Drive your beetle to work day

wax · 18-06-2010 5:12pm #1

Drive your Beetle to work day

http://www.ploon.nl/int-vw-day/index.html

June 22nd: Drive your VW to work day

Dear VW-Beetle Friends,

The following information was already sent to some Clubs formerly, now we are trying to spread this news to a greater number of FUSCA (beetle) fans around the World via Internet. The facts date back to 1995, but the subject is very actual to all of us...
For some time we have been working on the idea of introducing a WORLD-WIDE DAY OF THE VW-BEETLE. Contacts with VW-Beetle Clubs of other Countries, to divulge the idea and to get suggestions for the date to be chosen, were made through the "A BANANINHA" (The Fusca Clube do Brasil Club's Newsletter) in the editorial "Some Words to our Friends Abroad". We received several suggestions from many parts of the world as to the day to be chosen for commemorating the VW-Beetle in a world-wide level, many of them conflicting.
It was necessary to compromise and to observe choice criteria. One of these was of a climatic nature. By this criterion it became clear that the adequate time would have to avoid the rigorous European winter. Another criterion was the historical significance of the day. By crossing these two criteria we came to the date of June the 22nd, for it is already summer in the northern hemisphere (and the weather is agreeable in the southern hemisphere); furthermore, on this date of the year 1934, the contract for development of the VW-Beetle was signed, this being the starting point of this charming car´s "life". Bingo! It was the ideal choice.
Before going ahead with this proposition, we contacted Dr. Bernd Wiersch, Director of the Auto Museum Volkswagen in Wolfsburg, and an expert in the history of Volkswagen and of the VW-Beetle. He agreed to this date, finding it very convenient; besides, he had already lent his support to the introduction of a WORLD-WIDE DAY OF THE VW-BEETLE, on an early date.
Then, early in 1995, it just had to be confirmed the adequate place and moment to announce the introduction of this date. The realization of the 5th International Vintage VW Meeting of Bad Camberg, Germany, was approaching. We had already mentioned this topic, an year before, to Mr. Heinz-Willy Lottermann, the idealizer of these events that congregate people of all five continents. Even then, in the course of a delicious lunch he offered us, he had been receptive to the idea of introducing the WORLD-WIDE DAY OF THE VW-BEETLE during his event. In May 1995, we confirmed our presence in the event, and that we would make the announcement in the course of the confraternization party to be held in June, 24th . And that was done. In the presence of an international audience, on June, 24th , 1995, we read the manifest transcribed further on; thus, the WORLD-WIDE DAY OF THE VW-BEETLE was introduced! From that day on, every 22nd of June is dedicated to homage the object of their appreciation by the enthusiasts of the VW-Beetle all over the world. It is true that this date must be more divulged, in order to consolidate it for those that did not hear about the event in Bad Camberg; so, that is what we are doing now in writing this letter. We rely on the collaboration of everybody as to the divulgation of this date to their friends and, in case of clubs, to their associates. So please include an information about the World Wide Day of the VW Beetle in your Home-page and divulge it to other VW-Beetle lovers.