Franz-Josef Binder

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Franz-Josef Binder, Knight von Degenschild (born July 8, 1908 in Marburg an der Drau , † March 31, 1960 in Salzburg ) was an Austrian motorcycle racing driver and development engineer .

Live and act

Franz-Josef Binder went to the Netherlands after completing his training as a dental technician . In 1924 he continued his intermittent studies at the University of Birmingham . From 1928 to 1931 he lived entirely in the Netherlands. Around 1929 he started racing motorcycles as an amateur. The British brand Rudge noticed him and made him an offer to work as a works driver . He now regularly took part in track and dirt track races. After completing his studies in 1934, Binder was from December 1, 1934 to December 31, 1935 a test engineer at the English motorcycle manufacturer AJS in Wolverhampton . He developed racing and series engines. The entire 1936 worked binder for a private research center for engines to Rolls-Royce - aircraft engines Merlin I and Merlin II by this company, a 1,500-cc engine was for later. ERA developed. On January 1, 1939, he switched to Velocette as a test engineer and racing driver . He achieved all of his great successes on the motorcycles of the manufacturer from Birmingham . In addition, at Velocette he further developed the 350 cc racing engine and was involved in the redesign of the 500 cc two-cylinder racing machine.

At the beginning of his career, since he lived in the Netherlands, Binder started with a Dutch racing license. Depending on the reference work, he is therefore sometimes listed as a Dutch and sometimes as an Austrian. In the overall classification of the 350 cm³ class of the European motorcycle championship in 1938 , Binder finished third at the Dutch TT in Assen and seventh at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza . In the following year he was ninth in the European Championship in the 350 cc, with third place behind Walter Hamelehle ( Moto Guzzi ) and Ernie Thomas (Velocette) at the Grand Prix of Greater Germany at the Sachsenring as the best individual placement.

When the Second World War broke out , Binder volunteered for the Wehrmacht's air force  - initially as an engineer in pilot training and later as a pilot. Little is known about his role in the war, at the end of which he held the rank of major . In 1941 he married. In 1945 he initially worked in his new hometown of Salzburg as a liaison officer between the American occupation forces and the Salzburg government due to his knowledge of the language . At this time he met Helmut Krackowizer , who smuggled Binder's Velocette out of the Soviet zone . On October 6, 1946, Binder competed in the first Austrian post-war race in Salzburg- Nonntal . On July 6, 1947, he won the (later so-called) May 1st race near Salzburg- Liefering . Shortly after this victory, he retired from racing and worked in the oil industry in Iran .

At the end of 1959, Binder returned to Salzburg - at that time already terminally ill - where he died of his ailment at the end of March 1960. His funeral took place on April 4, 1960 in the Salzburg municipal cemetery.

Problems with the sources

Some sources claim that Binder's successes include ... including the winner of the "Grand Prix of Finland", silver in the English Tourist Trophy and he is the Dutch champion . However, he probably never won a championship title in the Netherlands. At the TT he started three times on a Velocette in the Junior class : in 1937 and 1938 he could not finish the race and in 1939 he finished 22nd, so he was never runner-up. At the Grand Prix of Finland he is also not on the list of winners - the victory at Eiläintarhanajot is probably meant. The information about his successes may therefore be incorrect and have been preserved from one article to the next by copying.

family

The great-grandfather Georg Heinrich Binder, an Austrian sergeant in the Kolowratian Infantry Regiment , held the title of Knight of Degenschild from 1747 . Binder was the brother of the castle actress Beatrix von Degenschild and an uncle of the director Michael Haneke .

Victory Statistics

(Abstract)

year class Result run machine Displacement class
1936 Road racing 1st place 3rd Lustenau road race Velocette 350 cc
1938 European motorcycle championship place 3 XIV. Dutch TT Velocette 350 cc
1938 European motorcycle championship place 3 V. Italian Grand Prix Velocette 350 cc
1939 European motorcycle championship place 3 XII. Grand Prix of Greater Germany Velocette 350 cc
1939 Helsinki 1st place Eiläintarhanajot Velocette 350 cc
1947 Grand Prix of Austria 1st place Salzburg - Liefering Velocette 350 cc

Web links and sources

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Les Champions Néerlandais. Retrieved August 2, 2016 (French).
  2. ^ Oesterreicher at the TT. motorsportstatistik.com, accessed on August 2, 2016 .
  3. ↑ Binder von Degenschild. Adelslexikon on www.coresno.com, accessed on August 3, 2016 .
  4. ↑ Michael Haneke. moviesection.de, archived from the original on August 1, 2016 ; accessed on August 1, 2016 .
  5. ^ Les grandes Courses Autrichiennes. Retrieved August 1, 2016 (French).
personal data
SURNAME Binder, Franz-Josef
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Knight of Degenschild
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian motorcycle racer
DATE OF BIRTH July 8, 1908
PLACE OF BIRTH Marburg on the Drau
DATE OF DEATH March 31, 1960
Place of death Salzburg