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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
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'''Manfred von Brauchitsch''' ([[15 August]], [[1905]] - [[February 5]], [[2003]]) was a [[Germany|German]] [[auto racing]] driver who drove for [[Mercedes-Benz]] in the famous "[[Silver Arrows]]" of [[Grand Prix motor racing]] in the 1930s.
{{short description|German racing driver (1905–2003)}}
{{Infobox person
⚫
| name = Manfred von Brauchitsch
| image = Manfred von Brauchitsch victorieux à Monaco en 1937.jpg
| image_upright = 0.9
| caption = Von Brauchitsch in 1937
| birth_date = {{birth date|1905|8|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Hamburg]], Germany
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2003|2|5|1905|8|15|df=y}}
| death_place = Gräfenwarth, [[Schleiz]], Germany
| occupation = Racing driver
}}
⚫
[[Image:Brauchitsch, Manfred von - 1986 im Mercedes-Benz S.jpg|thumb|Manfred von Brauchitsch in 1986 with Mercedes-Benz K]]


⚫
'''Manfred Georg Rudolf von Brauchitsch''' (15 August 1905 – 5 February 2003) was a German [[auto racing]] driver who drove for [[Mercedes-Benz]] in the famous "[[Silver Arrows]]" of [[Grand Prix motor racing]] in the 1930s.
Although an excellent driver who had reasonable success, he struggled with bad luck, and was overshadowed by his more successful Mercedes-Benz team-mates [[Rudolf Caracciola]] and [[Hermann Lang]].


== Racing career ==
== Racing career ==
⚫
Brauchitsch won three Grands Prix - the 1934 [[ADAC]] [[Eifelrennen]] which saw the first appearance of [[Silver Arrows]] Mercedes Race cars, the 1937 [[Monaco Grand Prix]] (considered his greatest victory), and the 1938 [[French Grand Prix]]. His fastest lap in the 1937 Monaco race (1 minute 46.5 seconds, 11.9 seconds faster than the old record lap) set a record that stood for 18 years.
⚫
[[Image:Brauchitsch, Manfred von - 1986 im Mercedes-Benz K.jpg|thumb|240px|Manfred von Brauchitsch in 1986 with Mercedes-Benz K]]
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-11500-1700, Manfred von Brauchitsch.jpg|thumb|right|Von Brauchitsch in 1951]]
⚫
He won three Grands Prix - the 1934 [[ADAC]] [[Eifelrennen]] which saw the first appearance of [[Silver Arrows]] Mercedes Race cars, the 1937 [[Monaco Grand Prix]] (considered his greatest victory), and the 1938 [[French Grand Prix]]. His fastest lap in the 1937 Monaco race (1 minute 46.5 seconds, 11.9 seconds faster than the old record lap) set a record that stood for 18 years.


He was twice runner-up in the [[European Championship (auto racing)|European Championship]], in 1937 and 1938, and finished third in 1939.
He was twice runner-up in the [[European Championship (auto racing)|European Championship]], in 1937 and 1938, and finished third in 1935.


He was noted for his red helmet and his bad luck, losing a number of other Grands Prix when he was on the very verge of winning (no less than five, by some counts). His most famous loss was the 1935 [[German Grand Prix]], when a tire blew while he was leading the last lap, handing victory to [[Tazio Nuvolari]] in an [[Alfa Romeo in motorsport|Alfa Romeo]] in one of the latter's most famous victories - the only time during the reign of the Silver Arrows when a Grand Prix was won by a car other than a Mercedes or [[Auto Union]].
He was noted for his red helmet and his bad luck, losing a number of other Grands Prix when he was on the very verge of winning (no less than five, by some counts). His most famous loss was the 1935 [[German Grand Prix]], when a tire blew while he was leading the last lap, handing victory to [[Tazio Nuvolari]] in an [[Alfa Romeo in motorsport|Alfa Romeo]] in one of the latter's most famous victories - one of the only times during the reign of the Silver Arrows when a Grand Prix was won by a car other than a Mercedes or [[Auto Union]].


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==
Brauchitsch was born in [[Hamburg]], of an old military family (his uncle was the [[World War II]] general [[Walther von Brauchitsch]]). He had a brother, Harald.<ref name="Rathkolb">[[Oliver Rathkolb]] and John Heath (trans.) "Baldur von Schirach: Nazi Leader and Head of the Hitler Youth", 2022. {{ISBN|9781399020961}}</ref> He entered the German [[Reichswehr]] after [[World War I]], but after a serious accident he was invalided out in 1928. Due to his many racing injuries, he was rejected for military service in World War II. While working during the war, he met his first wife, Gisela. He became a member of the [[National Socialist Motor Corps]], in which he held the rank of ''[[Sturmführer]]''.


