13 replies to this topic

[RonPohl]

At the height of the Cold War formula 3 raced for ( years?) behind the curtain in Schleitz East Germany. A Google search reveals a small town- and fairly recent motor bike racing activity so the track seems to still exist. Any one know anything about this? How did it happen (given the political conditions at the time). How many years? How were the teams treated? What was the circuit like? Two track maps show up on google, but the writing is in German. Thanks!

[Tim Murray]

There's an earlier thread on the circuit, which includes a track map:

Schleizer Dreieck

There's also a thread covering racing on the other side of the old 'iron curtain' in which Schleiz features often:

The Cup of Peace and Friendship

There are mentions in many other threads - type Schleiz (not Schleitz) into the forum search engine.

[RonPohl]

Thanks.

[Rupertlt1]

See also:

 

http://forums.autosp...ast-germany-ddr

 

RGDS

 

RLT

[uechtel]

How did it happen (given the political conditions at the time). How many years? How were the teams treated?

 

In brief, after the war the GDR dreamt of reviving "their" motorsport heritage, as the former Auto Union team had been based there. There had been efforts to enter Grand Prix racing with an official team, which came as far as Edgar Barth taking part in the German GP of 1953. Later they switched to 1,5 litre sports car racing where they were also fairly successful. At that time motorsport according to their thinking was another playground where the Socialism system would soon be able to demonstrate its superiority over Western "decadence". But political (the official representation of "Germany" in the FIA was in the hands of the West German organizations) as well as increasing economical problems finally led to the end of these efforts at the end of 1956.

 

But part of the ideology had also been also to back "amateur" racing in form of "Betriebssportgemeinschaften" (organised to coordinate the sporting activities of the workers of the nationalized factories in their "spare" time), with the directive, that any "departement" of the country should have a race event per year. Because of the limited resources of such efforts the main categories were the small sports car classes and the old Formula 3, which was later replaced by Formula Junior and then by the new Formula 3 in the Sixties. So together with motorbike racing this was the only  remaining category that allowed international competition and the race at Schleiz was always proud to welcome its guest starters from the foreign countries to demonstrate international solidarity of the sporting community.

 

I think for the drivers there was not so much to earn in form of money (they probably received their fees in East German money), but it they may have been attracted by the positive treatment they could expect from the population, cheap prices and the nice athmosphere in general. I remember that Swiss Jürg Dubler has a chapter about his start at Schleiz in his book about his F3 years, so this would be interesting to read again.

Edited by uechtel, 25 November 2015 - 09:56.

[RonPohl]

Excellent explanation uechtel. That explains how the most capitalist of all sports survived durning the communist years. Thanks for the information.

[uechtel]

Excerpt from Dubler´s book:

 

"Another world at Schleiz - 29th August 1965

 

Two weeks after Copenhagen we made our way to Schleiz in the GDR. Already in spring we had contacted the race organisators all over Europe and requested the regulations. For Schleiz we had negotiated some starting money, too. We were given some 800 to 1000 Marks, which are not interchangeable into other currencies. "So what shall I do with the money?" I asked the head of the organisation. "You can go shopping" he replied.

 

We are happy about this tremendous race track, a road circuit called the Schleiz Triangle. After the start the track leads downhill to the town, then  back up again, over a hill into a drop called "Seng" then steeply up again to the second corner. Then through the forest long full-throttle bends, unfortunately with the trees standing much too close, to the third corner, from there in long bends back to start and finish. As a fan of road circuits I am inspired. There you can let it really fly.

 

Alas, the race turns into a desaster. Eric Offenstadt, whom I meet here personally for the first time, is up and away first and wins outright, I am initially third, then my engine quits. Finish.

 

On the next day we go shopping with the GDR money. There is only one "shopping mall", rather a store shop, which sells almost everything one could need. Tin shovels for example, toys and fuel cans. So we buy fuel cans. Luckily the organisers have given us half the money already on our arrive, so that we could spend a large amount of the money for food and room rental. Now we return home with eigtht fuel cans as profit. Nevertheless, we want to come back!"

[RonPohl]

Excerpt from Dubler´s book:

"Another world at Schleiz - 29th August 1965

Two weeks after Copenhagen we made our way to Schleiz in the GDR. Already in spring we had contacted the race organisators all over Europe and requested the regulations. For Schleiz we had negotiated some starting money, too. We were given some 800 to 1000 Marks, which are not interchangeable into other currencies. "So what shall I do with the money?" I asked the head of the organisation. "You can go shopping" he replied.

We are happy about this tremendous race track, a road circuit called the Schleiz Triangle. After the start the track leads downhill to the town, then back up again, over a hill into a drop called "Seng" then steeply up again to the second corner. Then through the forest long full-throttle bends, unfortunately with the trees standing much too close, to the third corner, from there in long bends back to start and finish. As a fan of road circuits I am inspired. There you can let it really fly.

Alas, the race turns into a desaster. Eric Offenstadt, whom I meet here personally for the first time, is up and away first and wins outright, I am initially third, then my engine quits. Finish.

On the next day we go shopping with the GDR money. There is only one "shopping mall", rather a store shop, which sells almost everything one could need. Tin shovels for example, toys and fuel cans. So we buy fuel cans. Luckily the organisers have given us half the money already on our arrive, so that we could spend a large amount of the money for food and room rental. Now we return home with eigtht fuel cans as profit. Nevertheless, we want to come back!"

[RonPohl]

Excerpt from Dubler´s book:

"Another world at Schleiz - 29th August 1965

Two weeks after Copenhagen we made our way to Schleiz in the GDR. Already in spring we had contacted the race organisators all over Europe and requested the regulations. For Schleiz we had negotiated some starting money, too. We were given some 800 to 1000 Marks, which are not interchangeable into other currencies. "So what shall I do with the money?" I asked the head of the organisation. "You can go shopping" he replied.

We are happy about this tremendous race track, a road circuit called the Schleiz Triangle. After the start the track leads downhill to the town, then back up again, over a hill into a drop called "Seng" then steeply up again to the second corner. Then through the forest long full-throttle bends, unfortunately with the trees standing much too close, to the third corner, from there in long bends back to start and finish. As a fan of road circuits I am inspired. There you can let it really fly.

Alas, the race turns into a desaster. Eric Offenstadt, whom I meet here personally for the first time, is up and away first and wins outright, I am initially third, then my engine quits. Finish.

On the next day we go shopping with the GDR money. There is only one "shopping mall", rather a store shop, which sells almost everything one could need. Tin shovels for example, toys and fuel cans. So we buy fuel cans. Luckily the organisers have given us half the money already on our arrive, so that we could spend a large amount of the money for food and room rental. Now we return home with eigtht fuel cans as profit. Nevertheless, we want to come back!"

[RonPohl]

Do you recall the name of the book? Is it available in English? Thanks

[Vitesse2]

Do you recall the name of the book? Is it available in English? Thanks

Only German or French, Ron. German edition very rare, even in the 2009 reprint:

 

http://www.amazon.de...ords=3905769158

 

French edition reprinted by Palmier: http://www.editions-...0,fr,4,P189.cfm

[RonPohl]

To bad. Sounds like a great read.

[Cirrus]

It's not too hard if you have a basic grasp of French and access to Google Translate. It really is worth making the effort. Some of the anecdotes (particularly the ones concerning Tim Cash) are hilarious. The darker side of racing in that era is also covered, particularly the infamous 1967 Caserta race. 

[RonPohl]

Reading Max Rutherford's book " paddock to podium " . He worked as a F3 mechanic in the mid sixties and has a good discussion of racing in East Germany. A very good read so far.