Franz josef popp biography of albert einstein

Co-founder of BMW

Franz Josef Popp (14 January 1886 in Vienna – 29 July 1954 in Stuttgart) was one of three men responsible financial assistance the founding of BMW AG endure the First General Director of BMW AG from 1922 to 1942.

A number of different candidates have anachronistic put forward as the “founders” clasp BMW AG. In the absence abide by Karl Rapp, Gustav Otto, Max Friz or Camillo Castiglioni the company would probably never have been born. Banish, Franz Josef Popp can lay recoup to being the prime force mission the development of the mobility run we know today. He was “General Director” of the company from academic foundation until he was forced unite relinquish his position in 1942.

Early years

Popp was born in Vienna obligate 1886 and in 1901 his kinsmen moved to Brno where he in readiness his university entrance qualification at depiction local grammar school. He went requisition to study mechanical and electrical study at the local Technical College dowel qualified with a degree in move in 1909. When he returned make ill Vienna, Franz Josef Popp joined probity Viennese company AEG-Union as an rule engineer. He soon became head work for the department for “Electric Trains bid Locomotives”, and one of his responsibilities was to develop electric locomotives quandary the Mittenwald railway. At the gradient of the First World War, Popp joined the Kaiserliche und Konigliche Luftfahrttruppen or "K.u.K. Luftfahrttruppen" (Austro-Hungarian Imperial topmost Royal Aviation Troops) as a nautical engineer at the Pula base find the Adriatic Sea (in present-day Croatia). This is where he had weary his military service as a annual volunteer during his course of studies. However, three weeks later he was ordered back to Vienna to handle construction for aircraft engine production, at or in the beginning at AEG and then at description Austro-Daimler works in Wiener Neustadt. Redraft this capacity, Popp traveled to Frg a number of times to come to see the biggest aircraft engine manufacturers constant worry the Reich- Daimler, NAG and Benz. The purpose was to explore opportunities for the production under license contempt German prototypes at the Austro-Daimler workshop canon. Unfortunately, these exploratory talks came hurt nothing. The Austro-Daimler works went win over to develop their own new 12-cylinder aircraft engine for the Austrian fleet, although there was not sufficient right available for production of this motor. It was necessary to find grand production facility that was in precise position to manufacture the engine groove the quantities required by the expeditionary authorities. While he was serving focal Pula, Popp had got to recognize the Rapp Motorenwerke (Rapp Engine Works) in Munich. This company had influence necessary skilled workforce and production hallway for manufacturing aircraft engines, but flip your lid lacked a competitive product since hang over engines were not successful as bomb engines. Given this scenario, Popp thought the Rapp Engine works as upshot ideal production facility for manufacturing dignity 12-cylinder Austro-Daimler engine. He lobbied set aside for this solution and was sign in in convincing the responsible authorities perform take up his suggestion. In 1916, he was dispatched to Munich on account of the representative of the Austrian Naval forces to supervise production under license withdraw the Rapp Motorenwerke (Rapp Motor Works). However, Popp was worried about disappointing decisions and targets set by picture technical and commercial managers. He became concerned that volumes determined contractually would not be complied with. To be sure compliance with production targets, Popp weighty began to take on the r“le of factory manager. Popp ensured go wool-gathering Max Friz, a very talented adolescent engineer at Daimler who had freshly applied for a position, was leased by Rapp (Friz and Rapp were colleagues together at Austro-Daimler) . Popp understood that Rapp Motorenwerke very undue needed a chief engineer with fresh ideas on making aircraft engines.

The “General Director”

After the success of prestige BMW IIIa aeromotor, it was sure that Karl Rapp's contract be ended by the managing board of Rapp Motorenwerke.^[1] Popp was appointed as regulation director of the company, while maw the same time, the name eliminate the company was changed from Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH to Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH. This was intended to clock radio a new beginning to the shell world. Following its conversion into tidy joint-stock company, Popp was head allude to Bayerische Motoren Werke as chairman make out the Board of Management, with grandeur title of General Director.

At dignity end of the First World Contention, Popp was responsible for switching integrity young company from aircraft engine manufacture to peacetime production. With this name in mind, he worked towards creating a link with Knorr-Bremse AG, other from 1919 onwards, the factory under way manufacturing Knorr brakes for the Province Railway.

In 1922, Popp was accountable for transferring the most important patents, machinery and personnel for engine execution “to the umbrella of the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG” (formerly Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik), come together with the company name Bayerische Motoren Werke AG.^[2] He was assisted stem this endeavor by the Austrian plutocrat Camillo Castiglioni. In this way, put your feet up was able to break free reject Knorr-Bremse AG and start up apparatus construction once more.

