Paul Pietsch

Paul Pietsch (* June 20th 1911 in Freiburg im Breisgau , † May 31 2012 in Titisee-Neustadt ) ^[1] was a German racing driver and publisher .

In contrast to other German riders in the 1930s tried to Paul Pietsch less with the Silver Arrows of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union luck, but as a private driver with mainly Italian cars. At his death, Paul Pietsch was the oldest surviving Formula 1 racing driver.

Pietsch was born in Freiburg, the son of a brewer, who died very early. He was raised by his mother in Friedenweiler on. ^[2] Upon completion of the business school began an apprenticeship as a brewer Pietsch, purchased after his 20th Anniversary of his heritage a Bugatti 35B . In 1932 he started in the vehicle before the driver's private -Joachim Heinrich of the morning had heard, his career in smaller races in Germany. His first race, on 29 May 1932 in Wiesbaden heritage home, he lost because of lack of fuel, the following boilers hill climb he reached third. Pietsch won their first victories on 28 August 1932 during the hill race in the Giant Mountains and on 11 September at the same trophy in Leitmeritz inCzechoslovakia . 1933 and 1934 he was in an Alfa Romeo to win several other mountain races; for success in the big circuit races gave the power not from his car. In 1935 he undertook the Auto Union together with Bernd Rosemeyer as rookies. After problems with the rear-drive sixteen-cylinder engines, with the race director, he left the team again after a year. A shared third place at the Italian Grand Prix was his best result. As of 1937, Pietsch drove back a private Maserati. At the Grand Prix of Germany in 1939 he had his moment of glory: In the second round, he sat down at the top, the race against the Silver Arrows were due to brake and ignition problems do not win, but to save the third-place finish. ^[3]

After the Second World War , he focused mainly on sports cars - and Formula 2 race in Germany. On 11 June 1950 he won the Eifel race on theNürburgring and in the same year he was on his Veritas RS German champion in the sports car class up to 1500 cc. He succeeded in 1951 with victories at the Eifel race at the Nurburgring and the Schauinsland hill climb on the title in the Formula 2 class with his Veritas Meteor . He also appeared sporadically in Formula 1 to World Cup races. Grand Prix of Germany in 1951 he drove a station wagon by Alfa Romeo . An accident ended the race and in 1952 he retired after a serious training accident on 28 September 1952 in a Formula 2 race at the AVUS from racing back.

Pietsch since then has focused on the publishing trade, he published numerous motor sport magazines and books and is co-founder of the publisher Motor Presse Stuttgart . Until his death he was involved in this industry, but in 1976 moved from Stuttgart to Titisee-Neustadt order and withdrew from the daily business. ^[2] In 1991 he received the Medal of the economic state of Baden-Württemberg awarded. In 2001 he became an honorary citizen appointed by the town of Titisee-Neustadt. ^[2] Meanwhile, there was also a way named after him.

At its 100th Birthday was held on 17 to 19 June a rally with 100 vehicles from different decades, from Freiburg to Stuttgart. ^[4]

His son, Peter-Paul Pietsch has worked as a manager in the publishing and operates motor sports in the VLN Long Distance Championship Nürburgring . His daughter, Dr. Patricia Scholten directs the Paul Pietsch publishers in Stuttgart.