BMW Company History help...

thanks for looking at my post!

I am posting here because I need some help finding some good sources on the
BMW company history. Not so much about the car business specifically but
more along all the lines of business they have been in... I know of airplane
engines, furniture, and motor cycles. How has the company been innovative?

The reason I ask is that I am an MBA student at St. Edward's University in
Austin Texas, and I am working on a research project dealing with BMW's
innovation through the years.

I have the Book Driven but am looking for more resources and knowledge.

Thanks!
William

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"WillyStyle" > haute in die Tasten:

> Not so much about the car business specifically but
> more along all the lines of business they have been in... I know of
> airplane engines, furniture, and motor cycles. How has the company
> been innovative?
>

one can only understand the history of BMW, when you look at the time in
which the company was embedded. The BMW group regards the year 1916 as the
year of its birth. In that year the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW, Bavarian
Airplane Works) was founded. The BMW (Bavarian Motor Works) took over the
BFW in 1922. The problem: After WW1 (1918) Germany was not allowed to make
airplanes and airplane parts - bad luck for an aircraft engine maker. The
basic reason for making motorbikes and cars was the Versailles treaty, BMW
was not allowed to make what they had made before. The same thing happened
after WWII in 1945. Before 1945 BMW had been one of the major players in
the military industry of the 3rd Reich, they made the first jet engines
which powered the first jet fighters of the world. The majority of the car
production took place in Eisenach (Thuringia) at that time. Eisenach is
located in Eastern Germany, which became the Soviet Zone (and later the
GDR) after the war. So after 1945 BMW had lost almost all their production
sites for civilian goods and again was not allowed to produce the military
goods. Germany had surrendered and was on the ground - there was no demand
for airplane engines in Germany at that time. So after 1945 BMW was almost
dead and began to make the things they were able to, they were allowed to
and people would buy. After 1945 they even converted german military steel
helmets into cooking pots and pans. It may be interesting to know that both
after WW1 and after WWII the first cars wich were built in considerable
numbers were license productions: In the early 20's BMW took a license on
the Austin seven and launched the Dixi. In the early 50's BMW took a
license from ISO (Italy) and launched the Isetta.

Things like cooking gear and furniture, which may be produced in the BMW
facilities, sound to me like a kind of "panic product", which should keep
the company alive during serious times.

If I think about the products BMW deliberately made without being forced
to, the following comes to my mind:

Airplane engines and components
Marine engines and components
Motorbikes
Motor scooters (IIRC made in Italy)
Cars
Bicycles (made by a supplier)
brand merchandise

If you ask for innovations, you can find loads of them in the products
mentioned above. Besides that BMW has earned merits in the field of road
safety and traffic management. In Munich there are field tests on the run
to influence traffic flows to prevent traffic jams. IIRC the first car
with an optional factory installed onboard navigation system in Germany
was a BMW. BMW does a lot of research on projects like parking management
and alternative fuels. BMW runs a fleet of hydrogen powered cars and has
helped in installing the first public hydrogen fuel station at the airport
Munich. It seeems to be logical that Wolfgang Reitzle (ex head of R&D
department) became the CEO of Linde, which is the leading supplier of
hydrogen in Germany.

Below I have provided the fax number and the e-mail adress of the BMW
archive (run by the company). I am quite sure that they can anwer your
queries in english. It may be possible to access the post-war parts of the
archive online, but I doubt that this will be suitable if you are not able
to read german documents.

Fax: +49 (0)89/382-24765
E-Mail:

Hope that helps

Frank

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There is a book called 'Driven'. It talks about BMW's history, and products.

Oliver

"Frank Kemper" > wrote in message ...
"WillyStyle" > haute in die Tasten:

