<p>Adolf Hitler stole the idea for the iconic Volkswagen Beetle car from a Jewish engineer and had his name written out of history, a historian has said in a new book.<br /><br />The Nazi leader has always been given credit for sketching out the early concept for the Beetle during a meeting with car designer Ferdinand Porsche in 1935. His idea for the Volkswagen -- or "people's car" -- is seen as one of the only "worthwhile" achievements of the dictator, the Daily Mail reported.<br /><br />Now, historian Paul Schilperoord has written a book titled "The Extraordinary Life of Josef Ganz" on the Jewish engineer to be behind the Volkswagen.<br /><br />Hitler said in his design that his vehicle would have four seats, an air-cooled engine and cost no more than 1,000 Reichsmarks, the currency of Germany till 1948.<br />Three years before Hitler described his idea to Porsche, Ganz was actually driving a car he had designed called the "Maikaefer" -- or "May Bug".<br /><br />Hitler's price also matched the price Ganz said his car would cost.<br />Ganz's lightweight, low-riding vehicle looked similar to the Beetle that was later developed by Porsche.<br /><br />Ganz had reportedly been exploring the idea for an affordable car since 1928 and made many drawings of a Beetle-like vehicle.<br /><br />Hitler saw the May Bug at a car show in 1933 and made similar sketches.<br />Within days of the meeting between Hitler and Porsche in 1935, Ganz's was in trouble with the Gestapo or Nazi secret service.<br /><br />The journalist-inventor left for Switzerland and later died in Australia in 1967.<br />His name is not mentioned in the Volkswagen's corporate history nor in the Story of Volkswagen exhibition in Wolfsburg.<br /><br />"So many things were the same in Hitler's sketches. Hitler definitely saw his prototype and I'm quite sure he must have read Ganz's magazine," Schilperoord said.<br />"It's quite clear Ganz had a big influence on how the idea was developed by the Nazis. Ferdinand Porsche drove Ganz's prototype in 1931. I found a lot of evidence that all similar rear engines in the 1930s can be traced to Ganz," he said.<br /><br />"Even the price was the same. Porsche said that doing this for 1,000 Reichsmarks was not possible but was forced to make it happen by the Nazis," he said.<br /></p>
<p>Adolf Hitler stole the idea for the iconic Volkswagen Beetle car from a Jewish engineer and had his name written out of history, a historian has said in a new book.<br /><br />The Nazi leader has always been given credit for sketching out the early concept for the Beetle during a meeting with car designer Ferdinand Porsche in 1935. His idea for the Volkswagen -- or "people's car" -- is seen as one of the only "worthwhile" achievements of the dictator, the Daily Mail reported.<br /><br />Now, historian Paul Schilperoord has written a book titled "The Extraordinary Life of Josef Ganz" on the Jewish engineer to be behind the Volkswagen.<br /><br />Hitler said in his design that his vehicle would have four seats, an air-cooled engine and cost no more than 1,000 Reichsmarks, the currency of Germany till 1948.<br />Three years before Hitler described his idea to Porsche, Ganz was actually driving a car he had designed called the "Maikaefer" -- or "May Bug".<br /><br />Hitler's price also matched the price Ganz said his car would cost.<br />Ganz's lightweight, low-riding vehicle looked similar to the Beetle that was later developed by Porsche.<br /><br />Ganz had reportedly been exploring the idea for an affordable car since 1928 and made many drawings of a Beetle-like vehicle.<br /><br />Hitler saw the May Bug at a car show in 1933 and made similar sketches.<br />Within days of the meeting between Hitler and Porsche in 1935, Ganz's was in trouble with the Gestapo or Nazi secret service.<br /><br />The journalist-inventor left for Switzerland and later died in Australia in 1967.<br />His name is not mentioned in the Volkswagen's corporate history nor in the Story of Volkswagen exhibition in Wolfsburg.<br /><br />"So many things were the same in Hitler's sketches. Hitler definitely saw his prototype and I'm quite sure he must have read Ganz's magazine," Schilperoord said.<br />"It's quite clear Ganz had a big influence on how the idea was developed by the Nazis. Ferdinand Porsche drove Ganz's prototype in 1931. I found a lot of evidence that all similar rear engines in the 1930s can be traced to Ganz," he said.<br /><br />"Even the price was the same. Porsche said that doing this for 1,000 Reichsmarks was not possible but was forced to make it happen by the Nazis," he said.<br /></p>