47 replies to this topic

[fines]

To most people with an interest in motorsports, the little German town of Kerpen near Cologne is just the place where Michael and Ralf Schumacher were born and raised. Actually, that is not entirely true, since the Schumachers lived in Manheim, a small village (1,700 souls) just outside of Kerpen. Not until November 5, 1974, just half a year before Ralf was born, was Manheim incorporated into the municipality of Kerpen, along with a few other villages and small towns, one of which was Horrem (11,500 inhabitants).

There, in a castle called Burg Hemmersbach, lived Eduard Graf Berghe von Trips and his wife Thessa, like their ancestors had done for more than 200 years. They were the parents of Wolfgang Alexander Graf Berghe von Trips, the famous German racing driver who died September 10, 1961. Deprived of their only heir, they decided to bequeath their fortune to a foundation, the "Gräflich Berghe von Trips'sche Sportstiftung zu Burg Hemmersbach". On October 10, 1975, the foundation was officially approved of by the authorities.

Since then, both the count and countess have died, and their legacy has been administered by the foundation, which sold the castle to an investor who in return built the "Villa Trips" adjacent to the castle. This was completed on June 13, 1991, with the aim to provide facilities for meetings of sports clubs and associations, and also a home for the multitude of commemorative souvenirs the foundation had received from the Trips family, on an area of 480 m². The next day, Reinold Louis took over at the helm of the foundation from the former Trips intimate Paul Spielmans.

Since May 5, 2000, the museum is now open for visitors every day except Saturdays, from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm. Knowing that included into the museum is a large library, I decided to make a two-day trip there, staying for the night with some relatives who live in a nearby village called Stommelen (nice, isn't it?). That was, most emphatically, a wise decision!

To start with, the wrecked car on display there is NOT the Ferrari as presumed earlier on a TNF thread. It is, in fact, a TCA Formula Junior, chassis number 001, wrecked by an unnamed driver during a test drive. TCA was the short-lived enterprise of Wolfgang von Trips and Valerio Colotti of gearbox fame (Trips-Colotti-Automobili), and a note on the car says the young driver was killed when the car crashed. I should be able to find more details of this incident sometime.

Seven cars were reportedly built, and chassis number 002 sold to the USofA where, again reportedly, it "immediately achieved a major success". Browsing through Paul Sheldon's Formula Junior Fact Book I wasn't able to detect much evidence of this, and the info provided by the museum isn't any more specific, so that is that! Anyway, the second chassis is also at the museum, fully restored in the USofA and granted to the foundation by two sponsors who wished to remain unknown. It is said to be the only TCA remaining intact.

The third and last car on display is a de Tomaso Formula Junior, its chassis plate reads: "Type: ISI Telaio: 0002 Motore: 0002". Said to be bought by Trips in the USofA in 1960 and used by the Scuderia Colonia, it features lower wishbones all around and upper wishbones at the front, transverse leafspring at the rear. The TCAs, by comparison, have lower wishbones and upper transverse leafsprings front and rear; all three cars are rear-engined spaceframe constructions.

Incidentally, to bridge the gap between the two afternoons, I decided to make a short trip to the "Michael Schumacher Kart-Center", only to find that one closed, too! Sneaking in through the backdoor (literally!), I saw about ten cars on display there, three 1996 Ferrari (can't bother to keep track of their ever changing type designations), a "snake-type" Jordan 198, an FW21 Williams, a mid-nineties Benetton, a LeMans Co. Reynard Formula Nippon (probably Ralf's 1996 car) and a number of F3 cars at the other end of the hall. I managed to check the Williams' chassis plate (FW21-03) before someone took note of me and begged me to leave...

Back to the museum, the amount of memorabila accumulated is simply incredible. One room is a copy of the Trips office in the castle, complete with books, records, tape recorder, a prancing horse (gifted by Enzo Ferrari himself) and lots of documents, photos etc. It actually looks as if the count had just left for a trip to a race, intent to return and resume his everyday business at the desk - splendid!

The other rooms are mostly dedicated to a specific aspect of Taffy's life, be it his early days as a racer, his rivals, his friends and acquaintances, whatever. Everywhere there are video or audio recordings playing, models of cars and racing scenes, posters on the wall, pictures, artwork, trophies, helmets, goggles, overalls - you name it!

