History

The actual manufacturing of motorcycles in Zschopau starts with the "Reichfahrtsmodell". Dr. Carl Hahn becomes manager of marketing and sales.
July 1922: the 20.000th DKW engine and 2.000th DKW motorcycle.

With the model "SM" the technical basis for a one of a kind development of the then motorcycle construction is made. The technicians responsible for the customer support are given an instruction course for the first time. Ceremonial opening of the administration building.
The 50.000th motorcycle is produced.

Purchase of the "Rickenbacker Engine Productions" in Detroit / U.S. leading to a failure.
Exhibition of small cargo bicycle with a DKW engine, manufactured by the affiliate company "Framo" in Frankenberg, at the International Motor Show. Foundation of a racing department with August Prüssing as its leader. Hans Sprung wins the German Championship on a 175 cc motorcycle.

Acquisition of the stock majority of the Schütthoff Plc. Chemnitz. Purchase of the iron foundry in Erla and the complete block of stock of the Audi Factories Plc. in Zwickau. The DKW group becomes the biggest motorcycle factory in the world.

Daily output: up to 300 motorcycles and 350 engines.
Yearly output: 43.316 motorcycles; 2.375 employees.

Establishment of the DKW settlement in Zschopau.

Extension of the factory with branches in Annaberg, Chemnitz, Erla, Frankenberg, Marienberg, Scharfenstein, Spandau, Wilischthal, Zöblitz and Zwickau.
Peak of motorcycle production: 60.000.
Every 78 seconds one motorcycle is produced at the DKW factory.
6.000 employees.
Kurt Friedrich wins the German Championship (250 cc), and Arthur Geiss wins the Grand Prix of Germany at the Nürburgring (175 cc). With three DKW 500 cc motorcycles, the riders Klein, Zündorf and Geiss win the "Targe Florio" in Sicily.
With the half litre racing bike PRe 500, reaching 27,8 horsepower with a two cylinder motor (enhanced to 36 horsepower in 1931/1932) thrilling races between the DKW and BMW riders are presented to the audience.

Building of the automobile P15 on the basis on the water-cooled two cylinder motorcycle engine of the model DKW Z 500.

The world economic crisis leads to a decrease in the sales of DKW, too: 36.000 motorcycles. 1932 - 11.000 motorcycles. Partial compensation of the losses by offering various other products, such as automobiles, motorcycles, refrigerators, stationary engines and car accessories.

Mass dismissal of employees: only 850 are left.
DKW's racing cars with charge pump engines set new records in twelve different international classes in France.

However, loss at the 31. October in 1931: 3.92 million Reichsmark.

From 01.01.1932 the factories of Audi, Horch and DKW merge into the Auto Union Corp. Additional purchase of the automobile department of the "Wanderer" factories Chemnitz. With factory sites in Berlin-Spandau (wooden bodywork manufacturing), Siegmar (automobile manufacturing), Zschopau (engine and motorcycle manufacturing) and Zwickau (automobile manufacturing) employing 4.500 workers in all factories, a huge German vehicle group has been developed. The different sites and customer support services are combined under that name Auto Union Branches Ltd.

The engineer Herbert Venediger is promoted manager of the development and testing department in Zschopau. With the acqusition of the exclusive license of Schnuerle Porting procedure, DKW has the foundation for a new generation of two-stroke engines.

Rasmussen is dismissed from the main board without previous notice or adherence to a time limit on 31.12.1932. The board was founded by Rasmussen himself, Dr. Richard Bruhn (Saxonian State Bank) and the Duke of Oerthen (Wanderer factories).
Only in 1938, he gets a partial compensation of 1.3 million Reichsmark by arbitration.
Auto Union employs more than 13.000 workers and members of staff in 12 factories. A huge part of the production is included in the commencing German re-armament. The DKW factory in Zschopau counts 3.340 workers, amongst them a small resistance group.
The 350.000th motorcycle is produced, 23.523 DKW bikes are registered in Germany (31.4 % of all registered motorcycles in Germany).

