Hartmannsdorf 2025: Vintage trucks at the largest event in eastern Germany
From mopeds to heavy-duty trucks
After 40 years of the GDR came reunification. Not much was left of the East German automotive industry; almost everything was badmouthed, bought up and flattened. It's a good thing that there are people who are aware of the values that shaped road transport in the East. Because the commercial vehicles from Eastern Europe had their qualities - the long production times of up to 30 years and the small variety of parts made them mature and robust. Every year on May 1, a large meeting is held in Hartmannsdorf near Chemnitz, where participants and tens of thousands of visitors celebrate the continued existence of the old Eastern vehicles.
The Saxon Commercial Vehicle Museum in Hartmannsdorf near Chemnitz is a household name among classic car and commercial vehicle enthusiasts, especially in eastern Germany. We have compiled some information in this article to raise awareness of the lovingly and varied collection of trucks and buses throughout Europe. A detailed report on the museum will follow at a later date, as this post is primarily about the largest classic car meeting in eastern Germany, which is organized by the museum every year on 1 May, in 2025 for the 22nd time.
This view of the Saxon Commercial Vehicle Museum in Hartmannsdorf shows only some of the exhibits. For five euros admission per person, you can see the entire variety of vehicles on display. You can find the opening times at the end of this article.
Saxony has been known for its automotive industry for well over a hundred years. From 1900 to 1990, there were a total of 14 locations in Saxony where commercial vehicles were manufactured. In alphabetical order, these were the following companies:
• Audi-Werke AG Zwickau (1909-1932) Audiwerke • Auto Union AG Chemnitz (1932-1945) Auto-Union • Dresdener Gasmotorenfabrik AG (1884-1926) Hille • DUX-Automobilwerke AG Leipzig (1895-1926) DUX • Elite Werke AG Brand-Erbisdorf (1911-1931) Elite • IFA VEB Horch/VEB Sachsenring (1945-1990) Sachsenring • Markranstädter Automobilfabrik Hugo Ruppe GmbH (1907-1925) Ruppe • Emil Hermann Nacke Coswig (1891-1929) Nacke • Presto-Werke Günther & Co. AG Chemnitz (1897-1935) Presto • VEB Barkas Werke Karl-Marx-Stadt (1923-1991) Barkas • VEB Hebezeugwerk Sebnitz (1912-1971) Sebnitz • VEB Kraftfahrzeugwerk “Ernst Grube” Werdau (1898-1990) Werdau • VEB Robur-Werke Zittau (1880-1990) Robur • VOMAG Vogtländische Maschinenfabrik AG Plauen (1881-1945) VOMAG
In 1995, 25 dedicated classic car enthusiasts founded the Historische Nutzfahrzeuge e.V. association to ensure that the products of these and other commercial vehicle manufacturers in the former GDR were not forgotten.
The aim was to track down, acquire and preserve products from the commercial vehicle industry of a bygone era before they disappeared forever in the scrap presses of reunified Germany. The association took over commercial vehicles from the GDR era in unrestored condition in order to refurbish them on its own initiative and present them to the interested public. The association has also taken on some vintage trucks of West German origin.
The last model of the legendary VOMAG brand was the 4.5 LHG, which was built from 1940 onwards. After the end of the Second World War, all production facilities in Plauen were dismantled by Soviet troops and taken to Russia. The 1944 truck pictured here was brought to the meeting by the Association of Friends and Sponsors of the Vogtland Museum Plauen e.V., but the museum in Hartmannsdorf also owns an example of this model.
The few initiators have now grown to over 100 members, a third of whom are actively involved in the work. The association also received support from the municipality. It provided the hall in which the workshop is still housed today, also gave the association the hereditary building plot for the museum and helped financially with the construction of the hall. In addition, small four-figure sums flow into the association's coffers every year as part of the association's funding. Unemployed skilled workers were made available as a job-creating measure. They were given the opportunity to work on the restoration of discarded commercial vehicles. They received their wages from the employment office, but a new application had to be made for them again and again.
The meeting organized by the Hartmannsdorf Museum was dedicated to the W 50 truck model, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025. The total production figure for the W 50 is 571,789 vehicles. They were mainly built at VEB Automobilwerke Ludwigsfelde between 1965 and 1990. The photo shows the all-wheel drive version W 50 LA/ND.
By the end of the 1990s, the pool of restored commercial vehicle veterans already consisted of 25 vehicles, which could be exhibited in a hall completed in 2001 in the Hartmannsdorf industrial estate near Chemnitz. In the purpose-built building with an exhibition area of 1,400 square meters, there was initially enough space to show changing special exhibitions in the middle of the hall in addition to the permanent exhibits placed all around the walls.