Nor does it stop with Trips and his racing endeavours, it covers every aspect of racing in the post-war era. One room, for example, is devoted entirely to racing movies, one to computer racing games, one to F1 model cars (there are hundreds, what do I know: thousands!), and many, many more! There's also a conference room, complete with everything modern technology is able to provide (if ever the need should arise for our proposed Society of Racing History to meet, here's the place with a perfect ambience!), as well as a nice little café for a rest.

And the best is yet to come: the library! Many thousands of books, in German, English, French and Italian, scarce ones, expensive ones, old ones, new ones - almost everything that has ever been written about motorsports! Driver biographies, marque anthologies, yearbooks, photographic books - but sadly no magazines, just millions of newspaper clippings about Trips.

The staff is very friendly and helpful, they immediately offered me free entrance for the second day on the understanding that I just visited the library. The fee is only 6 Deutschmark anyway, so I was hardly begging for it! Naturally, the hours went like fast cars, and I am eager to return to continue my studies. If only I lived in the neighbourhood!

For anyone living close enough to Germany to consider a day trip, or anyone on a visit here with a little spare time, I strongly recommend spending a few hours at the museum and/or the library, it's absolutely fantastic stuff! I will certainly go there many times!


Graf Berghe von Trips-Ausstellung
Öffnungszeiten:
Ab 5. Mai 2000 täglich außer Samstag v. 14.00 - 18.00 Uhr

Villa Trips
Museum für Rennsportgeschichte
Burg Hemmersbach
Parkstr. 20
50169 Kerpen-Horrem
Germany

Tel: +49 2273 94 06 70
Fax: +49 2273 94 06 72

Eintritt: DM 6,--
Für Schulen, Gruppen u. Vereine außerhalb der Öffnungszeiten nur nach tel. Termin.

http://www.erftkreis...ps/welcome.html

[Michael Müller]

A library...???? And for sure no photocoping machine, or???

[fines]

Er, not at the library itself! I would believe they have one in their office, must remember to inquire next time I'm there. Actually, I was so occupied browsing all the books I didn't think of a xerox. Instead, I ran my pen dry...

Michael, how about you: Kerpen's not that far from Holland!

[Drinky]

one [room] to computer racing games,

Tell me, do they have a section dedicated to Grand Prix Legends there?

[Hans Etzrodt]

Michael,
Thank you for this very interesting revelation about the Graf Berghe von Trips-Ausstellung and the Villa Trips - Museum für Rennsportgeschichte. If I ever get there, I will see the library first. Did I understand this correctly that the library is open only for 4 hours in the afternoon?
The book to look for, Michael, is Mannschaft und Meisterschaft by Hans Bretz. It was published 1938 by the Daimler-Benz A.G., 120 pages with 85 photos and takes stock of the years 1934-1937. It also shows tables of results and I belive some table/s about the European Championship. Schröder und Weise in Hannover offered me that book some years ago for DM 650.- or so but I declined not knowing the exact contents.

[Michael Müller]

Fines, I knew about the Museum, but before it was open only by appointment for groups and so, therefore I never was there. Will do now for sure, my son is studying at Cologne, so I'm rather often in that area. Problem is only the short opening time, where you need at least 2 days.

[Barry Lake]

This is probably a good place to ask the following question.

I will be in Frankfurt in the not too distant future, for one day (Sunday), possibly also for either the Saturday or the Monday, or part of either.

The Von Trips Museum would eb a good place to go, except for the sad fact that I will be without transport - other than public transport.

Does anyone know of any motoring or motor racing related places in Frankfurt that I should see, that are easily reached by public transport? Even a collection of "old timer" cars?

On the off-chance that I might be in the area, can someone remind me how to find the Rosemeyer monument? I have been there before, but in the 1980s and can not remember exactly.

I think it was Frankfurt-Darmstadt Autobahn, but heading north from Darmstadt towards Frankfurt. Just after going under a flyover...? And just past a certain km post.

Can anyone identify the flyover and the km post for me?