William Werber (Horch) inherits Rasmussen's position in the main board. The administration and different departments of Auto Union are transferred from Zschopau to Chemnitz.
The number of officially registered DKW motorcycles rises to 36.847 (35,9%).
More than 5.000 motorcycle dealers sell DKW machines in Europe and Overseas.
The DKW team becomes more and more successful in racing competitions. In 1935, twenty victories are gained in both national and international races. 
Arthur Geiss becomes German and European master in the 250cc class.

Due to the effort to reach self-reliance by the nationalist socialist Four-Year-Plan and the therfore resulting lack of foreign exchange, major problems within the delivery lines occur - a lack of motorcycle tyres. This leads to temporary short-term work.

43.581 DKW bikes are registered in Germany (34,6%).
38 races are won on DKW racing bikes and in four out of five classes, the riders Kluge,Müller, Braun and Karmann win the German Championship.

The export of DKW motorcycles rises from 11.367 to 15.170 in the year 1938. 
Due to the proceeds of foreign exchange, the supply of restricted unmanufactured material rises. 
The output of the Auto Union Corp. has been raised from 40 million Reichsmark in the business year 1931/32 to 270 million Reichsmark in 1937/38. 
Ewald Kluge sets a new record of 183.2 km/h on his 250 cc DKW bike.

The number of employees of the Auto Union rises to 22.673. The output in export amounts to 38 million Reichsmark.
44.637 DKW motorcycles are registered in Germany (29.3 %). The DKW model NZ 350 is delivered to the Wehrmacht in high numbers. The dates of delivery are in accordance with the plans for a future war.

Start of the construction of a new workers’ settlement for DKW on an area called "Zschopenberg" - "Neue Heimat" (lit. new home). Ewald Kluge wins the German and European Championship on a DKW rotary slide 250 cc machine.

4.316 (3.935 workers and members of staff + 381 trainees) are employed at DKW.

Due to the call-up, the number of employees decreases to 4.100. The by Herman Weber newly constructed RT 125 leads into a new era of motorcycle manufacturing. It replaces the RT 100.
After the end of the war, it will be the most copied bike in the world.
The 500.000th motorcycle is manufactured. The production of civil luxury models stops due to the war in the second half of the year. 
The racing department is dissolved.

The production of the RT 100, which used to be the most sold DKW motorcycle, stops in favour of the RT125 and the NZ 355. 
The number of employees ceases to 3.900.
Instead of motorcycles, an increasing number of stationary engines for fire-fighting systems and war production are manufactured. The production of parts for aircraft engines for a subsidiary company of the Auto Union Plc. starts.

The sales of the Auto Union Plc. are boosted from 260 million Reichsmark in 1939 to 392 million Reichsmark by war productions. The CEOs Dr. Bruhn and Werner are important leaders of war production and the arms industry.
33.646 stationary DKW engines and 20.254 DKW motorcycles are produced. The RT 125 is produced as special Wehrmacht model.

Fortunately, the factory is not bombed by the allied air forces. However, the DKW residential area is hit badly including several deaths. 
On the 14th of April, the women from the concentration camp are deported from Zschopau and Wilischthal in open train wagons. Many of them did not survive the deadly way of transportation. 
Due to the approaching Soviet troops, the board of the Auto Union flees from Chemnitz to Zwickau which is occupied by the Americans. The Soviet troops occupy Zschopau on the 8th of May.

On demand of the Soviet occupation force, the dismantling of the DKW factory starts on the 3rd of July. The whole assembly of machines are packed up and transported to the Soviet Union. The controlled detonation of the factory building can be averted by some previous employees and the support of the mayor Heinz Seidel after negotiations with the Soviet administration. A group of engineers around Herman Weber, Heydenreich and Schmidt are brought to the factories in Ishewsk to build up the machines again. They return in 1948. Hermann Weber dies in Ishewsk.

