Trabant

The humble yet charming Trabant first hit the roads in 1957, straight from the factory in East German Zwickau. Its exotically sounding name (in its historical German form meaning "companion" or "satellite") refers to the Soviet satellite Sputnik 1, which was launched into Earth orbit in 1957. Nevertheless, Sputnik did not contribute to improving the quality of life of ordinary citizens of the Eastern Bloc as much as the Trabant did. Thanks to it, the GDR was the most motorized of the communist countries.

The body of the Trabant, also known as the "cardboard Ford," was made of duroplast, a plastic resistant to corrosion and crushing, while its design referenced Western cars, such as those seen in American films. No wonder then that in People's Republic of Poland it competed with the Syrena and later with the Fiat 126p. The Trabant kept up with the times and gained new features; for example, in 1968 its engine was strengthened to 26 hp. Nevertheless, in most cases, the GDR government rejected significant modifications due to the lack of necessary materials.

The Trabant was also intended for export - to other Eastern European countries, and also to Egypt. Trabants were also sent to Western Europe, but its two-stroke engine became obsolete in the 1970s, which limited its trips to Western neighbors. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Trabant could no longer compete with Western car models, which performed better in every respect. The last Trabi rolled off the assembly line in 1990.

The author of the drawing is Wrocław artist Paweł Grabowski.