> Not so much about the car business specifically but
> more along all the lines of business they have been in... I know of
> airplane engines, furniture, and motor cycles. How has the company
> been innovative?
>

one can only understand the history of BMW, when you look at the time in
which the company was embedded. The BMW group regards the year 1916 as the
year of its birth. In that year the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW, Bavarian
Airplane Works) was founded. The BMW (Bavarian Motor Works) took over the
BFW in 1922. The problem: After WW1 (1918) Germany was not allowed to make
airplanes and airplane parts - bad luck for an aircraft engine maker. The
basic reason for making motorbikes and cars was the Versailles treaty, BMW
was not allowed to make what they had made before. The same thing happened
after WWII in 1945. Before 1945 BMW had been one of the major players in
the military industry of the 3rd Reich, they made the first jet engines
which powered the first jet fighters of the world. The majority of the car
production took place in Eisenach (Thuringia) at that time. Eisenach is
located in Eastern Germany, which became the Soviet Zone (and later the
GDR) after the war. So after 1945 BMW had lost almost all their production
sites for civilian goods and again was not allowed to produce the military
goods. Germany had surrendered and was on the ground - there was no demand
for airplane engines in Germany at that time. So after 1945 BMW was almost
dead and began to make the things they were able to, they were allowed to
and people would buy. After 1945 they even converted german military steel
helmets into cooking pots and pans. It may be interesting to know that both
after WW1 and after WWII the first cars wich were built in considerable
numbers were license productions: In the early 20's BMW took a license on
the Austin seven and launched the Dixi. In the early 50's BMW took a
license from ISO (Italy) and launched the Isetta.

Things like cooking gear and furniture, which may be produced in the BMW
facilities, sound to me like a kind of "panic product", which should keep
the company alive during serious times.

If I think about the products BMW deliberately made without being forced
to, the following comes to my mind:

Airplane engines and components
Marine engines and components
Motorbikes
Motor scooters (IIRC made in Italy)
Cars
Bicycles (made by a supplier)
brand merchandise

If you ask for innovations, you can find loads of them in the products
mentioned above. Besides that BMW has earned merits in the field of road
safety and traffic management. In Munich there are field tests on the run
to influence traffic flows to prevent traffic jams. IIRC the first car
with an optional factory installed onboard navigation system in Germany
was a BMW. BMW does a lot of research on projects like parking management
and alternative fuels. BMW runs a fleet of hydrogen powered cars and has
helped in installing the first public hydrogen fuel station at the airport
Munich. It seeems to be logical that Wolfgang Reitzle (ex head of R&D
department) became the CEO of Linde, which is the leading supplier of
hydrogen in Germany.

Below I have provided the fax number and the e-mail adress of the BMW
archive (run by the company). I am quite sure that they can anwer your
queries in english. It may be possible to access the post-war parts of the
archive online, but I doubt that this will be suitable if you are not able
to read german documents.

Fax: +49 (0)89/382-24765
E-Mail:

Hope that helps

Frank

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"WillyStyle" > wrote in message
...
> thanks for looking at my post!
>
> I am posting here because I need some help finding some good sources on
the
> BMW company history. Not so much about the car business specifically but
> more along all the lines of business they have been in... I know of
airplane
> engines, furniture, and motor cycles. How has the company been
innovative?
>
> The reason I ask is that I am an MBA student at St. Edward's University in
> Austin Texas, and I am working on a research project dealing with BMW's
> innovation through the years.
>
> I have the Book Driven but am looking for more resources and knowledge.

I'd suggest you have a look at 'The complete history of motorcars 1885 to
the present'
Published October 1983 by Ebury P. ISBN 0852232349
Has quite a detailed history of BMW. Whether it's as detailed as you'd like
is another matter.:-)
Mike.

Thank you all for your responses, if you have any more I will be checking
back frequently.

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"WillyStyle" > wrote in message
...
> thanks for looking at my post!
>
> I am posting here because I need some help finding some good sources on
the
> BMW company history. Not so much about the car business specifically but
> more along all the lines of business they have been in... I know of
airplane
> engines, furniture, and motor cycles. How has the company been
innovative?
>
> The reason I ask is that I am an MBA student at St. Edward's University in
> Austin Texas, and I am working on a research project dealing with BMW's
> innovation through the years.
>
> I have the Book Driven but am looking for more resources and knowledge.
>
> Thanks!
> William
>
> --
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> FIGHT BACK AGAINST SPAM!
> Download Spam Inspector, the Award Winning Anti-Spam Filter
> http://mail.giantcompany.com
>
>
>

"WillyStyle" wrote in message

> Thank you all for your responses, if you have any more I will be
> checking back frequently.

http://www.greatcarstv.com/index.cfm...Page&PageID=62

This 30 minute TV show was on one of the Discovery channels on satellite TV
in the UK last week. Very interesting it was too.