24th September: a group of workers and members of staff founds the "Maschinenbaugenossenschaft (DKW) e.G.m.b.H Zschopau" (lit. Machine Building Cooperation (DKW) plc. Zschopau). With the help of 39 outdated machines, kitchen and bee-keeping devices, oven racks and tools, especially for the production of firewood, are manufactured. A manufacturing site near the railway station repairs damaged train waggons. 

Number of employees at the end of October: 150
At the end of the year, the cooperation becomes part of the "Sächsische Aufbauwerk" (lit.: Saxonian Construction Factory).

05.09. The Soviet Administration office decides that the motorcycle factory in Zschopau is allowed to produce motorcycles again. Exhibition of three RT 125 motorcycles at the spring fair in Leipzig. 
The number of employees rises from 398 to 445. The engineer Kurt Kämpf, who is working at the factory's experimental laboratory, and the former factory driver Herman Scherzer develop the "IFA-RT-125-Racing-Bike". The new motorcycle is tested for the first time at a race in Stralsund in July.

27th March - Opening of the IFA education centre in the former main factory building in Zschopau. In the course of the year, the production departments from Wilischthal return to Zschopau and take up the production in halls 6, 7, 13, 14 and 15. All in all, 1.700 RT 125 are produced.

12th June - Foundation of the company's sports club "BSG Motor Zschopau" with Albin Henning as its leader. For the first time, 110 RT 125 are exported to the Netherlands, another 150 go to Norway. Trial models of the BK 350. A third place is gained with an RT 125 in the German Street Racing Championship.

Erhart Krumpholz succeeds as top rider within several races with his RT 125. From the 1st of October, the company name of DKW is prohibited.

Start of the production of the BK 350 (two cylinder, two-stroke flat engine with an universal joint, 15 horsepower) - initial series. 
728 workers and members of staff. 8.135 motorcycles (8.104 RT 125, 31 BK 350) are produced. Bernhard Petruschke wins several races on a RT125 ZPH which was improved by Daniel Zimmermann.

A fully automatic assembly line for the production of half casings starts to operate. Construction of an improved RT 125/1.
Five victories on 125 cc racing machines by Krumpholz and Fügner. Siegfried Haase takes part in a competition on the Sachsenring on a 250 cc two cylinder racing machine for the first time - at first without success.
Building of kindergarten for the employee's children.

9.06. Rudolf Meixner (GDR Motorcycle Cross Country Champion) has a fatal accident in Isny/ Allgäu. 
16.10. motorcycle cross country event "Around Zschopau". Horst Fügner becomes GDR champion in the 125 cc class and runners up with a 250 cc machine. Furthermore, he is also internationally successful.

The model RT125/2 is introduced on the market at the beginning of the year. The company name "MZ" short for "Motorcycle Factory Zschopau” is also introduced. A huge serial production of the ES 250 starts in June, followed by the ES 175 and the sidecar vehicle E 300 in December. Installation of new assembly lines for engine and tyre production, as well a conveyer belt running through all departments. The installation of running-in testing benches replaces the running-in of engines on the streets. 
Besides Krumpholz and Fügner, Degner wins for the first time on an MZ-RE 125. From 1951 onwards, MZ with its two stroke engine machines takes part in cross country events. At the beginning, with the models RT 125 and BK 350, later with models from the ES series, which were adjusted for competitions. Already within the first year, the team wins nine times in different classes due to the drivers Fischer, Sprung, Liebe and Winkler.

The education centre moves to the site at Waldkirchner Straße. 304 trainees are educated in jobs working with metal and another 124 receive business management training. The number of employees has been raised to 3.000 workers and members of staff in the factory. 
Production: 35.045 RT 125/2, 5.410 ES 175, 10.050 BK 350 and 4.040 ES 250.
Degener succeeds in seven national and international races in the 125 cc class. Host Fügner wins a competition on an MZ 250 cc in Tubbergen.

