--- title: "Reconstruction, post-war era and present day" date: 2022-12-13 last_modified: 2022-12-22T12:12:50+01:00 generated_at: 2026-05-13T19:55:41Z url: "https://www.stadtmuseum.de/en/story/reconstruction-post-war-era-and-present-day" description: "The AVUS, part 2" image: "https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/avus-silberpfeile-1954.jpg" language: "en-US" --- # Reconstruction, post-war era and present day “Silver Arrows” at the AVUS, September 1954 © Bildarchiv Heinrich von der Becke in the Berlin Sports Museum ![drei Autos auf der Avus](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/hb.1.003536.341-300x216.jpg) ## The AVUS, part 2 After the German surrender in May 1945, in the first instance, it was not possible to consider a resumption of racing at the AVUS. Even here, the war had left its marks in the form of bomb craters and collapsed bridges. Instead of racing cars, military vehicles belonging to the Allied Forces, pedestrians and playing children dominated the scene in the first years. ![Drachensteigen an der Avus](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/sm_2016-95800177832-300x218.jpeg) Kite flying at the AVUS, 6th September 1950 © Stadtmuseum Berlin | Photo: Pressebilderdienst Kindermann A female work crew during construction work at the AVUS, 22nd May 1951 © Stadtmuseum Berlin | Foto: Pressebilderdienst Kindermann ![Eine weibliche Arbeitskolonne bei den Bauarbeiten an der Avus](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/sm_2016-95800214072-300x216.jpeg) Debris is used to repair damaged areas in the North Curve, July 6, 1950. © Stadtmuseum Berlin | Photo: Pressebilderdienst Kindermann ![Mit Schutt werden in der Nordkurve schadhafte Stellen ausgebessert](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/sm_2016-95800171211-300x215.jpeg) View over the North Curve from the radio tower during the races on the Avus, July 1, 1951 © Stadtmuseum Berlin | Photo: Pressebilderdienst Kindermann ![Blick über die Nordkurve vom Funkturm während der Rennen auf der Avus](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/sm_2016-95800223892-300x216.jpeg) Start of training on the Avus, June 29, 1951 © Stadtmuseum Berlin | Photo: Pressebilderdienst Kindermann ![Trainingsbeginn auf der Avus](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/sm_2016-95800223432-300x217.jpeg) Quickly soon however track repair work got under way. It was intense work at the AVUS. Work crews removed the worst war damage and made the track drivable again for racing. For material to repair the damage, rubble was used from a nearby football stadium. Indeed, they managed to repair the AVUS to the extent that by 1951 racing was once again possible on it. On 1st July 1951 the time had finally arrived: the first race after the war could begin. After many years of inactivity, more than 300,000 onlookers came to the event. ![drei Autos auf der Avus](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/hb.1.003536.341-300x216.jpg) “Silver Arrows” at the AVUS, September 1954 © Bildarchiv Heinrich von der Becke in the Berlin Sports Museum ![Das Publikum auf den Tribünen winkt den vorbeidonnernden Rennwagen zu](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/sm_2016-95801022572-e1673965828144-300x298.jpeg) Spectators on the stands wave at the racing cars as they thunder past, 2nd August 1959 © Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin | Photo: Pressebilderdienst Kindermann ### Formula 1 and transit route The heyday of post-war racing and simultaneously the beginning of the end of the AVUS as a circuit was the first and final Formula 1 race in its history. Actually, Formula 1 generally staged the "German Grand Prix” on the more challenging Nürburgring. However, in 1959, for political reasons in light of Germany’s partition, the Grand Prix demonstratively made a return to the track through the Grunewald in what was now West Berlin. Under cloudy skies, thousands of people gathered again to watch the motor racing. After several people had already lost their lives at the 1926 Grand Prix, tragedy now struck again. French driver Jean Behra lost control of his car on the banking, collided with what was once the concrete base of an anti-aircraft gun position at the edge of the