Does anyone on this forum live in or very near Frankfurt?

[fines]

Drinky, I didn't delve too deep into the games room, but GPL's probably there, if just the game and nothing else about it!?

Hans, yes the museum and the library are open only 4 hours each day, which is a shame, of course. But knowing how friendly and helpful the staff is there, I would presume they'd be able to arrange for you some extra hours, if you explain how expensive it is to travel from Hawaii to Horrem!;) I will look for the Bretz book next time I'm there!

Michael, if you're rather often around Cologne anyway, that shouldn't be so much of a problem. Still, you could contact them and ask for extra hours, as I said I would believe that to be possible!

Barry, sorry no info on Frankfurt. But I could find out about train connections from Frankfurt to Horrem, where there's an inter-city station, so that's probably quite comfortable! About the Rosemeyer monument, just a very fuzzy idea: km 9?

[Michael Müller]

The Rosemeyer monument is on the other side, A5 southwards from Frankfurt to Darmstadt. Don't know the km pole, but it's the first rest place after Rhein-Main-Airport, at the southern end of the area, nearly where the acceleration lane begins. One has to walk from upper end of the parking area abt. 100 meters or so, and then turn right into the wood (careful about "landmines"!). It's erected exactly at the place they found his body.
If you have no own transport, the best would be to visit the place immediately after arrival, because it's no so far from the airport. Ask the taxi driver to drive south the A5 direction Darmstadt-Heidelberg, and after the monument visit, he can take the next exit and make a turn back to Frankfurt city.
I lived in that area before moved to Holland 14 years ago, but don't know any public vehicle museum or exhibition. But if there is any interest in DKW's, a club collegue of mine who is the son of the company founder (Rasmussen) has a private collection, but as far I remember, all road cars.

[Racer.Demon]

Thanks, Michael, for that wonderful description of what must be heaven on earth for European TNF members. It sounds like you have found 'our' version of the Watkins Glen Library.;)

I can't wait to go there.

[fines]

Originally posted by Racer.Demon
It sounds like you have found 'our' version of the Watkins Glen Library.;)

Quite possible, I've never been to the Glen.

Anyone going to the Villa Trips please contact me, maybe we can meet there!

[Barry Lake]

Thanks everyone for information provided.

Perhaps I was heading south from Frankfurt to Darmstadt when I saw the Rosemeyer monument. Remember, to we people from Down Under, everything is back to front when we are in the northern hemisphere!

That isn't altogether a joke. I was amazed to learn, when I first headed "Up Top", how much I subconsciously related to the position of the sun to judge directions.

Michael Ferner

I would be pleased if you could tell me more about the possibility of going to the Trips Museum by train from Frankfurt. How long would it take? How much would it cost?

And the possibility of meeting you there adds to my interest. I am beginning to think this might be how I could spend my free day.

[Gil Bouffard]

Fines, old buddy, You didn't mention that I put you on to the von Trips museum.

Also their website has numerous photos that I have sent them.

You were going to find out if there was any kind of memorabilia.

I have done the Nurburgring Museum and the Hockenheimring Museum. And as I said before, I was disappointed to learn about the Trips museum after I had spent months in Zell am Mosel working with the American Air Force.

I have a link that I created for the Trips Museum on http://www.norpaccrows.org

Click on "Enter," and enjoy the ride.

Gil

[fines]

Gil, lots of memorabilia. And it wasn't you who pointed me there, but my parents!;) [credit where credit's due]

But I have to correct a silly mistake I made in my report, the "snake-type" Jordan is, of course, the 197!

[Gil Bouffard]

OK, I'll accept that..But to get back on your good side, You never commented about the illustration I use to mark the von Trips site.

A comment. I would have thought that the "wrecked car" would have been the von Trips Formula Junior. The Ferrari folk, being less than thoughtful about their cars, would have just cut up the chassis and chucked it.

Its similar to Hawthorn wanting his championship winning car and then reading that Dan Gurney took his test in Hawthorn's car. The height thing, don't you know.

Being nearly as old as dirt, it doesn't stop me from wanting a bit of Trips memorabilia, especially since I followed his career since 1955 to Monza.

