses, three suitcases full of clothing, a well-concealed rifle and four pistols, 50 cans of meat, four sticks of tourist salami, 10 kg of chocolate, two bottles of whisky, a bottle of cognac and other spirits. lahve whisky, lahev koňaku a další proviant.

ESPECIALLY IN THE 1930S, ŠKODA UTILITY VEHICLES WERE ABSOLUTELY TOP-QUALITY. THEIR DEVELOPMENT WAS THE FOCUS OF A SPECIAL DEPARTMENT, HEADED BY DESIGNER OLDŘICH MEDUNA, WHO CAME UP WITH ADVANCED SOLUTIONS THAT MADE OPERATION EASIER. FOR EXAMPLE, HIS APPROACH WAS EXCELLENTLY DEMONSTRATED BY THE AERODYNAMIC ŠKODA 532 BUS, WHICH HAD AN ENGINE IN THE BACK THAT, WITH ITS LOW-FLOOR DESIGN, WAS DECADES AHEAD OF ITS TIME. ITS AGGREGATE UNIT SAT ON THE RAILS, SO IT COULD BE EASILY DISASSEMBLED AND REPLACED DURING REPAIRS.

PLOUGHS WENT ON TRACKS

he most sought-after product of the Mladá Boleslav factory in 1919 was the Excelsior motorised plough. A total of 75 of them were delivered to customers, most of whom were in France. The high demand for these performing machines was due to a shortage of ploughing livestock and human labour in post-war agriculture.

WHEN LIFE IS AT STAKE

ehicle body manufacturers were involved in producing ambulances during the First Republic. For example, Oldřich Uhlík’s Prague company mounted remodelled wooden parts on the ŠKODA 125 utility vehicle for the capital city’s medical department. For the sanatorium in Prague’s Podolí neighbourhood, it remodelled the six-cylinder ŠKODA 6R (2.9 l / 37 kW) vehicle to create an ambulance more than 5 metres in length that came fully furnished. In Kadaň, a ŠKODA 645 ambulance was used with a pair of stretchers suspended on coil springs.

VARIABLE WORK

he 550 type vehicle registered its last development level of heavy utility vehicles, derived from the design of the L&K brand. With a usable weight of 5,000 kg and a chassis of 2,900 kg, the utility vehicle was propelled by a petrol four-cylinder engine with imposing drilling of 120 mm cylinders and a raised volume of 6,786 cm3. Customers selected from a wide-ranging offer of designs that included: dumper, tipper, rack and a special design for transporting beer, tanks, water trucks and sightseeing buses for up to 25 passengers.

ŠKODA CONQUERS THE CORPORATE WORLD

he van versions of the POPULAR helped the development of business in the First Republic. The Prague branch of Julius Meinl placed an order for one. Another was held by the Czechoslovak Automobile Club, which used it as a technical support vehicle. In 1936, utility vehicles reached all the way to Palestine, Syria, Iran and South Africa. As of 1937, all POPULAR vehicles intended for export had a standard differential, and supplying to the domestic market was only possible for an additional fee. In 1937, the carmaker exported 12 reinforced chassis for POPULAR vans to Uruguay, where local manufacturers mounted the vehicle bodies. From March 1935 to September 1937, the carmaker manufactured 228 vehicles with a factory body and a “bottom” engine (aggregate units with a camshaft in the engine block and lateral valves).

FIREMEN AND THEIR ŠKODA 860

t around noon on 20 September 1937, a huge fire broke out at the Mladá Boleslav factory. “Clouds of thick smoke billowed from the large factory site on the edge of town, with sporadic sparks”, the newspaper Expres wrote at the time. The fire spread quickly, as the flames were helped along by a large amount of flammable manufacturing material. Fire brigades from the surrounding area, including the local volunteer fire brigade, went to the site to put out the fire. The company’s employees also helped to put out the fire and save company property. The Mladá Boleslav Volunteer Fire Brigade deserved the most praise. As a reward, they subsequently received a ŠKODA 860 vehicle. In the letter of thanks, which the firemen sent to the factory, they promised that they would be ready when needed and would guarantee the safety of people and their property at the plant and in town. The Mladá Boleslav firemen still have their own ŠKODA 860 today and take good care of it.

FOLLOWING THE FIRST WORLD WAR, THE CARMAKER’S OWNERS ENCOUNTERED EXTREMELY HIGH COSTS. THE MOST PRESSING SALES ARGUMENTS INCLUDED AN EMPHASIS ON LONG-TERM USE OF THE VEHICLE AND A LACK OF OPERATING DEMANDS. MOTORING COMPETITIONS BROUGHT CAR MANUFACTURERS A WELCOME OPPORTUNITY TO SUBJECT THEIR MODELS TO STRESS TESTS AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC LOOKED ON. IN 1920, AT THE FIRST OFFICIAL POST-WAR RACE, THE FOUR-CYLINDER LK TYPE MF WON ON THE TRACK AROUND KARLOVY VARY AND MARIÁNSKÉ LÁZNĚ. A YEAR LATER, THE LAURIN CARS SUCCESSFULLY PARTICIPATED IN THE RELIABILITY COMPETITION, COVERING A TOTAL DISTANCE OF 2,000 KM, WHICH WAS ORGANISED BY THE CZECHOSLOVAK AUTOMOBILE CLUB.