In the meantime, the collection has grown to around 70 restored commercial vehicles, with a further 30 or so waiting to be restored or are in the process of being restored. Although there are now 50 vehicles packed tightly together in the hall, there is not enough space. A second hall is under construction to exhibit even more vehicles and also accommodate the depot. It all sounds as if it goes by itself, but in reality there is hard work behind it, new challenges of all kinds and the question of how to finance it all. It's a good thing that a number of well-intentioned sponsors are always willing to contribute to the costs and that the municipality of Hartmannsdorf also cooperates in solving problems of all kinds.
Various museum events contribute to the funding, as does the moderate museum admission fee of five euros per person and the income from a small store with specialist books, truck models and tin signs. The museum has a parking lot for cars and barrier-free access. Trucks can be parked in the adjacent industrial estate.
The most important event for the museum, however, is undoubtedly the classic car meeting “From mopeds to heavy-duty trucks”, which takes place every year on May 1st. It began in 2002 with 15 participating vehicles, but this number has since multiplied. On 1 May 2025, 500 commercial vehicles, 1500 passenger cars and 1500 motorized two-wheelers as well as 50 agricultural tractors met in Hartmannsdorf. So anyone interested in vehicle history will get their money's worth at what is now the largest event of its kind in eastern Germany. And that includes the actual costs, as the admission price of just five euros per person should not deter anyone from attending the event. This year, 30,000 visitors came. All figures in this paragraph are rough estimates by the organizers.
This year marked the 60th anniversary of the IFA W 50 cabover, production of which began in Ludwigsfelde in 1965 when it replaced the S 4000 conventional truck. Therefore, a large number of W 50 trucks with very different bodies as well as the successor model L 60 appeared.
The version of the W 50 with a long cab for long-distance transportation was of course also represented. The rig in the photo was brought to Hartmannsdorf by the Heinz Küchler trucking company.The W 50 was also indispensable in agriculture. Here we see an articulated rig with a trailer for transporting mixed feed, carefully restored and preserved for posterity by the Illig trucking company from Reinsdorf near Zwickau.In 1987, shortly before German reunification, the IFA W 50 had become the L 60. Externally, it was largely similar to its predecessor, but in addition to the new tilting cab, it had a newly designed drive train, a 180 hp six-cylinder diesel engine, eight-speed gearbox and planetary axles. It made its debut at the Leipzig Autumn Fair in 1986 and series production began in 1987, while production of the significantly cheaper W-50 continued until both models were discontinued in 1990. Necessity is the mother of invention! Shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Hustig haulage company in Haselbachtal created this unique specimen: an IFA H6Z conventional truck with the cab of the L 60 cab-over. With the Kögel three-axle trailer, it is still a feast for the eyes today, and with the right sound to boot!The calm before the storm - many of the photos in this article were taken on the eve of the event, when only a few participants were around. On May 1, the day of the event, it was almost impossible to photograph the vehicles as there were too many people obscuring the view of the vehicles.There were no complaints about a lack of visitors. On the contrary, there were more interested spectators than ever before - here is a view of the parts market, which stretched across several streets in the cordoned-off area.Well-kept appearance: an immaculately restored IFA H6 from Dahlen, SchmannewitzThe Ukrainian brand KrAZ began producing heavy trucks in 1959, which were also exported to the GDR. Two type 256 B1 dump trucks from the late 1970s came to Hartmannsdorf.
All vehicles that comply with the classic car regulations, i.e. are at least 30 years old and in their original condition, can take part in the Hartmannsdorf meeting. Pre-registration is not required, parking is free, the only charge is ten euros for an electricity connection. Food and drink stands are set up throughout the grounds and there is a carousel for the little ones.
