Hanomag

Ingeniería alemana entre dos guerras

The Hanomag company (Hannoversche Maschinenbau AG) was officially founded in 1871 in Hanover, although its industrial origins go back to 1835 with the manufacture of steam engines. Throughout the 20th century, it became one of Germany’s largest industries, first as a locomotive supplier and later as a manufacturer of civilian and military vehicles.

In the 1920s, Hanomag entered the automotive world with light, affordable models such as the Typ 2/10 PS, nicknamed Kommißbrot for its resemblance to a military bread ration. In 1938 it launched a more refined model: the Hanomag 1.3 liter, with a self-supporting body and aerodynamic design, popularly nicknamed Stahlhelm (“steel helmet”) due to the shape of its roof.

With the rise of Nazism, Hanomag became an active part of German rearmament. From 1933, its production was increasingly geared toward the war industry: it manufactured cannons, howitzers, ammunition, armored transports, and light military vehicles, many in collaboration with Stoewer and BMW, assembling more than 11,000 units of the standard Leichter Einheits-Pkw model.

During World War II, its vehicles ran on every front of the conflict, and some of its designs served as the basis for armored vehicles as famous as the Panther and the Jagdpanzer V, produced together with MNH.

After the war, Hanomag attempted to return to the civilian automobile market in 1951, but its golden era had already passed. The name Hanomag remained forever linked to industrial efficiency, austere aesthetics, and the military engineering of the 20th century

Cat and Mouse

Chapter 8

…—Is there any civilian vehicle on the base that we can use? —he asked Miller
—There’s a Hanomag and two Citroëns, they’re in the motor pool…

Did you know…?

🔹By 1936, Hanomag was already devoting more than 60% of its production to armaments, and its workforce quadrupled to reach 10,000 employees at the height of military expansion.

🔹The design of the Hanomag Kommißbrot was so peculiar that its shape served as inspiration for advertising campaigns of the time, where it was presented as a “people’s car” before the appearance of the Volkswagen.

🔹During the war, some Hanomag models were adapted as armored ambulances or command vehicles, thanks to their structural versatility.

🔹Although the brand attempted to return to the civilian market in the 1950s, in 1958 it was absorbed by Rheinstahl and later its assets became part of Mercedes-Benz, disappearing as an independent manufacturer.

🔹Today, some restored Hanomag vehicles take part in historical military gatherings in Europe and are especially valued by collectors for their rarity and robustness.