1,000 MILES OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA

ow price equals low quality”: The carmaker’s management attempted to convince customers that this assumption did not apply to the POPULAR and RAPID models. Therefore, they began deploying them in motoring competitions. The ŠKODA vehicles were even used to participate in one of the best-known races in the First Republic, the

1,000-mile Czechoslovak race. The crews completed 1,600 km of driving without resting and completed segments between Prague, Brno and Bratislava. In 1935, the finish line was crossed by the duo Antonín Komár and Vladimir Houšť, whose 2-litre aerodynamic special ŠKODA RAPID Six came in third in its category and fifth in the absolute rankings.

I HAVE SEEN STRANGE THINGS ALONG THE WAY. ONCE A HORSE BACKED UP AGAINST US WHILE WE WERE DRIVING AT FULL SPEED, AND ANOTHER TIME I DESPERATELY AVOIDED A HUGE ELEPHANT. NO, THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE ROAD, ONLY VISIONS DURING A DEMANDING FOURTH NIGHT. THE MACHINE WAS QUIET AND INDUCED SLEEPINESS, AND THERE WAS THICK FOG. ZDENĚK POHL ABOUT THE MONTE CARLO RALLY, 1936

SILVER FROM MONTE CARLO

ilot Zdeněk Pohl and navigator Jaroslav Hausman achieved unexpected success with the factory special POPULAR at the Monte Carlo Rally. In January 1936, they started from Athens and travelled nearly 4,000 km to their destination in Monaco. Their car managed to travel at a speed of up to 110 km/h, and the Czechs ultimately finished second in the cat-

egory of 1.5-litre vehicles. The first place position eluded them by a razor-thin margin because they did not inform the organisers of the prohibited repair of the competing Fiat, which they witnessed. Ratting out a rival seemed unsportsmanlike. Their success inspired them to create 70 vehicles with the description ŠKODA POPULAR Monte Carlo. The crew got ready for the start again

in January 1937, this time with a two-seat RAPID coupé. In the upto-1,500 cm3 category, they again crossed the finish line in second place. However, their rivals lodged a protest. The rear-view mirror of the race car did not fulfil the competition rules, and so the jury pushed it to fourth place. Nevertheless, the Czechoslovak fans welcomed the racers home as victors.

PRICE VICTORY

VICTORIOUS JOURNEY ACROSS THE BALKANS

he Little Entente automobile and motorcycling competition hosted in 1937 was among the biggest motoring competitions organised in Czechoslovakia and allied countries during the inter-war period. Its name was inspired by the military and political pact known as the Little Entente, entered into in 1921 by Czechoslovakia, Romania

and Yugoslavia. Logically, the route of the competition led through those three countries. The Mladá Boleslav brand entered three aerodynamic models of POPULAR and three RAPID vehicles in the race. At the finish line in Belgrade, Zdeněk Pohl celebrated an absolute victory. The POPULAR Monte Carlo, of course, won in its category of up to 1,500 cm3.

From today’s perspective, the evaluation of competitors at the inter-war Monte Carlo Rally occurred in a very non-traditional manner. The crews left for Monaco from many European cities, about 4,000 km away. The organisers assigned each route a different number of points based on difficulty. Racers had to go through continuous time checks at a specific time or sooner, and even a one-minute delay was punished by the referees, who subtracted two points. During the last 1,000 km, their task was already to get to the inspection stations and the finish line on Monaco’s Place de la Concorde Square at the exactly specified time, accurate to the minute. Cars were only allowed to have permitted furnishings, and outside assistance and replacement of important parts could result in disqualification. During the final speed test with a fixed start, the crews went through a 200-metre-long stretch, and then they used the reverse gear to turn around, drove around two rods to form an eight, went through another 180 m segment, and once again turned around in the reverse direction and with the gas pedal on the floor they raced the remaining 3,000 m to the finish.

SOCIAL POLICY OF THE FIRST REPUBLIC

he situation after the First World War was difficult in Czechoslovakia. The system of supplying the population with food collapsed, and there were often “hunger riots”, which even Mladá Boleslav did not escape. The state became interested in social measures, and several directives were issued regarding the work period, which was eight hours long but included Saturdays, meaning that an average worker spent 48 hours per week at a factory.

TO HELP THE POOR The carmaker’s management took a constructive approach to the post-war situation, and to mark Klement’s 50th birthday, it donated CZK 50,000 for humanitarian use and distributed food worth CZK 10,000 among the poor in Mladá Boleslav. The introduction of a 48-hour work period and other social measures led to increases in the prices of L&K products beyond acceptable le-

vels. In November 1918, however, in the interest of preserving employment, the company took risky measures and manufactured for a warehouse.

DECLINE AND REBOUND In 1920, the carmaker had 1,470 employees. The following year, the number fell to 977, and in 1923 decreased even further to just 778. Following the improvement of the economic situation in Czechoslovakia in 1928–29, the number of people working for the carmaker rose to 4,278, but a year later 3,750 workers and 500 administrative staff were employed. Declining demand in the 1930s resulted in further lay-offs. In 1930, the company had 3,714 employees, who manufactured 2,841 vehicles, but two years later only 2,144 workers worked on production of a mere 383 vehicles. Furthermore, the great economic crisis forced the carmaker’s management to cut wages by 30 percent.

Between 1918 and 1920, the state issued several decrees: regarding child labour, paid leave, wage protection and collective agreements. For example, after a year of employment, an employee would be entitled to six days of leave, and after 15 years, an employee would get eight days off every year. Women and children up to the age of 16 could no longer work at night. The authorities set a maximum number of hours for 14-year-old workers and prohibited work by children under the age of 10. However, these rules were often circumvented in practice, and so coal scraps were constantly picked up by small children, whose mothers hauled away full baskets.