Wolfgang Milenkovics

Six Days 1937 Wolfgang Milenkovics

Family tomb Graz Central Cemetery

Wolfgang Milenkovics (born September 29, 1910 in Vienna ; †  May 15, 1983 in Graz ) was an Austrian racing driver.

Life and work

After his birth, Wolfgang Milenkovics moved with his mother to Graz, where he attended elementary school from 1916 to 1921, then the state high school until 1928 until he passed the Matura . In the same year he began studying mechanical engineering in Graz . In 1932, Wolfgang Milenkovics interrupted his studies when his family lost their fortune. He worked as a run-in (test driver) at Puch for the then chief designer Ing.Karl Jenschke . He also worked from 1932 to 1941 as a union director at the Austrian Magnesite Industry and Coal Union. In 1940 he continued his studies, which he completed in 1942 as a graduate engineer. Until 1945 he worked as a research engineer.

In 1949 he passed the master craftsman's examination for motor vehicle mechanics and then worked as managing director of the Kolbenkraus company . In 1953 he was appointed as a court sworn expert for motor vehicles. 1953 to 1963 Wolfgang Milenkovics moved to STAMK as secretary . In this function he was responsible for the expansion of the regional office -Technischer Prüfdienst- Graz Eggenberg and created the road patrol (yellow Puch 500).

Motorsport

From 1933 he devoted himself to his great passion, motor sports, and in the following years he competed in more than 80 races. In 1936 and 1937 Wolfgang Milenkovics received the Golden Sports Badge of Honor from STAMK and in 1939 and 1940 the German Motorsport Badge First Level. Milenkovics played a leading role in Austrian motorsport in the 1930s, but he also achieved considerable success outside of Austria. His career began in 1933 on a 250cc Puch . With only a few exceptions ( DKW and Horex ) he achieved many victories for the Puch brand up to 1955 and - it seems - had a subscription to winning gold medals. He took part six times in the Six Days and once in the Scottish Six Days Race and won two gold medals. The years from 1945 to 1947 were marked by illness and imprisonment. In 1948 Milenkovics took part in the legendary 14th Ries race in Graz with his 1937 Adler racing limousine , which was already successfully at the start in Le Mans , under the racing drivers Fritz Huschke von Hanstein and Anne Itier. With the number 99, Milenkovics won the sports car over 1100 cc class in front of 50,000 spectators .

Of all the trophies that he received from around 80 starts on various motorcycles, Milenkovics was the proudest of his gold medal, which he won at the international Six Days in England in 1949. At that time he was the only Austrian who competed as a private driver. His Puch 250TF, which had been prepared with the support of the factory, was still packed in the box and shipped to England by train.

In 1963 a serious traffic accident forced Wolfgang Milenkovics into early retirement.

Wolfgang von Milenkovics rests in the arcades of the family crypt at the Graz central cemetery.

Racing driver years 1933 to 1955

1933

• Criss-cross d. Styria, winner

1934

• Race of the St. AC, winner

1935

• Skikjöring Lassnitzhöhe, second
• Skikjöring Maria Trost, third
• Skikjöring Mureck, first
• Across Upper Styria, winner
• Mountain drive, winner
• Mountain test Hartberg, winner
• Off-road trip Judenburg, winner

1936

• Alpine lake trip, winner
• Mountain Landfahrt Winner
• Mountain test Hartberg, third
• Loiblpass race Yugoslavia, first
• Lake Constance - Balaton, winner
• 6-day trip Germany, winner
• Off-road ride Geisttal, winner

1937

• Skikjöring St. Marein, first
• Quality ride Vienna, first
• Trip to three states, winner
• Big touring CSR, winner
• Mountain test Pötschenpass, winner
• Six Days England, arrived
• Pachern Hill Climb Yugoslavia, second
• Road race in Marburg, second
• Mountain test Pöllau, winner
• Loiblpass race Yugoslavia, second
• Thernerbergrennen, second
• Balaton - Lake Constance, arrived
• Mountain test Präbichlpass, winner
• Off-road trip Knittelfeld, winner
• Motorcycle fights Graz, winner

1938

• Skikjöring St. Marein, first
• Pötschenbergrennen, first
• Mountain Landfahrt der Ostmark, winner

1948

• XIV. Ries race Graz, winner

1949

• Six Days England, winner

1955

• 10 pass trip, winner
• State test drive ARBÖ, winner
• Präbichlrennen, fourth
• East Styrian hill country trip, winner

Honors

Milenkovics received the silver medal in 1951 and the golden sports badge of the ADAC in 1954 , of which he was also a member. In 1956 he received the motorsport badge in gold with diamonds from the Styrian automobile and motor sport club. During this time he was constantly active as an organizer, stewardship, timekeeper and official in many races.