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. 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 Austro-Hungarian Empire, was nearly brought to its knees. 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. The history of ŠKODA AUTO remains inspirational in many respects even today.