Rare beauty from Hungary: the haulage company Alfred Frank from Leipzig brought its 1962 Csepel type D-705 cab-over with semi-trailer as a driving library to Hartmannsdorf.The GAZ-63 is a Soviet truck with all-wheel drive, which was produced by Gorkowski Awtomobilny Sawod (GAZ). Series production began in 1948 and ran until 1968. The GAZ-63 was primarily designed for military and civilian operations in difficult terrain and served as the direct predecessor of the GAZ-66.The GAZ-66, successor to the GAZ-63, is a light all-wheel drive truck that was built from 1964 to 1999 by the Soviet and Russian manufacturer Gorkowski Awtomobilny Sawod. It was particularly widespread in the armed forces of the Soviet Union and in many countries of the former Eastern Bloc and is still in use today in some armies in Eastern Europe. The beautifully shaped Barkas B 1000 van was represented several times in Hartmannsdorf, here in the flatbed version. It was available from 1961 to 1990, also as a panel van, minibus and in many other variants for the police, fire department and as an ambulance. This Barkas B 1000 drove home with its blue lights covered, because in Germany it is forbidden to drive on public roads with blue lights, even if they are switched off. Of course, this ban only applies to private vehicles.And this was the predecessor of the Barkas B 1000: the Barkas 901/2 from the mid-1950s. Originally equipped with the air-cooled three-cylinder engine of the IFA F 9, it was fitted with the engine of the Wartburg passenger car from 1956.The Barkas 901/2 must have been very rare as an articulated rig for transporting long materials. This made its appearance in Hartmannsdorf all the more interesting.The Robur Garant 30 K, which was widely used in the GDR, was available with the hood shape shown here from 1955 to 1961. The Garant was a further development of the Phänomen Granit, which was produced in Zittau from 1931. The expropriation of the Phänomen works in 1946 was followed two years later by its incorporation into the IFA association of state-owned vehicle factories. The photo was taken in the village of Hartmannsdorf on the way to the meeting.In 1961, the Robur LO 2500 replaced the Garant series, initially with an oval radiator grille with a chrome-plated frame. From 1973, the Robur was produced with a plain radiator grille without a frame. The photo shows the LO 2002, the all-wheel drive version of the LO 3000.Around 300 of the modernized Robur LD 3004 with a Deutz diesel engine were produced in 1990 and 1991. In August 1991, the shareholders decided to liquidate Robur-Werke. Shortly afterwards, vehicle production was discontinued after around 230,000 vehicles had left the factory in 40 years, around half of which were exported.
The event takes place in the immediate vicinity of the museum, with the large number of participating vehicles and a large parts market taking up more and more space over the years, so that almost the entire Hartmannsdorf industrial estate has to be cordoned off to cope with the crowds.
It is not easy to take photos of the participating vehicles, as there are many visitors everywhere who like to stand in front of the vehicles. It is therefore advisable to be at the event site the day before. Then many vehicles are already there and you can take photos without stress. This is also how many of the pictures in this article were taken, or at the end of the event on the road where the participants left the meeting.
S 4000 as a tractor unit in well-kept original condition with a dash of patinaThe IFA H6 from the VEB Kraftfahrzeugwerk “Ernst Grube” in Werdau was the heavy-duty version of the S 4000 and was built from 1952 to 1959. The articulated rig in the picture was brought to the meeting by the haulage company Johannes Hustig from Haselbachtal. The photo was taken in the late afternoon of May 1st, when the well-maintained truck was already on its way home.For all those who find it difficult to tell the difference between the S 4000 and the H6, here is a comparison picture that clearly shows the external differences. Note: The larger H6 had an area above the headlights, which sometimes housed the indicators. (Apart from the radiator grilles, which had different proportions).Of course, buses also took part in the meeting in Hartmannsdorf. Several examples of the Ikarus 66 arrived. The extravagantly designed bus from the Hungarian manufacturer was introduced in 1952 and built from 1955 to 1973. A typical feature was the 145 hp engine housed in the rear, which, depending on the gear ratio, enabled top speeds of almost 100 kilometers per hour.In addition to the hundreds of vehicles of all kinds, the parts market was an area frequented by many visitors and covered a large part of the event site. Searching for and finding important spare parts was the motto here.Fantastically beautiful: what truck fan can resist this sight? The haulage company Heinz Gerloff from Schwanebeck, founded in 1951, not only brought this IFA H6 with three-axle trailer to the meeting, but also the box semitrailer rig that serves as the cover picture for this report. The tractor unit with extended cab was a rare conversion, but the few independent trucking companies in the GDR undoubtedly adapted their vehicles to their needs with a great deal of initiative and craftsmanship.Another exquisite gem at the Hartmannsdorf meeting was the 160 hp Škoda 706 RT, built in the Czech Republic from 1957. It belonged to the truck collection of Plauen trucking company Werner Poller. In addition to the carefully restored driver's cab, the