Karl Rapp One of the founders of the BMW concern Date of Birth: 24.09.1882 Country: Switzerland

1. Biography of Karl Rapp
2. Early Career
3. Foundation of "Karl Rapp Motorenwerke"
4. World War I and the Birth of "BMW"
5. Later Years and Legacy

Biography of Karl Rapp

Karl Friedrich Rapp, one of the founders of the BMW Group, was born on September 24, 1882, in the German town of Eningen. Little is known about his childhood and youth, as Rapp himself did not like to reminisce about those times.

Early Career

Rapp began his career as an engineer at the company "Züst" around 1908-1911. He later worked as the technical director at "Daimler Benz" until 1912 before heading one of the branches of "Flugwerk Deutschland GmbH". The company was involved in the production and sale of airplanes, as well as the design and manufacture of special equipment for airports. Rapp, along with Joseph Wirth, effectively managed the production, with Rapp specializing in the creation and improvement of engines. One of his engines even won an award at the Berlin aviation salon in 1912. However, the production did not last long, as the shareholders decided to liquidate the company and refused Rapp's services.

Foundation of "Karl Rapp Motorenwerke"

On October 28, 1913, Karl Rapp and his partner Julius Auspitzer purchased the production facilities of "Flugwerk Deutschland" and founded their own company, "Karl Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH," with a share capital of 200,000 marks. Auspitzer was the sole shareholder, while Rapp focused on the development and implementation of new technologies in the field of aviation. However, Rapp's ambitions extended beyond airplanes, as he wanted to produce and sell internal combustion engines not only for aircraft but also for automobiles.

World War I and the Birth of "BMW"

Soon, the First World War began, and "Rapp Motorenwerke" received substantial government subsidies for the development of new airplanes. Rapp had already gained a certain reputation in Bavaria, although none of his prototypes ever flew. Military commanders did not acknowledge Rapp's engines due to their low reliability, but despite this, the authorities continued to allocate substantial subsidies to "Rapp Motorenwerke". Even the Austrian Minister of Defense, Franz Josef Popp, visited the company's headquarters and personally discussed contract terms.

The Austrians ordered 600 new engines for BBE aircraft from "Rapp Motorenwerke," but due to their lack of organization, the company failed to fulfill the order. Rapp was forced to resign, and the official version cited health problems as the reason. Soon after, "Rapp Motorenwerke" underwent reorganization, resulting in the birth of a new company called "Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH," better known as "BMW". On October 4, 1917, Franz Josef Popp took over the management of the new company.

Later Years and Legacy

Before the start of World War II, the company continued to produce engines, now under the brand name BMW IIIa. After leaving "Rapp Motorenwerke," Karl Rapp worked as an engineer at the "L.A. Riedlinger" factory until 1923. In 1934, he moved to Switzerland, where he often visited the observatory and enjoyed observing the stars, particularly the Sun. Karl Rapp passed away in the city of Locarno in 1962.