curve and was killed. Three years earlier, Richard von Frankenberg had careered off the banking but fortunately survived with a concussion. Accidents were a regular occurrence at the AVUS. ![ein Rennwagen, der von der Strecke abgekommen ist und sich überschlagen hat](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/hb.3.004622.071-233x300.jpg) In the cool-down lap BMW driver Egon Binner crashed but escaped unharmed, 25 September 1953 © In the cool-down lap BMW driver Egon Binner crashed but escaped unharmed, 25 September 1953 This triggered a public debate about the suitability of the AVUS for racing, and it was not just called into question as a venue for the Grand Prix. Indeed, only smaller races subsequently took place. One reason for this was that after the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 the track increasingly gained in importance as a transit route from West Berlin to West Germany. Growth in transport saw the focus shift clearly to urban planning concerns and the AVUS as a place for racing headed towards its end. ![](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/en/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/sm_2017-02034-0530041.jpeg) The legendary steep north curve had to be removed in 1967 to make way for the new motorway junction near the Funkturm \[radio tower\] and was replaced by a shallower curve. Furthermore, the stretch of road was regularly shortened so that in 1992, it only had a length of 2.64 kilometres. Judicial disputes with local residents also led to a restriction of the annual number of races. Nevertheless, races still continued for a long time even if for smaller vehicle categories. The legendary steep north curve had to be removed in 1967 to make way for the new motorway junction near the Funkturm [radio tower] and was replaced by a shallower curve. Furthermore, the stretch of road was regularly shortened so that in 1992, it only had a length of 2.64 kilometres. Judicial disputes with local residents also led to a restriction of the annual number of races. Nevertheless, races still continued for a long time even if for smaller vehicle categories. ![Seitenwagen-Weltmeister Werner Schwärzel und Beifahrer Andreas Huber](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/hb.2.021695.181-300x218.jpg) Sidecar world champion Werner Schwärzel and pillion passenger Andreas Huber, 19 September 1983 © Bildarchiv Heinrich von der Becke in the Berlin Sports Museum The AVUS also appeared in films. Likely the most curious appearance comes from the 1985 film “Richy Guitar”, featuring a then very young and unknown band who are now very famous. “Die Ärzte” played themselves in the main roles. They gave a concert at the AVUS from a lorry, with the police in hot pursuit. ## RICHY GUITAR - Trailer (1985, Deutsch/German) [![](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Screenshot-2022-11-07-at-16.29.54-e1667835988889-300x169.png)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTfIlICIdRE&t=91s) RICHY GUITAR - Trailer (1985, Deutsch/German) © VHS Trailer Park In 1998 the era of the AVUS as a race track finally came to an end for good. However, it continues to be a living piece of Berlin’s history as a motorway and, in its new function as a venue location, the refurbished grandstand remains a visible reminder of the yesteryear of racing. ## Weitere Beiträge - [ ![Beim „Großen Preis von Deutschland“ auf der Avus winkt das Publikum den vorbeidonnernden Rennwagen zu, 2. August 1959](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/avus-grosser-preis-von-deutschland-1959-300x233.jpg) ### Die Avus Noch bis Ende der 1990er Jahre wurde die AVUS als Rennstrecke genutzt. Heute bildet sie den nördlichen Teil der Autobahn A115. Wir erzählen ihre Geschichte. Article, 2 min Lesezeit ](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/en/article/the-avus) - [ ![Die Straße überspannendes Torhaus mit zwei Durchfahrten, Turm und Dach-Aufschrift Automobil-Strasse](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/avus-noerdliches-torhaus-300x189.jpg) ### Die Avus: Beginn und „glorreiche” Zeiten Die Geschichte der ersten reinen Autostraße der Welt | Teil 1 (1921 – 1945) Short-Story, 6 min Lesezeit ](https://www.stadtmuseum.de/en/story/start-and-glory-days)