Following World War II, being the son and nephew of military officers was not of much practical use in [[West Germany]]. After several failed businesses, Brauchitsch contacted [[Rudolf Caracciola|Caracciola]], who gave him contacts in South America. Unable to settle there, he returned to West Germany embittered and became a target for the communists of [[East Germany]]. Again unable to settle, he returned to West Germany, where he was arrested and charged with [[espionage]]. In 1951, he was jailed and then released on bail.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}
He was born in [[Hamburg]], of an old military family (his uncle was the famous [[World War II]] general [[Walther von Brauchitsch]]). He entered the German [[Reichswehr]] after [[World War I]], but after a serious accident he was invalided out in 1928.


During a bail period in 1955, Brauchitsch defected to [[East Germany]]; after his wife Gisela committed suicide a year earlier. He was put in charge of the East German national motor sport organisation, as well as becoming president of its movement to promote the Olympic ideal. The latter led to his being awarded the [[Olympic Order]] in 1988 by the [[International Olympic Committee]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/manfred-von-brauchitsch-730055.html |title=Manfred von Brauchitsch - Obituaries, News - the Independent |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |access-date=4 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424053237/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/manfred-von-brauchitsch-730055.html |archive-date=24 April 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Due to his many racing injuries, he was rejected for military service in World War II. While working during the war, he met his first wife, Gisela. After the war, in 1955 he defected to [[East Germany]] after various legal problems; Gisela committed suicide a year later.


⚫
Brauchitsch later remarried, to Lieselotte, and they were permitted to visit West Germany occasionally. Following the death of [[Hermann Lang]] in 1987, Brauchitsch was regarded as the last surviving member of the pre-war "Silver Arrow" drivers. He died in [[Schleiz|Gräfenwarth]] in 2003.
Whilst he was over there, he was in charge of its national motor sport organisation as well as becoming president of its movement to promote the Olympic ideal. That the led to him being awarded the [[Olympic Order]] in 1988 by the [[International Olympic Committee]]<ref>
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/manfred-von-brauchitsch-730055.html</ref>

⚫
He later remarried, to Lieselotte; they were later permitted to occasionally visit [[West Germany]]. Following the passing of [[Hermann Lang]] in 1987, he was regarded as the last surviving member of the pre-war "Silver Arrow" drivers. von Brauchitsch passed away in [[Graefenwarth]] on 2003.


== Complete European Championship results ==
== Complete European Championship results ==
([[:Template:EC driver results legend|key]]) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position, * denotes a shared drive)
([[:Template:EC driver results legend|key]]) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position, * denotes a shared drive)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Year
! Entrant
! Entrant
Line 33: Line 44:
! 4
! 4
! 5
! 5
⚫
! 6
⚫
! 7
! EDC
! EDC
! Points
! Points
|-
|-
| [[1935 Grand Prix season|1935]]
| [[1935 Grand Prix season|1935]]
! [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
!nowrap| [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
! [[Mercedes-Benz]]
!nowrap| [[Mercedes-Benz]]
| bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| [[1935 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>2 * </small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1935 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| bgcolor="#dfffdf"| [[1935 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>5</small>
| style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1935 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>2</small>
| bgcolor="#ffcfcf"| [[1935 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1935 Belgian Grand Prix|''BEL'']]<br /><small>2 * </small>
| bgcolor="#cfcfff"| [[1935 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1935 German Grand Prix|''GER'']]<br /><small>5</small>
| bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| [[1935 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>3</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1935 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1935 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
⚫
! 5=
| style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1935 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>3</small>
⚫
! 25
| style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3
| style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 34
|-
|-
| [[1936 Grand Prix season|1936]]
| [[1936 Grand Prix season|1936]]
! [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
!nowrap| [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
! [[Mercedes-Benz]]
!nowrap| [[Mercedes-Benz]]
| bgcolor="#ffcfcf"| [[1936 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1936 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| bgcolor="#dfffdf"| [[1936 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>7</small>
| style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1936 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>7</small>
| bgcolor="#cfcfff"| [[1936 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1936 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| [[1936 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br /><small></small>
| [[1936 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br /><small></small>
|
|
|
|
! 10=
! 10=
Line 59: Line 76:
|-
|-
| [[1937 Grand Prix season|1937]]
| [[1937 Grand Prix season|1937]]
! [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
!nowrap| [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
! [[Mercedes-Benz]]
!nowrap| [[Mercedes-Benz]]
| bgcolor="#dfffdf"| [[1937 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1937 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| [[1937 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>2</small>
| style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1937 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>2</small>
| bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[1937 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br /><small>1</small>
| style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1937 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br /><small>1</small>
| bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| [[1937 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>3</small>
| style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1937 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>3</small>
| bgcolor="#cfcfff"| [[1937 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1937 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|
⚫
|bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| '''2'''
|
⚫
|bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| '''15'''
⚫
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''2'''
⚫
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''15'''
|-
|-
| [[1938 Grand Prix season|1938]]
| [[1938 Grand Prix season|1938]]
! [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
!nowrap| [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
! [[Mercedes-Benz]]
!nowrap| [[Mercedes-Benz]]
| bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[1938 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>1</small>
| style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1938 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>1</small>
| bgcolor="#cfcfff"| '''[[1938 German Grand Prix|GER]]'''<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#cfcfff;"| '''[[1938 German Grand Prix|GER]]'''<br /><small>Ret</small>
| bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| [[1938 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>3</small>
| style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1938 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>3</small>
| bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| [[1938 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br /><small>3 *</small>
| style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1938 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br /><small>3 *</small>
|
|
|
⚫
|bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| '''2'''
|
⚫
|bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| '''15'''
⚫
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''2'''
⚫
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''15'''
|-
|-
| [[1939 Grand Prix season|1939]]
| [[1939 Grand Prix season|1939]]
! [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
!nowrap| [[Daimler-Benz|Daimler-Benz AG]]
! [[Mercedes-Benz]]
!nowrap| [[Mercedes-Benz]]
| bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| [[1939 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>3</small>
| style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1939 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>3</small>
| bgcolor="#efcfff"| [[1939 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1939 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| bgcolor="#ffcfcf"| [[1939 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1939 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| [[1939 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>3</small>
| style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1939 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]<br /><small>3</small>
|
|
|
|
! 4=
! 4=
Line 94: Line 117:
== References ==
== References ==


