For eleven years he steered the fortunes of the traditional German group Volkswagen and made it internationally known. Carl Hahn has now died at the age of 96.
Former Volkswagen boss Carl Hahn died on Saturday morning at the age of 96. The “Welt am Sonntag” reported first, citing Hahn’s family. A spokeswoman for the Hahn Foundation confirmed this when asked by the German Press Agency. Accordingly, he fell asleep peacefully at home in Wolfsburg.
The manager, who was born in Chemnitz on July 1, 1926, had laid the foundations for the global corporation during his time as VW boss. Hahn was CEO of the traditional group from 1982 to 1993 and was responsible for expansion into China and other European countries during this time. The takeovers of Seat and Skoda also fell during his tenure.
Even the father was a car enthusiast
Hahn was involved with cars from an early age. His father was a manager at vehicle manufacturer DKW and co-founder of Auto Union in Chemnitz, which later became Audi. He himself started his career in the automotive industry in 1953 as an assistant to the then General Director of Volkswagen GmbH. He had previously studied business administration in Cologne, Zurich, Bristol and Paris. He received his doctorate in economics from the University of Bern.
In 1958 Hahn went to the USA as head of Volkswagen of America and built up a market there for the VW Beetle and the Transporter with advertising campaigns. There he married Marisa Lea Traina. The couple had four children together. In 1972, Hahn then became head of Continental before returning to Volkswagen in 1982. Even at an advanced age, Hahn supported early childhood education with his foundation. According to information from “Welt”, the funeral service will take place on January 24 in Wolfsburg.