Dux (automobile manufacturer)

Dux-Automobil-Werke AG
legal form	Corporation
founding	September 19, 1916
resolution	1926
Reason for dissolution	Acquisition by the Presto works
Seat	Wahren - Leipzig , Germany
Branch	Motor vehicle manufacturer

The listed, now decaying former administration building of the Dux-Automobil-Werke Linkelstraße 59, formerly Bahnhofstraße, in Leipzig-Wahren in May 2016

Dux is the name of a former automobile and commercial vehicle manufacturer from Wahren (district of Leipzig from 1922 ) and the type name of the cars and trucks manufactured there from 1909 to 1926.

Surname

The name Dux comes from Latin, as it was often used by companies back then:

• Dixi 1904 lat .: "I have spoken"
• Audi 1910 lat .: "listening" = Horch
• Dux 1916 lat .: "leader", "leader"

history

Polyphonic musical works

Polymobile from 1903

Polymobile from 1904

Advert from 1904

In 1889 Gustav Brachhausen (1860–1943) and Ernst Paul Rießner (1859–1947) opened a company for the manufacture of mechanical musical apparatus in Eutritzsch ( Leipzig ) not far from their former employer under the name Brachhausen & Rießner mechanical music works . They both previously worked at the Symphonion Musikwerke Leipzig, also known as the Lochmannscher Musikwerke factory. 1893 moved in truth in Bahnhofstrasse 61 directly at the station True a new building. On April 1, 1895, the polyphonic music works were created there as a successor . The sole director was Ernst Paul Riessner, since Gustav Brachhausen went to the United States of America in 1892 . The products ( jukeboxes , music boxes , orchestrions , records , etc.) quickly achieved world fame, Polyphon, Symphonion and the Regina company, founded by Brachhausen in America in 1892, were the three global market leaders.

In order to open up new areas of business, license production of the Polymobil “Gazelle” began in 1904 based on the Curved Dash Oldsmobile Runabout from Oldsmobile . Other licensees for this vehicle in Europe were: Dux Fahrradwerke (Moscow), Deutsche Ultramobil Berlin, later the Eisenach vehicle factory , the Excelsior Wollishofen motor vehicle factory (Switzerland) and the Adams-Hewitt factory in Bedford (Great Britain). They already had a lot of experience with precision mechanical processes, since in addition to jukeboxes, B. typewriters have also been manufactured since 1903 . The Polymobil was built under the direction of Franz Starkloph, who previously worked for Adler Fahrradwerke Frankfurt am Main . In 1908 Gustav Schürmann (1872–1962) came as head of the automotive department and designer from the Eisenach vehicle factory, where he was the responsible technician for the “ Dixi ”. Schürmann's own designs have now been created in Leipzig. Franz Starkloph switched to the Protos automobile plant. From 1909 the new E12 models were sold under the name Dux , but continued to be sold under the name “Polyphon Musikwerke, Automobilbau”. It is interesting that the Dux-Fahrradwerke Moscow sold the replica of the Oldsmobile Curved Dash under the name Dux (Duks) as early as 1904–1908. After the E12, the D12 and G21 appeared a year later. From 1912, the vehicles received the oval radiator. The models F6, K24 and G10 were added, but differed only insignificantly from one another.

Dux-Automobil-Werke AG, German automobile group, end of the Dux brand in 1926

Business was very successful, so that on September 19, 1916, Dux-Automobil-Werke AG was founded as an independent company. The initial capital was 1.5 million marks . The chairman of the supervisory board was Kommerzienrat J. S. Tobias, the deputy chairman Gustav Stresemann (1878-1929). Gustav Schürmann, who had been on the board of Polyphon since 1908, was also appointed to the board of Dux. In addition to the polyphonic music works, a new building was built on the property at Bahnhofstrasse 59. The building plans came from Leipzig architect Max Fricke (1874–1934). Later even the buildings of the neighboring Polyphon Musikwerke were used for the production of cars . Cars and commercial vehicles (for payloads between 1.5 t and 5 t) were produced in the plant; All parts, except for the radiator, magnet and carburetor , could be made by yourself. The cars and trucks were initially also with the developed Schürmann rows - four-cylinder engines fitted, just the Dux Type R was awarded a 1923 series six-cylinder . During the First World War , the proportion of trucks produced increased due to the increased demand, and the 3-ton truck designed by Schürmann was subsidized and purchased by the Army Administration.