{{reflist}}
<references/>


== Further reading ==
== Further reading ==
<!-- last updated November 2021 -->

{{refbegin}}
⚫
* Chris Nixon, ''Racing the Silver Arrows: Mercedes-Benz versus Auto Union 1934-1939'' (Osprey, London, 1986) pp. 82-91
* {{cite book |last1=Landenberger |first1=Dieter |title=Manfred von Brauchitsch: Kampf und Sieg im Silberpfeil |trans-title=Manfred von Brauchitsch: Fight and Victory in the Silver Arrow |date=2005 |publisher=Motorbuch Verlag |location=Stuttgart |isbn=3613025744 |ref=Manfred von Brauchitsch: Fight and victory in the Silver Arrow}}
⚫
* Nixon, Chris. ''Racing the Silver Arrows: Mercedes-Benz versus Auto Union 1934-1939'' (Osprey, London, 1986) pp.&nbsp;82–91
* {{Nixon-RSA-rev |author-mask=6}}
{{refend}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
{{cc}}
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/germany/article/0,2763,891449,00.html Obituary] in ''[[The Guardian]]''
* [https://www.theguardian.com/germany/article/0,2763,891449,00.html Obituary] in ''[[The Guardian]]''
* [http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/brauch.htm Die Silberpfeile - Manfred von Brauchitsch]
* [http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/brauch.htm Die Silberpfeile - Manfred von Brauchitsch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929091910/http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/brauch.htm |date=29 September 2007 }}
* [http://8w.forix.com/brauchitsch-hasse.html Gentleman aces]
* [http://8w.forix.com/brauchitsch-hasse.html Gentleman aces]
* [http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns07734.html Manfred von Brauchitsch]
* [http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns07734.html Manfred von Brauchitsch]


{{Silver Arrows}}
⚫
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brauchitsch, Manfred von}}


{{Authority control}}

⚫
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brauchitsch, Manfred Von}}
[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:German racecar drivers]]
[[Category:German racing drivers]]
[[Category:Grand Prix drivers]]
[[Category:Grand Prix drivers]]
[[Category:Monaco Grand Prix winners]]
[[Category:National Socialist Motor Corps members]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Hamburg]]
[[Category:West German defectors to East Germany]]
[[Category:West German spies for East Germany]]

[[Category:Recipients of the Patriotic Order of Merit]]

[[Category:Recipients of the Olympic Order]]
⚫
[[de:Manfred von Brauchitsch]]
[[Category:European Championship drivers]]
[[fr:Manfred von Brauchitsch]]
[[Category:Racing drivers from Hamburg]]
[[sl:Manfred von Brauchitsch]]

Latest revision as of 13:14, 21 December 2024

Manfred von Brauchitsch
Von Brauchitsch in 1937
Born(1905-08-15)15 August 1905
Hamburg, Germany
Died5 February 2003(2003-02-05) (aged 97)
Gräfenwarth, Schleiz, Germany
OccupationRacing driver
Manfred von Brauchitsch in 1986 with Mercedes-Benz K

Manfred Georg Rudolf von Brauchitsch (15 August 1905 – 5 February 2003) was a German auto racing driver who drove for Mercedes-Benz in the famous "Silver Arrows" of Grand Prix motor racing in the 1930s.