Improvement of the 125 cc MZ to the model RT 125/3 and RT 125/4. With the beginning of the year 1959, the foundry in Annaberg is taken over. 
MZ takes part in World Championship runs for the first time. Besides Fügner and Degner, the Swiss driver Luigi Raveri starts for MZ.
The old MZ company riders are replaced by Werner Musiol, Walther Brehme and Hans Fischer. Thus, the team wins some talented driver once more. 
Fügner succeeds on a new MZ-RE 250 in the Grand Prix and is runners up in the World Championship. Besides 17 gold medals for Fischer, Hermann and Stiegler, Fischer also wins in his class the two-day race in Suhl.

The production of the BK 350 ends. Overall, 41.000 BK 350 were manufactured of which 6.000 were exported. Of the 35.000 sold in the GDR, only 4.000 were constructed with the possibility to attach side car.
At the end of the year, the small serial production of cross country machine starts. 17 victories are gained on MZ racing motorcycles: five by Degner, two each by Fügner and Brehme. Fügner has an accident in Spa-Francorchamps and has to end his racing career. Also foreign drivers ride the MZ motorcycles: Mike Hailwood, Gary Hocking, Derek Minter. The cross country riders, now with the support of Werner Salevsky, win 37 gold medals.

01.10. Opening of the two-stroke engine motorcycle museum at Augustusburg castle which was highly supported by the customer support manager Rudolf Hiller.
With twelve class victories and the overall victory at the Austrian Alpine Race by Werner Salevsky und at the international two-day race in Orebro/ Sweden by Horst Liebe as well as 28 gold medals, the Zschopauer riders are paid even more attention to.
After a successful street racing season for MZ until autumn (14 victories by Brehme, Fischer, Musiol and Degner), the hope to win the World Championship is destroyed by Degner at the second last run by the bdestroyed power unit of his MZ.
He leaves MZ and sells important construction plans to Suzuki.

The manufacture of the model RT 125 comes to an end at the beginning of the year. In twelve years 310.800 bikes were produced of which 64.000 were exported. It is replaced by the model ES 125/150. The ES 175/1 is constructed with a stronger engine. 
03.12. Commissioning of the new electroplating.
MZ's street racing team manages to win 15 races with the team members Fischer, Brehme, Musiol, the Hungarian Szabo and, for the first time, Klaus Enderlein. Above that, the cross country riders succeed in seven classes and gain the overall victory at the Austrian Alpine Race by Werner Salevsky.

The nine victories of the street racing team are gained by the members Enderlein, Fischer, Musiol, Szabo and Mike Hailwood. The winning of the trophy at the International Six-Days Race in Spindlerruv/CSSR by the GDR national team - all members of MZ - with Werner Salevsky, Peter Uhlig, Bernd Uhlmann, Horst Lohr, Hans Weber and Günter Baumann is the beginning of a one of a kind success series and followed by five more victories.

1964 Erfurt - with the same team as in 1963
1965 Isle of Man/England - new member: Karlheinz Wagner
1966 Schweden
1967 Zakopane
1969 Garmisch-Partenkirchen

The most important - among 18 other - victories is the one by Alan Shepherd at World Championship run in Daytona/USA. Two more talented riders join the MZ factory racing team: Heinz Rosner and Dieter Krumphol

After a new production site in Mühlbach (from 1963), a storage building in Niederau becomes part of MZ. The motorcycle factory Zschopau reaches its highest yearly output of motorcycles: 90.000 - ES 125 - 44.000, ES 175 - 15.000, ES 250 - 31.000.
From 1961 until 1971, 256.928 MZ motorcycles are exported. 
Many suggestions for improvements by the members of staff increase sales to millions. The time to produce one single motorcycle (ES 250) is decreased from 28,7 hours (1961) to 24,2 hours.

W. Salevsky wins the Alpine Race for the third time after 1961 and 1962.

Peter Uhlig, Bernd Uhlmann and Karlheinz Wagner succeed all in the different European Cups.

21.06. The millionth MZ motorcycle since 1950, a EZS 250 Trophy Sport, is finished. 
29.200 motorcycles are exported
The motorcycle factory Zschopau becomes part of the IFA cooperation for two-wheeled engines in Suhl. Thus, the administrative channels are extended instead of shortened.

