''Motor-Kritik'' was the title of a progressive automotive magazine, published by the H.Bechhold Verlagsbuchhandlung in Germany from 1929 to 1945. It originated from the earlier ''Klein-Motor-Sport'' magazine.

History

''Klein-Motor-Sport'' was the title of a German magazine about motorcycles and small cars, founded by Civil-Ing. Oscar Ursinus and published from 1922 to 1929. Publishing house H.Bechhold Verlagsbuchhandlung took over the unprofitable title in 1927. In order to revitalize the magazine, the publisher assigned the young progressive engineer and critical automotive journalist

Josef Ganz Josef Ganz (1 July 1898 – 26 July 1967) was a Jewish-German car designer born in Budapest, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now Hungary). Early years Josef Ganz was born on 1 July 1898 into a Jewish family living in Budapest, then the second-largest ...

as editor-in-chief. He started as from the first issue of January 1928. Josef Ganz used Klein-Motor-Sport as a platform to criticize heavy, unsafe and old-fashioned cars and promote innovative design. The magazine quickly gained in reputation and influence and, in January 1929, was renamed into the more appropriate title ''Motor-Kritik''. ‘With the ardent conviction of a missionary’, so post-war Volkswagen director

Heinrich Nordhoff Heinz Heinrich Nordhoff (6 January 1899 – 12 April 1968) was a German engineer who led the Volkswagen company as it was rebuilt after World War II. Life and career Nordhoff was born in Hildesheim, the son of a banker. He graduated from the Tech ...

would later say, ‘Josef Ganz in ''Motor-Kritik'' attacked the old and well-established auto companies with biting irony.’"'A Revelation of a Secret Love'", ''LIFE International'', page 73, October 24, 1960. These companies fought against Motor-Kritik with lawsuits, slander campaigns and an advertising boycott. However, every new attempt for destruction only increased the publicity for the magazine and Josef Ganz firmly established himself as the leading independent automotive innovator in Germany. As a

Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...

, however, Josef Ganz was forced to resign as editor-in-chief by the Gestapo in 1933. His position was taken over by his colleague Georg Ising, who remained editor-in-chief throughout the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

until the termination of the magazine in 1945.

References

External links

Joseph Ganz Archive
* 1922 establishments in Germany 1945 establishments in Germany Automobile magazines published in Germany Defunct magazines published in Germany German-language magazines Magazines established in 1922 Magazines disestablished in 1945 {{italic title