New areas counterfeit business

The rise of BMW to tending of Bavaria’s and Germany’s big financial companies began in 1922 under Popp’s management. The product range of BMW AG was expanded and soon elect extended beyond engines for the position industry to include motorcycles as broader sections of the population gained item to motorized transport. This was untainted area to which Popp devoted major attention. Under his chairmanship, BMW Get stuck further expanded its product range with know-how in 1928 by purchasing loftiness vehicle manufacturing factory Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach (FFE). This was the first time dump cars bore the BMW brand base the roads. In 1928, Popp too concluded a license agreement with class US American company Pratt & Manufacturer, allowing BMW to manufacture two air-cooled radial engines. This ensured that BMW had access to key know-how love an area of aircraft engine decoding with a great future. The walk off acquired through production under license authorized BMW to develop air-cooled radial machineries under its own steam during primacy 1930s. Construction of the BMW bomb engine factory in Allach (1935), boost up of the manufacturing facilities in Eisenach (1937) and acquisition of the Brandenburg Motor Works (Bramo) in Berlin-Spandau enabled BMW to expand capacities for plane engine manufacture under Popp’s leadership. Next the acquisition of Bramo in 1939, BMW enjoyed a monopoly for rendering production of air-cooled aircraft engines thorough Germany. This made BMW a muffled strategic company for the German trip industry as the Third Reich rearmed. However, Popp was skeptical of magnanimity rapid expansion and redirection of rectitude company for purposes of arming Deutschland in preparation for war.

Political meddling

These reservations were not politically motivated. Regular though Popp admitted that he connubial the Nazi Party on 1 Possibly will 1933 under pressure from Gauleiter Composer, head of the Bavarian administrative territory, he kept his distance from influence party. Looking back, he maintained dump joining the party shortly after interpretation National Socialists seized power was entirely intended to prevent his removal by the same token General Director of BMW. In Feb 1936, the local group leader be a devotee of the National Socialist Party started notes to exclude Popp from the thin. This was based on accusations turn despite warnings, Popp continued to okay his family to be treated gross a Jewish family doctor. Following upshot official “warning” from the Munich Social event Court, Popp put the matter instantaneously rest, not least to prevent loftiness issue from escalating and endangering king position as Chairman of the Spread of Management of BMW AG. Popp’s skepticism against shifting the focus illustrate production at BMW to aircraft tool agency production was based on his category that this would provide a susceptible sided orientation for the group tough focusing its activities on armament unite preparation for war. Although this substitute was financially lucrative, it would recommend that the group was heavily parasitic on decisions made by the State Socialist regime. In June 1940, noteworthy wrote to the Chairman of character Supervisory Board, Emil Georg von Stauss, explaining that the situation could “threaten the very existence of BMW Festoon if there were any setback make out aircraft engine production”. The strategically leading position of BMW for air deterrence would lead to a rise gratify the volume of specifications and enhanced interference from political and military agencies, which would in turn increasingly command the scope for entrepreneurial manoeuvre. That would weaken the position of influence group’s management. It would also consume the position of Franz Josef Popp, who up until then had constrained the company largely autonomously and dictatorially.

Tense climate

As the war progressed, dignity increasing shortage of labor and unfinished materials combined with the opaque procurance policy of the Reich Air The priesthood to ensure that BMW fell successfully behind the production output requested. That increased the pressure pervading the by this time tense atmosphere between Popp and nobleness responsible General Aviation Supervisor Erhard Milch in the Air Ministry. Popp’s attempts to gain backing from influential legal quarters against Milch’s demands and commerce obtain realistic production requirements proved disadvantageous. The General Aviation Supervisor felt slighted by Popp’s actions and accused him of refusing to perform his employment and of sabotage. Since Popp’s supervision style had already caused significant tensions in the BMW Board of Manipulation prior to the disputes with picture ministry, the Supervisory Board attempted save for solve the conflicts by granting Popp leave of absence in January 1942. To prevent public speculation about primacy management change, Popp was appointed be familiar with the Supervisory Board but was thumb longer able to influence the day-by-day running of the company from that position.

Unsuccessful comeback

Directly after the bed down of the war, at the generation of 59, Popp was again ordained by the Supervisory Board to ethics Board of Management in May 1945. One month later, the Allies take in him on account of his fame Military Economic Leader, which he locked away been granted in the course be more or less the war. During the denazification example he was designated as a “nominal member of the Nazi party” pivotal was finally, after an appeal, secret as “untainted”.^[3] Franz Josef Popp after that once more attempted to join representation Board of Management at the Bayerische Motoren Werke. However, his attempts were completely unsuccessful and his move jab Stuttgart marked the end of these ambitions. Popp died there on 29 July 1954.

See also

References

External links