Tell your parents that I said hello.

Gil 'o' the wisp..

[fines]

Originally posted by Gil Bouffard
OK, I'll accept that..But to get back on your good side, You never commented about the illustration I use to mark the von Trips site.

I'm sorry Gil, how could I! So I'm not allowed to say a bad thing about it, am I?;) Nevermind, I really like it! How do you do those?

[David J Jones]

Gil

I am not sure what happened to von Trips' Ferrari after the Monza accident.

Just like the aftermath of the Senna accident at Imola the cars which collided in 1961 were impounded by the authorities. Clark's car was recovered from there in the 90's and restored. It was in the Donnigton Museum last I heard.
So the authorities must have released the wreckage at some time although I believe both were still there at the time Rindt's car was also impounded.

So does anyone know what happened to the Ferrari?

[Gil Bouffard]

David,

I really doubt that the Italian authorities would have kept a FERRARI in hock that long. Remember, Enzo had no feelings for the cars after they were used. Which is the reason that I believe that the 156 became so much scrap. It was probably sold for the value of the metal.

Fines,

I was being a butt..We haven't talked in quite a while, and I believed that I was the first one to find and publicize the Trips website.

When I put the image together, I was thinking about putting it on tee shirts.

I mean Michael has his image on everything except underdrawers.

Gil

[Barry Lake]

Well folks, on Sunday July 22 I saw the Villa Trips and can assure you all it is well worth a visit.

I was jet-lagged and sleep-deprived at the time and not always taking in what I was looking at, but after several "laps" it started to sink in.

The building and the grounds are magnificent, and the volunteer staff very helpful and polite. Unfortunately you can catch only glimpses of the original castle through the foliage of many beautiful trees, but there is a model of the site within the motor racing library that clearly shows what it is like.

I ventured there by train from Frankfurt, about a three hour journey each way. The trains, even in second class, are luxurious. And a bonus I hadn't expected, having had no time to research in any great detail, was that the train follows the Rhein River/Valley most of the way. This is the part of Germany most people go to see as tourists, so it would have been worth the trip even had I not made it to the museum.

Cost of the train trip was around $Aus160 return, or $US80. But if you wish to include this tour of the Rhein as a bonus, I am told you should do it in the next couple of years, after which the ICE (Inter City Express) train will travel via a faster, more direct, cross-country route.

The Villa is an easy walk from the station. It was even easier for me, because I was met at the station by the infamous "Fines", who drove me there in his Ford Escort at speeds sometimes reaching almost 40 km/h.

We had a fine lunch together in a pizza restaurant in the village of Horrem until the museum opened at 2.00 pm. Michael was deeply hurt, I gathered, to discover members of a Porsche club (all in 944s) arriving as we did. He said he usually has the place to himself. Perhaps it is better that they have some other visitors as I am sure Michael can't support the place single-handedly - even though he does pay handsomely (Dm 6, or about $US3) for the privilege.

Michael said he was surprised I wasn't more impressed with the library. That wasn't quite true; I was too tired to be remonstrative. And when you have nine rooms full of books yourself, two rooms full (and they have enough space to walk around as well!) isn't quite overwhelming.

But it is impressive. They have quality books, not a lot of "pot boilers" and I was surprised at how many German books they had that I had never even heard of, and some French also, that I hadn't seen. I can see that Michael will gather a lot of information there over the next few years.

I believe they have a lot of magazines stored elsewhere, and there was a rotating rack in a hallway that had, from memory, 116 folders full of newspaper and magazine clippings relating to von Trips.

The replica of his study as he left it on that fateful day is both interesting and eery.

I can't take the time to write everything about it here, because I have to write a story on it for a magazine. But I recommend it highly.

It was good to meet up with Fines, to be able finally to put a face to a TNF member's name. Before I left home I re-read his introduction on TNF and was reminded he is 6ft 5ins tall, so he was easy to spot in a crowd - not that Horrem on a Sunday is all that crowded...

[fines]

... and Barry is REALLY that old!

