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Tag: Germany

July 5, 1933 – The Autobahn constructor
This Day

July 5, 1933 – The Autobahn constructor

On this day in 1933 Fritz Todt was appointed Inspector General for German Roadways. Todt had received a degree in construction engineering from Technische Hochschule Karlsruhe, and later, in 1931, his doctorate from the same school after writing his thesis titled “Sources of failure in building state roads from tar and asphalt.” The same year he earned his doctorate he was made a senior colonel in the Nazi party, which he had joined almost a decade prior. Two years later, Hitler appointed Todt as Inspector General for German Roadways. His main task was to develop a series of comprehensive highways, which developed into the controlled-access road system that crisscrosses Germany and is collectively known as the Autobahn. Fritz Todt
November 24, 1973 – The Autobahn gets a speed limit
This Day

November 24, 1973 – The Autobahn gets a speed limit

Ah, the Autobahn. It's where you go to put the pedal to the metal for unrestricted automotive thrills, right? Well, sort of -- in some places. The German Autobahn, officially known as the Bundesautobahn (federal motorway), actually has many speed-controlled areas. Marked speed limits are found in sections that commonly face dense traffic, are under construction or that are otherwise accident prone. Yet, the go as fast as you want stretches are out there. For a time though, this wasn't the case. On this day in 1973, the ongoing oil crisis prompted the government of West Germany to impose a national speed limit on the Autobahn of 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph). It only lasted four months. Engineer Fritz Todt can be credited with developing the Autobahn, which he did under order fr...

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