Racing career

[edit]

Brauchitsch won three Grands Prix - the 1934 ADAC Eifelrennen which saw the first appearance of Silver Arrows Mercedes Race cars, the 1937 Monaco Grand Prix (considered his greatest victory), and the 1938 French Grand Prix. His fastest lap in the 1937 Monaco race (1 minute 46.5 seconds, 11.9 seconds faster than the old record lap) set a record that stood for 18 years.

Von Brauchitsch in 1951

He was twice runner-up in the European Championship, in 1937 and 1938, and finished third in 1935.

He was noted for his red helmet and his bad luck, losing a number of other Grands Prix when he was on the very verge of winning (no less than five, by some counts). His most famous loss was the 1935 German Grand Prix, when a tire blew while he was leading the last lap, handing victory to Tazio Nuvolari in an Alfa Romeo in one of the latter's most famous victories - one of the only times during the reign of the Silver Arrows when a Grand Prix was won by a car other than a Mercedes or Auto Union.

Personal life

[edit]

Brauchitsch was born in Hamburg, of an old military family (his uncle was the World War II general Walther von Brauchitsch). He had a brother, Harald.[1] He entered the German Reichswehr after World War I, but after a serious accident he was invalided out in 1928. Due to his many racing injuries, he was rejected for military service in World War II. While working during the war, he met his first wife, Gisela. He became a member of the National Socialist Motor Corps, in which he held the rank of Sturmführer.

Following World War II, being the son and nephew of military officers was not of much practical use in West Germany. After several failed businesses, Brauchitsch contacted Caracciola, who gave him contacts in South America. Unable to settle there, he returned to West Germany embittered and became a target for the communists of East Germany. Again unable to settle, he returned to West Germany, where he was arrested and charged with espionage. In 1951, he was jailed and then released on bail.[citation needed]

During a bail period in 1955, Brauchitsch defected to East Germany; after his wife Gisela committed suicide a year earlier. He was put in charge of the East German national motor sport organisation, as well as becoming president of its movement to promote the Olympic ideal. The latter led to his being awarded the Olympic Order in 1988 by the International Olympic Committee.[2]

Brauchitsch later remarried, to Lieselotte, and they were permitted to visit West Germany occasionally. Following the death of Hermann Lang in 1987, Brauchitsch was regarded as the last surviving member of the pre-war "Silver Arrow" drivers. He died in Gräfenwarth in 2003.

Complete European Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, * denotes a shared drive)

Year Entrant Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 EDC Points
1935 Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz MON
Ret 		FRA
2 		BEL
2 * 		GER
5 		SUI
Ret 		ITA
Ret 		ESP
3 		3 34
1936 Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz MON
Ret 		GER
7 		SUI
Ret 		ITA
 10= 24
1937 Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz BEL
Ret 		GER
2 		MON
1 		SUI
3 		ITA
Ret 		2 15
1938 Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz FRA
1 		GER
Ret 		SUI
3 		ITA
3 * 		2 15
1939 Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz BEL
3 		FRA
Ret 		GER
Ret 		SUI
3 		4= 19

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Oliver Rathkolb and John Heath (trans.) "Baldur von Schirach: Nazi Leader and Head of the Hitler Youth", 2022. ISBN 9781399020961
  2. ^ "Manfred von Brauchitsch - Obituaries, News - the Independent". Independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2017.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Landenberger, Dieter (2005). Manfred von Brauchitsch: Kampf und Sieg im Silberpfeil [Manfred von Brauchitsch: Fight and Victory in the Silver Arrow]. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3613025744.
  • Nixon, Chris. Racing the Silver Arrows: Mercedes-Benz versus Auto Union 1934-1939 (Osprey, London, 1986) pp. 82–91
  • —————— (2003) [1986]. Racing the Silver Arrows: Mercedes-Benz versus Auto Union 1934-1939 (revised ed.). Isleworth, Middlesex, UK: Transport Bookman Publications. ISBN 0851840558.
[edit]
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