August Horch
An automotive pioneer who founded two major car companies, Audi and Horch, after a dramatic split from his own first venture.
1868–1951 (age 83)·German automobile engineer, founder of Audi·Birthday: October 12·The Gilded Age
Biography
August Horch was a man who built cars, and when that didn't work out, he simply built a new company—twice. A trained engineer, he worked for Karl Benz before striking out on his own in 1899 to found A. Horch & Cie. His cars were innovative and successful in motorsport, but disagreements with his board led to his forced departure in 1909. Undeterred, he started another company right across town. Legal challenges over the use of his own name forced him to find a new one; he translated 'Horch' (which means 'hark' or 'listen' in German) into Latin, creating 'Audi.' The four-ring logo of the Auto Union conglomerate, formed decades later, symbolized the marriage of Audi with Horch and two other brands, DKW and Wanderer, ironically reuniting August Horch with his original company under a single emblem. His technical prowess and relentless drive helped lay the foundation for Germany's luxury automotive industry.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
August was born in 1868, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When August Was Born
The biggest hits of 1868
August's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1868Born
President: Andrew Johnson
1873Started school
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1881Became a teenager
President: Chester A. Arthur
1884Could drive
President: Chester A. Arthur
1886Could vote
Statue of Liberty dedicated in New York Harbor
President: Grover Cleveland
1889Turned 21
Eiffel Tower opens in Paris
President: Benjamin Harrison
1898Turned 30
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1908Turned 40
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1918Turned 50
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1928Turned 60
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1938Turned 70
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1948Turned 80
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1951Died at 83
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
Key Achievements
- Founded the automobile manufacturing company A. Horch & Cie. in 1899, which produced luxury vehicles.
- Founded his second company, Audi Automobilwerke GmbH, in 1910, after leaving the Horch firm.
- His engineering work contributed to early advancements in automotive design and racing success.
- The Audi brand name, derived from the Latin translation of his surname, remains a major global automaker.
Did You Know?
The iconic four-ring logo of Audi represents the 1932 merger of four companies: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer.
He served as a board member for the Auto Union conglomerate, which included both Audi and his original Horch company.
Before starting his own companies, Horch was head of automobile production at Karl Benz's firm.
“I build motor cars, and I will continue to do so under any name.”
