Barkas Logo PNG
The Barkas logo evokes wind and flight. It inspires a desire to move forward with force. The emblem is balanced, reflecting the ideal design of machines that transport large loads.
Barkas traced its roots to 1923, when Danish engineer Jørgen Rasmussen, founder of DKW, set up a small supplier operation in Frankenberg, Saxony, to support his vehicle business. In 1933, production moved to Hainichen, and from 1934, the plant became known as FRAMO-Werke Hainichen, producing light commercial vehicles with DKW engines.
After World War II, the Soviets dismantled the Framo plant’s equipment and took it as reparations. East German authorities nationalized the remaining site and resumed production based on prewar models, including the Framo V501 and V901. In 1957, the company was renamed VEB Barkas-Werke Hainichen, and the Framo V901 became the Barkas V901.
On January 1, 1958, the headquarters moved to Karl-Marx-Stadt, which was renamed Chemnitz. The company was merged with the city’s engine and vehicle operations into VEB Barkas-Werke Karl-Marx-Stadt. The enlarged enterprise had about 5,200 employees, built engines for the Trabant, and prepared a new van for East Germany’s planned economy. In 1961, the B1000 entered production as the brand’s first original model.
The B1000 used front-wheel drive, a cab-over layout, and a three-cylinder, two-stroke engine derived from the Wartburg. It offered greater cargo space than the Volkswagen Transporter, but private buyers in the GDR often waited 10 to 14 years. From the mid-1970s onward, annual output remained near 7,000 units. Belgian importers later fitted Ford Endura-D diesel engines, and in 1989 Barkas introduced the B1000-1 with a Volkswagen-licensed four-stroke engine. After German reunification in 1990, state orders collapsed, and production ended on April 10, 1991.
Meaning and History
The brand logo is confident and dynamic. Connects the company’s cars with airplanes, drawing an analogy between driving a Barkas and flying.
The visual element is a propeller with a thin black outline and a stylized blue letter B at the center, from which sharp blue rays extend into each blade. The brand name appears in large black letters under the image.
What is Barkas?
A leading brand of small trucks with various body types produced in the GDR until 1990. The design made it possible to use the car as an ambulance and to use closed and flatbed vans to transport goods, mobile teams, and food.
The structure is reminiscent of the following:
- Lightning, a plane taking off. Indicates a decent product load capacity, one that the machine can handle easily. A loaded bus rides as if it were flying along the road.
- Windshield wipers that improve visibility and make driving easier in bad weather. The company’s trucks were not afraid of snow, wind, or rain. We could drive on country roads.
- The cars had a good balance, correctly arranged parts, and competent weight distribution. At 1200 kg, the minibus could carry 1000 kg of cargo.
The letter b is the company’s initial. The name is taken from a small, capacious boat carrying passengers and cargo.
Interestingly, a stylized letter adorned the cars. At the same time, a different logo appeared on printed materials: a three-diamond arrow indicating the brand’s name.
Font and Colors
The logo’s main color is blue. It symbolizes business knowledge, stability, and well-established production. The model’s first modernization came almost 30 years later. The shade is associated with flight and fantasy, hinting at a wide range of bodies.
The massive Basic Commercial Black font speaks to the machines’ power and reliability. Trucks continued to operate regularly in the former socialist camp for many years after production ceased. The uppercase letters indicate high demand for cars. The waiting period for private clients could exceed ten years.