The formerly private factories Fa. Grünert, Hetzdorf and Fa. Stoye, Leipzig become part of the motorcycle factory.

The MZ team gains a brilliant second place at the international Six-Day race. Frank Schubert wins the European Cup in the 250 cc class as runners up for the third time after 1971 and 1972.

07.07. The two millionth MZ motorcycles leaves the factory.

Despite of not working to the full capacity, 300 machines leave the factory in Zschopau on a daily basis. The shortage of materials and workers are the reasons why higher output numbers cannot be reached.
At the 62. International Six-Day Race in Jelenia Gora/Poland, MZ and Simson riders of the GDR national team win again the Enduro World Championship. The juniors also succeed.

With the beginning of the production in the new factory building in Zschopau and the start of the operation of the heating house, the new location in Hohndorf is further expanded.

05.03. The meeting of trusted people (German: Vertrauensleutevollversammlung) comments on the situation of MZ. The management hopes to keep the jobs of their 3.200 employees and to be able to produce 70.000 motorcycles. However, due to the upcoming monetary reform and the inclusion into the capitalistic economic system, difficulties in sales and thus in the safeguarding of jobs are expected. (However, nobody knew what came instead.) The MZ education centre has its 50th anniversary. Thousands of workers had been trained there. Polytechnic lessons have been taught for 30 years.

09.07. After the monetary reform, the "Treuhand" (lit.: escrow) starts the privatization of the former public owned companies.

01.09. The transformation of the company into a private limited company which is controlled by a single associate of the escrow. 
Overall, 2.545.112 motorcycles have been produced at MZ from 1950 untiö 1990. "Around Zschopau" is part of the world championship run. 138 Enduro specialists start in the race. Due to the loss of the markest in Eastern and Southern Europe, the production decreases drastically and many employees loose their jobs.

Only 1950 employees are left at the motorcycle factory.
19.11. The by the escrow presented rehabilitation concept intends to employ only 250 workers for the motorcycle production. The management opposes this suggestion as it would mean mass dismissals.
18.12. The escrow decides the liquidation of the company by the end of the year. The management is able to postpone this decision until the 30th June 1992. Condition: The employees have to provide the company with ten percent of their wages as interest-free loan. 
01.04. Start of the serial production of the model "Fun".
13.04. Start of the serial production of the model "Saxon Tour". 
01.07. Foundation of the "Motorcycle and Two-Wheeled Vehicles Ltd." (German: Motorrad- und Zweiradwerkes GmbH) (MuZ) with 80 employees. The new manager is Petr-Karel Karous. The new range of products is presented in September: the "Silver Star Classic 500", the "Saxon Country" and from October on the "Skorpion" models.

At times, 250 employees. The company's administration moves into the new production and administration building in Hohndorf.

The factory is in danger, again. All two-stroke models (except the 125 cc "Sportstar") are sold to Turkey.

The company "MZ-B Vehicle Ltd." moves into the abandoned building in Zschopau. They start with the production of the "RT 125 Classic", the "Horex Chopper Imperator 125" and the "Horex Regent".
The Malyan company Hong Leong Ind. takes over MuZ on the 1st September 1996. They aim at a production of 5.000 motorcycles per year. 
With the take-over, a new future had started for the employees, as fresh impulses have been given due to the effort to present a new range of products and to strengthen the company's philosophy during the last years. The new era is signified by highly qualified and motivated employees, future-oriented investments into research and development combined with modern constructions and consistent quality.
MuZ has a range of 13 models. They are based on the construction series with 550 cc and 660 cc one cylinder machines. Consistent sporty motorcycles, bikes suitable for travelling, classic models - including a sidecar - as well as new so-called fun bikes and Enduro machines prove a balanced range. 
With the Enduro Cup run "In and around Zschopau" in 1996, an exciting motorsport event is presented to the audience.