STANDARD
SUPERIOR
A little-known "people's car" project from the early 1930s. Developed using patents associated with Jewish engineer Josef Ganz, and later brought back into public view through research and restoration.
The Engineer History Overlooked
"I built the car for the people, but the people were not allowed to know my name."
Josef Ganz pictured with his Standard Superior in Zurich
A Key Pioneer of the "People's Car" Idea
In the early 1930s, Jewish engineer and motoring journalist Josef Ganz promoted a lightweight, rear-engined small-car concept that he nicknamed "Maikäfer" ("May Bug"). His goal was a simple, affordable car — an idea discussed by several engineers in Europe at the time.
In 1932, Standard Fahrzeugfabrik (led by Wilhelm Gutbrod) worked with Ganz's ideas and patents toward a small "Volkswagen" (people's car). The resulting Standard Superior was shown publicly in 1933 and produced in small numbers through 1935.
Under Nazi rule, Ganz was arrested in 1933 and faced escalating persecution; by 1934 he left Germany. Later narratives around the KdF-Wagen/Volkswagen emphasized other figures, and Ganz's role became far less visible in popular history.
The Extraordinary Life of Josef Ganz
By Paul Schilperoord
A biography of Josef Ganz, a German-Jewish engineer and journalist who promoted a radical small-car layout in the early 1930s, including the 1931 "Maikäfer" prototype. The book argues that several later "Volkswagen" design choices echoed themes Ganz championed before the Nazi-era KdF project began.
The biography and related research describe Ganz's persecution, imprisonment, and exile, and contend that his technical concepts were influential in the broader "people's car" movement of the era.
CHALLENGING THE GIANTS
Josef Ganz stands between a Mercedes-Benz and an Adler, symbolizing his central position in challenging Germany's established automotive giants with his radically simplified, lightweight small-car concept — an approach that defied prevailing engineering conventions of the early 1930s.
STANDARD SUPERIOR
The Standard Superior evolved through early versions in 1933; contemporary materials described it as an especially affordable German "Volkswagen" (people's car).
- Engine 396cc two-cylinder two-stroke
- Placement Rear (ahead of rear axle)
- Chassis Central tubular backbone
- Suspension Independent swing axles
- Price 1,590 Reichsmark
Standard Superior Type 2 (chassis 50331) in original unrestored condition.
Original Warranty Certificate
The original Garantieschein (warranty certificate) issued by Standard Fahrzeugfabrik GmbH, dated 22 December 1933.
- Document Garantieschein (Warranty)
- Issued 22 December 1933
- Manufacturer Standard Fahrzeugfabrik GmbH
The Backbone Chassis
Like Ganz's earlier small-car concepts, the Standard Superior used a central tubular chassis and independent suspension — an advanced approach compared with traditional ladder frames in many contemporaries.
"Whatever may be the future development of this type of car in Germany, without doubt the Hitler government will be responsible for its popularization."
Symphony for a Visionary
In May 2022, the Casino Bern hosted a concert honoring Josef Ganz. The Bern Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Wayne Marshall, performed with Philipp Fankhauser and Sebastian Schwab in a program inspired by Ganz's life and legacy.
For the occasion, a restored Standard Superior was displayed in the Casino Bern entrance hall.
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GANZ:
How I Lost My Beetle
A documentary directed by award-winning director Suzanne Raes exploring Ganz's life, his pioneering small-car ideas, and how his role gradually faded from the popular Volkswagen origin story. Through rare archival material, expert analysis, and interviews with surviving relatives, the film brings the person Josef Ganz vividly back to life while also following the modern rediscovery and restoration journeys led by Paul Schilperoord and Lorenz Schmid, showing how historical research and hands-on engineering together revived both the man's story and his machine.
The Restoration Project
The Standard Superior Type 2 was located by Paul Schilperoord and Lorenz Schmid and restored with an emphasis on preserving original elements wherever possible, including correct period construction methods, authentic materials, and historically accurate finishes true to the car's 1933 factory specification.
Type 1 & Type 2 Side by Side
On the left, a Standard Superior Type 1 receiving a rebuilt body. On the right, the Type 2 served as the reference example to guide reconstruction.
Restored Chassis
The restored Standard Superior Type 2 chassis, bringing the 1933 design back into running condition.
Behind the Scenes
Work on the car during filming for GANZ: How I Lost My Beetle.
The Circle Completed
"In 2021, Josef Ganz's relative Lorenz Schmid recreated a well-known Zurich photograph, linking past and present."
From Workshop to World Stage
The goal: bring the Standard Superior Type 2 into striking public settings — helping audiences connect early small-car history with the places Ganz lived and worked.
The Standard Superior Type 2 at the grand entrance of Casino Bern.
On display at Beyer Chronometrie on Bahnhofstrasse in Zürich.
The Standard Superior Type 2 at the Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus) in Lucerne.
Driving through the streets of Zurich, returning the car to the city where Ganz worked.
A view from the cockpit: The Standard Superior navigating modern city traffic in Lucerne.
Behind the wheel of the 1933 Standard Superior — still on the road after 90+ years.
René Beyer of Beyer Chronometrie Zürich (front) and Lorenz Schmid, great-grandnephew of Josef Ganz, with the restored Standard Superior.
Discover the Wider History
This tribute is one chapter in a larger story. Author Paul Schilperoord and descendant Lorenz Schmid have worked to document Ganz's contributions and preserve surviving cars and archival material. Visit the archive, explore the sources, and follow the ongoing research.
Sources & Verification
All information on this site is based on documented historical sources referenced in Paul Schilperoord's research on Josef Ganz. These sources are cited in his book The Extraordinary Life of Josef Ganz: The Jewish Engineer Behind Hitler's Volkswagen. You can find those citations and patents on credibility.josefganz.org. Work is underway to make the archive of collected documents publicly available.
© 2026 Tribute to Josef Ganz. Content courtesy of JosefGanz.org.