In the economically difficult phase after the First World War, the merger with Presto , Magirus and Vomag to form the German automobile group (DAK) took place in 1918/1919 . Dux and Presto produced the car models within the group, whereby Dux should appeal to the upper class of buyers. The types R and S produced belonged to the luxury class, but were very difficult to sell despite their good quality. The reason for this was, in addition to the high price, the outdated technology; Dux also failed to offer smaller models for a broader group of buyers and so failed due to an incorrect model policy. Finally, in 1926, the Presto works in Chemnitz bought Dux-Automobil-Werke AG and the Dux brand disappeared.

NAG commercial vehicle plant, Büssing-NAG until 1945

The Neue Automobil Gesellschaft (NAG - from 1915 National Automobile Society ), founded in 1901, took over Presto in 1928 and with it its Leipzig plant. Trucks up to 1.5 t buses for up to 26 people, three-axle trucks up to 2.5 t and three-axle buses were now manufactured in Wahren . In 1930, NAG and Büssing founded a joint venture with the name Büssing-NAG Vereinigte Nutzkraftwagenwerke AG . Presto came to Auto Union as a car manufacturer in 1934 , while the former Dux plant remained with Büssing-NAG. The trucks built there were sold under the Büssing-NAG brand. The technical director was still Gustav Schürmann.

Before and during the Second World War, the Büssing-NAG factory in Leipzig built engines and chassis for armored reconnaissance vehicles ( Sd.Kfz. 231 / type GS, from 1943 Sd.Kfz. 234 / type ARK). In 1945 the plant was dismantled at the instigation of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany (SMAD) , and a truck repair shop for the Soviet Army was built in the buildings instead. The buildings have been empty and dilapidated since 1991.

Models (1904–1927)

Type	Construction period	cylinder	Displacement	power	Vmax	transmission	Weight	price
Polymobil Gazelle (6/10 HP)	1904-1908	1 (stern)	1563 cc	10 HP (7.4 kW)	045 km / h	2 forward gears and reverse	0520 kg	03,000 marks
Polymobil type P5 (6/10 HP)	1907/1908	2 row	1356 cc	10-12 PS (7.4-8.8 kW)	045 km / h	3-speed	0580 kg	04,200 marks
Polymobil type P10 (10/20 HP)	1907/1908	4 row	2712 cc	20 hp (14.7 kW)
Dux type E12 (6/12 HP)	1909-1913	4 row	1546 cc	18 hp (13.2 kW)	055 km / h	3-speed	0850 kg
Dux type D12 (6/16 hp)	1910-1912	4 row	1546 cc	18 hp (13.2 kW)	060 km / h	3-speed	0950 kg
Dux type G21 (8/22 hp)	1910-1913	4 row	2038 cc	21 hp (15.4 kW)	070 km / h	4-speed	1050 kg
Dux type F6 (6/18 hp)	1912-1920	4 row	1546 cc	18 hp (13.2 kW)	070 km / h	3-speed	0970 kg	06,750 marks
Dux type K24 (9/24 HP)	1912-1918	4 row	2125 cc	24–28 PS (19.1–20.6 kW)	080 km / h	4-speed	1025 kg	08,500 marks
Dux type G10 (10/30 hp)	1912-1918	4 row	2597 cc	30 HP (22 kW)	080 km / h	4-speed	1225 kg	09,900 marks
Dux type S (17/50 hp)	1920-1924	4 row	4396 cc	50 HP (37 kW)	100 km / h	4-speed	1720 kg	13,200 RM
Dux type R (17/70 hp)	1924-1926	6 row	4433 cc	70 hp (44 kW)	110 km / h	4-speed	1850 kg	22,000 RM

The different versions of the D 12 and K24 models

• D12

  Double Phaeton with closed driver's seat

  Double Phaeton torpedo shape

  Landaulet with closed driver's seat

  Limousine (then written "Limusine")

  Business delivery truck

• K24

  Double Phaeton torpedo shape

  Double Phaeton with hood "Janko"

  Double Phaeton torpedo shape with "Janko" top

  Landaulet

  Limousine (then written "Limusine")

• 

  Polymobil 2 with open top, born in 1907/1908

• 

  Dux D12 Limusine, born 1911

• 

  Dux D12 double Phaeton torpedo shape, born 1911

• 

  Dux K24 double Phaeton with open top, born in 1911

• 

  Dux K24 Landaulet, born 1911

Truck production

Types and load capacity of the trucks produced:

• LT ALZOIC1000-1500 kg
• LI ALZOTK0000–2000 kg
• LO ALZTIK0000–3000 kg
• LK ALZTOI0000–3000 kg
• ALZ LKTIO4000-5000 kg

equipment

The following tools , accessories and spare parts were included:

