Volkswagen Beetle - mug

Ceramic Mug – The Beetle

Mug capacity: 330 ml

Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle, known in its home country as the "Käfer" (beetle), was produced from 1938 to 2003, with a final sales figure exceeding 21,500,000 units. As it was a car designed from the very beginning with the common person in mind, the versatile Volkswagen underwent a true "Beetlemania," the peak of which was observed in 1971 – production then amounted to 1,300,000 "beetles."

However, before it became one of the most beloved cars in the West and a counterculture symbol for hippies, it had to undergo many tests during its trial period in the Third Reich. It was then, when Hitler came to power in Germany, that the Volkswagen Beetle was designed by Ferdinand Porsche as a standard car for German citizens – so that everyone could afford it, that it could accommodate two adults with three children, and that it could reach a speed of 100 km/h. Hitler, a great fan of motoring, was apparently pleased with the Beetle, as the "beetle" also saw a "wartime" version for times when gasoline was difficult to obtain – the car was then powered by wood gas. Such a version of the Beetle was used by the Third Reich elite in the 1940s.

Production of the "beetle" was halted in 2003, which was caused by declining sales figures after 1971. Despite this, it remains a symbol of freedom – for millions of people, it was a universal means of transport, being a worthy companion during the daily commute to work or during summer trips to the farthest corners of Europe.

The drawing was created by Wrocław artist Paweł Grabowski.