[Barry Lake]

That's not fair Michael! I was dehydrated, jet-lagged, sleep-deprived and sunburned. If you see me at my best, I look DAYS younger... : :yawn:

[fines]

Seriously, it was really great to meet Barry at Horrem, and we had tons of fun discussing things. It was also a bit exhausting, speaking English all the time (I don't have that much practice...), translating various bits and so on, but I wouldn't want to miss the time! Thanks, Barry!

It's a bit strange to think that we probably won't meet again in our life time, given the distance between Germany and Oz, but the good thing is we did! So, here goes another invitation to all TNF members wishing to visit the museum, please contact me, and I'll try to meet you there. It's so nice to meet someone who has become a real "cyber friend" in real life!

[Barry Lake]

Originally posted by fines
There's also a conference room, complete with everything modern technology is able to provide (if ever the need should arise for our proposed Society of Racing History to meet, here's the place with a perfect ambience!), as well as a nice little café for a rest.

Having finally (I think) learned how to post pictures to TNF, I thought I should post this historic photo of the first ever meeting of the tentatively-named "Society of Motor Racing Historians".

Attendance was limited to just one member, Michael Ferner, who waited for some time for other members and prospective members to arrive.

When it was obvious no one else would be attending, Mr Ferner reluctantly postponed the meeting to another time. Next time, the meeting probably will be promoted more widely and, as soon as a suitable sponsor can be found, complimentary return air tickets plus food and accommodation vouchers will be sent to all members to ensure their attendance.

[fines]

Waiting, waiting, waiting... :yawn:

Originally posted by Barry Lake
Next time, the meeting probably will be promoted more widely and, as soon as a suitable sponsor can be found, complimentary return air tickets plus food and accommodation vouchers will be sent to all members to ensure their attendance.

Well, that's an idea! How about "Bitburger Bier" for the drinks, and you come up with the food!

[Barry Lake]

Ronnie Ball, the well known fugitive from justice, tells me the photo of Fines in the Villa Trips conference room doesn't appear when he accesses this thread.

Does anyone else have this problem?

[fines]

Well, I can see it clearly, and since this thread is fast developing into a private conversation between the two of us, I reckon this to be the only reply you'll get.

Maybe Ron Ball is not only banned from posting at this BB, but also from watching the posted pictures?

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by fines
Well, I can see it clearly, and since this thread is fast developing into a private conversation between the two of us, I reckon this to be the only reply you'll get.

Excuse me gentlemen, if I could just intrude for a moment, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation ....

I can see the picture - I'd wondered what you looked like Michael, you're nothing like what I imagined from your typing ...

[fines]

Originally posted by Vitesse2
I'd wondered what you looked like Michael, you're nothing like what I imagined from your typing ...

[to himself]Hmm, what on earth does he mean with THAT? :curious:[/to himself]

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by fines

[to himself]Hmm, what on earth does he mean with THAT? :curious:[/to himself]

I just thought you might look TALLER , even behind a table, a bit bolder, more emphatic or even lean slightly to one side . Having said that, from a distance you look an awful lot like my ex-wife's brother - you don't have any relatives in Wimbledon by any chance do you??

[Barry Lake]

I think, Fines, that my photograph of you is being criticised.

In defence, I should point out that this is not a portrait of Michael Ferner; it is a photograph of the conference room.

Michael's presence is to create an atmosphere of a lonely figure waiting for his associates to arrive.

Sadly, I didn't take a photo of Michael showing what he really looks like. Nor did we have a photo taken of the two of us together on this, perhaps, once in a lifetime meeting. Nor are there any photos of me at Villa Trips, to show that I really was there.

There is a photo of Michael with his marvellous little car (it looks good in the photo anyway!) and another of Michael in the background of a photogrpah, frothing at the mouth as he surveys the Villa Trips book collection. I will try to find time to scan and post them.

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by Barry Lake
I think, Fines, that my photograph of you is being criticised.

I'm only jealous Barry - I haven't yet mastered posting pictures!!!

In defence, I should point out that this is not a portrait of Michael Ferner; it is a photograph of the conference room.

And a very fine conference room it looks too ....

Michael's presence is to create an atmosphere of a lonely figure waiting for his associates to arrive.

Aaaahhh ....