2 Pneumatic tire levers, 1 air pump , 1 repair case for pneumatics, 1 Hammer , 1 Kombinationszange , 1 screwdriver , 1  monkey wrench , 1  bit , 1 by shock, 1  Half-round file , each 1 Fasson key 1/4: 5/16, 3/8: 4 / 16 and 1/2: 5/8, 2 special keys, 1 hub cap key, 1 key for magnet apparatus, 1 socket wrench for spark plug , 2  funnels with sieve , 1 spray can each for oil , kerosene and petrol , 1  inlet valve spring , 1 outlet valve spring , 1  each Assortment of nuts, split pins and washers, 1 wheel puller for rear wheels, 1 jack , 1 hose horn  with ball, detailed description of treatment, oiling and commissioning of the car as well as treatment of the magnet apparatus, 1 socket wrench each for axle nuts and cylinder, 1 valve plug wrench, 1 number of conical pins

Races

Winner of the Sachsenfahrt 1924 Mr. Kaul on Dux

The races and races were driven with series vehicles, but also with specially built vehicles:

• 1909 International tour trip to Eisenach (Schürmann) 1645 km: 3rd prize
• 1910 Prinz-Heinrich-Fahrt (Schürmann with K24) 2000 km: the only touring car free of penalty points
• 1910 Martial balloon tracking Halle / Saale (from Nostitz-Wallwitz): 1st prize
• 1910 Reliability drive in a D12 production vehicle: Gold medal
• 1911 Rally to Naumburg (Wenzel jr.): 1st prize
• 1911 Rally to Chemnitz (Bender): 1st prize
• 1911 Rally to Auerbach / Vogtl. (Feiler): Special price
• 1911 Rally to Auerbach / Vogtl. (Schröder): 2nd prize
• 1911 Rally to Eisenach (Wenzel jr.): 1st prize
• 1912 price tour to Frankfurt am Main (Schürmann): 4th price
• 1912 Reliability drive in a production vehicle: large gold medal
• 1913 Völkerschlacht anniversary trip (Schürmann with Dux F6): 1st prize
• 1924 ADAC -Sachsenfahrt (Kaul): 1st prize

literature

• Werner Oswald : German Cars Volume 2 - 1920-1945 . 2nd new edition, Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-613-02170-6 .
• Polyphon-Werke Akt. Ges. Wahren-Leipzig - Catalog "Dux" approx. 1912.
• One name and the polyphony . Festschrift: Hundert Jahre Polyphon 1895–1995, Polyphon GmbH, Hamburg 1995.
• hobby, the magazine of technology, issue 12, December 1957; EHAPA-Verlag, Stuttgart.
• Polymobil Latest German motor vehicle, reprint of a brochure by Archiv-Verlag, Braunschweig, with accompanying text.
• Automobil und Motorrad Chronik , Issue 10, October 1973; Schrader et al. Partner GmbH, Munich.
• Gustav Schürmann, Leipzig May 1, 1933 by Dr. Walter Lange.
• Hans-Heinrich von Fersen: Cars in Germany 1885–1920 . 1st edition, Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1965.
• Hans Heinrich von Fersen: Cars in Germany 1920–1939 . 3rd edition, Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1967.
• Kulturstiftung Leipzig (publisher): LEIPZIG AUTOMOBIL history, business and passion . Passage publishing house. Leipzig 2020, ISBN 978-3-95415-092-2

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://mfm.uni-leipzig.de/hsm/detail.php?id=6
2. ↑ http://www.polyphon.de/index.php?seite=unternehmen&unterseite=history
3. ↑ http://mfm.uni-leipzig.de/hsm/detail.php?id=70
4. ^ Hans-Heinrich von Fersen: Cars in Germany 1885–1920 . 1st edition, Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1965, p. 319
5. ↑ «Дуксмобиль» ( Memento from July 16, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
6. ↑ Zeitschrift für Instrumentenbau , 37th year 1916/1917, p. 11.
7. ↑ https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/sfz117023.html#ndbcontent
8. ^ Haila Ochs: Adolf Fritz Kaldenbach (1887–1918). An architect has to be an artist with passion ... VDG, Weimar 1995, ISBN 978-3-929742-67-1 , pp. 171–174.

See also

• List of automobile brands
• List of commercial vehicle manufacturers

Web links

Commons : Dux vehicles  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Commons : Polymobil vehicles  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• www.traumautoarchiv.de

Coordinates: 51 ° 22 ′ 42.3 "  N , 12 ° 19 ′ 23.6"  E