bodies of the truck and trailer had also been lovingly refurbished in Plauen as a beverage truck with a flat tarpaulin for Wernesgrüner beer.The successor to the Škoda 706 RT was the 706 MT, which was built in the Czech Republic from 1969 under the name LIAZ. It was now powered by a direct-injection engine with 200 hp. Further improvements included a synchronized five-speed gearbox with splitter group, power steering and a dual-circuit air brake. The photo shows a 706 MT with a fire truck superstructure.Everything was well prepared at the meeting. Food and drinks were available at various stands spread across the grounds, and the sanitary facilities were also easy to find. The 6x6 truck with the type designation G5, which was intended for military use in the GDR, was built from 1952 to 1964 at the “Ernst Grube” vehicle factory in Werdau. Development of the five-tonner had already begun at VOMAG during the Second World War and was continued at Horch after the war.Countless stands with spare parts lined the streets, where some vintage vehicles could also be admired. There was also room in the pleasant confusion for trivialities such as GDR gym shorts (remaining stock - also on special offer - three pieces for 20 euros) and tin signs.An Opel Blitz three-ton truck with all-wheel drive, which was built from 1941, was also on display in Hartmannsdorf. The driver's cab came from GDR production.The truck-mounted slewing crane with the designation ADK 63-2 was equipped with a TAKRAF motorized grab. The lifting capacity was 6.3 tons. It was manufactured at VEB Schwermaschinenbau “Georgi Dimitroff” in Magdeburg using parts from the IFA H6.Not only trucks are permitted at the meeting in Hartmannsdorf. Buses, bikes, cars and agricultural tractors are also admitted. This website focuses on trucks, but one of the many agricultural tractors that took part in the meeting is shown here. The Dutra D 4 K from 1962, called Longnose, was originally equipped with a 65 hp Czepel engine. The tractor with the four equally sized wheels came from the Hungarian tractor factory “Red Star”. From 1964 it was called the D 4 K-B and had a 90 hp engine.The Tatra 141 is one of the legendary models from the Czech manufacturer, which has survived the collapse of the Eastern Bloc to this day and continues to build commercial vehicles (with DAF cabs). The Type 141, shown here in the livery of the German Railroad Company, was developed from the Tatra 111 as a heavy-duty tractor unit. It was built between 1957 and 1970.Its compact power, angular appearance and fat wheels make the Tatra 813 an almost unforgettable sight. That's why we're showing it from two sides here. The 8x8 chassis with the Tatra-typical negative camber made the heavy tractor unit an all-rounder off-road, even when towing heavy equipment. The type 813 was also available as a two- and three-axle model. It was built from 1967 to 1982.A MAN F 2000 was also in attendance, a model that was available from 1994 onwards, meaning that the popular western truck fitted into the time span of at least 30 years specified by the organizers, which had to have passed since the model was introduced.And an American also came to Hartmannsdorf. The robust Dodge M 37 was built around 115,000 times between 1951 and 1968, including the M 37 B1, which was improved in design from 1958. Its successor in the US Army was the M 715 from Kaiser Jeep, which was considered underpowered and vulnerable.The Russian KamAZ 4310 is a three-axle all-wheel drive truck from Russian production. It was built from 1981 to 1995 by KamAZ (Kamskiy Avtomobilnyy Zavod) in Naberezhnye Chelny, mainly for the military. The exact production number of the KamAZ-4310 is not publicly documented, but the model was produced in large numbers and was one of the most important military trucks in the Soviet Union and Russia.The impressive fleet of Christian Priebs KG, formerly Bruno Priebs KG, was a shining example of independence and individuality in the composition of the fleet, including Volvo and Scania trucks, even during the GDR era. In Hartmannsdorf, for example, the Priebs crew 2025 appeared with this Volvo F 89, which was built from 1970 to 1977.Finally, two smaller examples of commercial vehicles from GDR production: the Multicar M 25 with a payload of two tons, the successor to the M 24 model, was produced from 1978 onwards at the VEB Fahrzeugwerk Waltershausen. Externally, it differed from its predecessor mainly in that the windshield was lowered further down. The Multicar M 26 followed in 1992 with a new front design featuring a plastic grille-like part.Less well known than the Multicar is the Wartburg 1.3 Trans pickup, which was offered from 1988 to 1991 as the successor to the Wartburg 353 Trans. Around 920 vehicles of the 1.3 Trans type are said to have left the Eisenach plant before production of Wartburg cars was discontinued.
If you are planning to visit the Saxon Commercial Vehicle Museum in Hartmannsdorf or next year's meeting, you will find it a short distance from the A72 freeway. Take exit 19 to Hartmannsdorf and follow the S 242 road for about two kilometers in the direction of Hartmannsdorf/Burgstädt. The museum is located at the third set of traffic lights on the left-hand side. Here are the opening hours:
Tuesday to Friday 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Saturday 10.00 to 16.00 (last admission 30 minutes before closing time), and by appointment (03722/92544). The museum is closed on Sundays and public holidays
For more information you can visit the museum’s carefully designed website.