.... Michael in the background of a photogrpah, frothing at the mouth as he surveys the Villa Trips book collection. I will try to find time to scan and post them.

I do hope he didn't drool on anything valuable!!!

[Barry Lake]

[Barry Lake]

[William Hunt]

I am also very interested to visit the Villa Trips Museum/Library. I don't live that far away (Antwerp,Belgium) . I could easily come by car. I will certainly let U know when I do (not before Oktober though) as we seem to share the same passion. The prospect of possibly meeting one of U in real is also quite exciting. Greetings & Respect , William.

[Barry Lake]

On the subject of the Bern Rosemeyer Monument, once I got to Frankfurt and looked at a street directory it all fell into place.

The reason I had remembered (incorrectly) that you needed to be driving from Darmstadt to Frankfurt is the old problem of everything being back-to-front to me in Europe. I was picturing it being on the eastern side of the Autobahn (which it is). But driving on the opposite side of the road to what is normal to me, this means you are on the correct side when driving from Frankfurt to Darmstadt.

I didn't find the time to get there on this visit, but remember now that it is simple to find, because it is clearly marked on the street directory. There is a cross and whatever the German is for "Bernd Rosemeyer Memorial".

Anyone wanting to find it. Just go to Frankfurt, borrow a street directory, and you're as good as there. (Having a car might help...).

[William Hunt]

No pictures of U Barry ?

[Barry Lake]

Nope!

That lanky, long-legged laggard lurking longingly in the library didn't bring a camera. He apparently didn't think a visit by me to Villa Trips was worth recording on film.

[Barry Lake]

I just realised that in six days in Germany, this is the only photograph that was taken of me.

It is in Frankfurt, the day after the visit to Villa Trips.

[Darren Galpin]

We really are starting to put together a rogues gallery here!

[Vitesse2]

I was right about Michael though, in the picture with the car he definitely leaning over to one side !!! He was obviously in an italic mood at that point ....

[fines]

Originally posted by Vitesse2


I just thought you might look TALLER , even behind a table, a bit bolder, more emphatic or even lean slightly to one side . Having said that, from a distance you look an awful lot like my ex-wife's brother - you don't have any relatives in Wimbledon by any chance do you??

No Vitesse, not as far as I know...

And I'm not using those text markers THAT often, do I?


Barry, that lanky, long-legged laggard is a Luddite, lacking the skills to produce more than lack-lustre photographs when asked to. We should've asked one of the Porsche pedallers to take a picture of the two of us, though! And yes, you really look days younger on that bicycle!!!!!

Originally posted by Darren Galpin
We really are starting to put together a rogues gallery here!

Be careful what ya say, Darren, I've got a picture of yours and I can post it as quickly as you can say: "Please not!"

BTW, now that all the world knows how I look, how about making this thread a gallery of the "homo sapiens nostalgicus"?

[fines]

It is with bitter sadness that I have to anounce the end of my longest partnership yet I have just sold my Li'l Red for a ludicrously low amount of money, and thus ended a relationship that spanned back more than eleven years :sniff: It seems she will have to serve her last term Somewhere in Africa (Madagascar ?). I will miss her.

NOT!

[William Hunt]

Are U talkin about your wife or about your car ? (cfr. "Lil' red")

[fines]

... take your pick!

[William Hunt]

U mean U sold your wife and exported her too South Africa !



PS : What car did U purchase to replace the "Lil' Red" Escort ? I'm curious.

[fines]

Originally posted by William Hunt
U mean U sold your wife and exported her too South Africa !

AFAIK this sort of bargaining is not allowed over here, but never mind: I'm not (yet ?) married, so there's no need for whatsoever anyway.

Originally posted by William Hunt

PS : What car did U purchase to replace the "Lil' Red" Escort ? I'm curious.

None yet. I'll go have a look on the weekend. Mind you, I'm not picky, all it takes is four wheels and a horn...

[Barry Lake]

fines

Did you allow the archaeologists to perform a dig, in search for historic artifacts, inside the car before disposing of it?

[fines]

Barry, you wouldn't believe it! I even removed all the refuse before selling it!!!! Probably the first time since 199x... Couldn't be bothered to clean the car, though