AWZ Logo PNG
The AWZ logo is crisp, stylish, and mysterious. Full of the strength of metal and the strength of oak. He speaks of speed and predicts prosperity and a stable plant position in the German automotive industry.
AWZ grew out of Zwickau’s long automotive history. In 1909, August Horch left Horch after a conflict with its board of directors and founded August Horch Automobilwerke GmbH in the same Saxon city. After a court blocked him from using his surname as a brand, the company became Audi Automobilwerke GmbH in 1910.
In 1932, Horch and Audi joined DKW and Wanderer to form Auto Union AG. Within the group, DKW focused on small front-wheel-drive cars with two-stroke engines, and production was centered at the Audi plant in Zwickau. By 1938, DKW held 18 percent of the German car market.
World War II damaged the factories, and after 1945, they ended up in the Soviet occupation zone. On August 17, 1948, Auto Union AG was removed from the trade register. The former Horch and Audi plants in Zwickau came under state control as VEB Automobilwerk Zwickau, or AWZ. At the same time, Auto Union management rebuilt the company in Ingolstadt, Bavaria.
AWZ resumed production of the renamed prewar DKW models, the IFA F8 and IFA F9, and later lost the right to use the DKW name. In 1955, it launched the P70, a small family car with a duroplast body on a wooden frame. In 1958, AWZ merged with VEB Sachsenring Kraftfahrzeug- und Motorenwerke Zwickau. The combined plant later produced the Trabant from 1957 to 1991, with 3.7 million cars built. After German reunification, Volkswagen acquired the Zwickau production site, while HQM Sachsenring GmbH entered the body-component supply business.
Meaning and History
The logo is designed in the spirit of the automotive industry’s emblems and, like most of them, is round. The sign resembles a wheel, which is very symbolic. The circle is great for placing on a car’s hood or trunk.
The two wide lines separating the “tire” indicate the meticulous attention to detail, concern for safety, and strength of all components of the machines from AWZ. The design embodies a kind of buffer, a form of protection. Despite multiple trials, the company survived.
What is AWZ?
This automotive company, headquartered in Zwickau, Germany, played a significant role in the history of German car manufacturing. The company specializes in producing passenger and commercial vehicles and operates under various names. Originating from the Auto Union enterprises, it became known for creating the recognizable Trabant cars, which gained widespread popularity in Eastern Europe.
In the inner circle, the inscription: VEB Automobilwerk Zwickau Sachsen.
- VEB indicates a socialist form of ownership and stands for Volkseigener Betrieb (People’s Enterprise).
- The combination Automobilwerk consists of two words: Automobil (car) and werk (business, enterprise).
- Zwickau is a city in eastern Germany where the plant is organized.
- Zachsen is the name of the production area in Saxony.
In the center is a fancy abbreviation made from the first letters of the name’s main part: AWZ (Automobilwerk Zwickau). Placed one above the other, the letters resemble a high-speed spaceship. The symbol shows the progress and development of the automotive industry after the war. New cars were made from the affordable, wear-resistant Duroplast material; the body was sporty in shape, and the interior was trimmed in leather. The cars looked compact and fast.
The combination of letters is enclosed in a shell resembling an oak leaf. The shape embodies the durability, development, and rich experience that formed the basis for the creation of the most popular European brand of the time, Trabant. The machine served for more than 30 years, which speaks to its high quality. And the queues for its receipt reached 15 years.
The curves of the sheet followed the contours of the letters and, in addition to the oak, resembled an unfolded, flattened car body, hinting at modern materials.
Font and Colors
Gray and white are the main colors of the logo.
- Gray is a shade of steel and metal. It conveys the brilliance and strength of machines. Gray is the color of labor and constancy. Well-coordinated work of conveyors and assembly of machines, stage by stage.
- White shows a new period in the life of the old plant. Updating the manual, the line of cars. The runabouts’ bodies included many light shades.
The font of the inscription is simple, without serifs. Executed in capital letters, which conveyed impressive socialist plans, scope, five-year plans, and increased productivity.