A number of Texas PBS stations appear to show these programmes.

HTH.

"Grant" > wrote
> "WillyStyle" wrote
>> Thank you all for your responses, if you have any more I will be
>> checking back frequently.
>
> http://www.greatcarstv.com/index.cfm...Page&PageID=62
>
> This 30 minute TV show was on one of the Discovery channels on satellite
> TV
> in the UK last week. Very interesting it was too.
>
> A number of Texas PBS stations appear to show these programmes.

"Texas" and the British English spelling of "programmes" in the same
sentence; Bush would have a fit... ;->

Floyd

www.amazon.com - search bmw! This will give you a listing of all the bmw
books out there with descriptions of the content.

A great resource for brand specific research!

>Thank you all for your responses, if you have any more I will be checking
>back frequently.
>

He says he has the book. See OP.

DAS
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"Oliver Hui" > wrote in message
...
There is a book called 'Driven'. It talks about BMW's history, and
products.

Oliver

"Frank Kemper" > wrote in message
...
"WillyStyle" > haute in die Tasten:

> Not so much about the car business specifically but
> more along all the lines of business they have been in... I know of
> airplane engines, furniture, and motor cycles. How has the company
> been innovative?
>

one can only understand the history of BMW, when you look at the time in
which the company was embedded. The BMW group regards the year 1916 as the
year of its birth. In that year the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW, Bavarian
Airplane Works) was founded. The BMW (Bavarian Motor Works) took over the
BFW in 1922. The problem: After WW1 (1918) Germany was not allowed to make
airplanes and airplane parts - bad luck for an aircraft engine maker. The
basic reason for making motorbikes and cars was the Versailles treaty, BMW
was not allowed to make what they had made before. The same thing happened
after WWII in 1945. Before 1945 BMW had been one of the major players in
the military industry of the 3rd Reich, they made the first jet engines
which powered the first jet fighters of the world. The majority of the car
production took place in Eisenach (Thuringia) at that time. Eisenach is
located in Eastern Germany, which became the Soviet Zone (and later the
GDR) after the war. So after 1945 BMW had lost almost all their production
sites for civilian goods and again was not allowed to produce the military
goods. Germany had surrendered and was on the ground - there was no demand
for airplane engines in Germany at that time. So after 1945 BMW was almost
dead and began to make the things they were able to, they were allowed to
and people would buy. After 1945 they even converted german military steel
helmets into cooking pots and pans. It may be interesting to know that both
after WW1 and after WWII the first cars wich were built in considerable
numbers were license productions: In the early 20's BMW took a license on
the Austin seven and launched the Dixi. In the early 50's BMW took a
license from ISO (Italy) and launched the Isetta.

Things like cooking gear and furniture, which may be produced in the BMW
facilities, sound to me like a kind of "panic product", which should keep
the company alive during serious times.

If I think about the products BMW deliberately made without being forced
to, the following comes to my mind:

Airplane engines and components
Marine engines and components
Motorbikes
Motor scooters (IIRC made in Italy)
Cars
Bicycles (made by a supplier)
brand merchandise

If you ask for innovations, you can find loads of them in the products
mentioned above. Besides that BMW has earned merits in the field of road
safety and traffic management. In Munich there are field tests on the run
to influence traffic flows to prevent traffic jams. IIRC the first car
with an optional factory installed onboard navigation system in Germany
was a BMW. BMW does a lot of research on projects like parking management
and alternative fuels. BMW runs a fleet of hydrogen powered cars and has
helped in installing the first public hydrogen fuel station at the airport
Munich. It seeems to be logical that Wolfgang Reitzle (ex head of R&D
department) became the CEO of Linde, which is the leading supplier of
hydrogen in Germany.

Below I have provided the fax number and the e-mail adress of the BMW
archive (run by the company). I am quite sure that they can anwer your
queries in english. It may be possible to access the post-war parts of the
archive online, but I doubt that this will be suitable if you are not able
to read german documents.

Fax: +49 (0)89/382-24765
E-Mail:

Hope that helps

Frank

--
please replace spam-muelleimer with fk-newsgroups for e-mail contact

Citroen - Made in Trance