1919 was a historic year for automotive Europe. It was this year that the first production car came out of the gates of the Paris plant, on the Javel embankment — Citroen model «A»
1919 was a historic year for automotive Europe. It was this year that the first production car came out of the gates of the Paris factory on the Javel embankment — Citroen model «A». Meanwhile, industrial France, what is France, practically all of Europe has long known products manufactured under the trademark of two inverted V letters. Even then, few people remembered that this is how helicoidal gears look like. For everyone, this logo was associated exclusively with the name of Andre Citroen.
Andre Citroen was born in 1878 in the family of a rather successful entrepreneur. But when the future automaker was six years old, his father, co-owner of a large gem-cutting company, committed suicide. However, the fortune left by his father allowed Citroen to graduate from the Polytechnic Institute, after which he began working at the company of his friends for the production of parts for steam locomotives. In 1905, he becomes a full partner of this production. In 1990 Andre visits Poland. Here was a small factory owned by relatives of Citroen. Among other equipment, large gears with V-shaped teeth were cast at this plant. Knowing the urgent need for such gears, Citroen decides to start their production in their homeland. A little later, the helicoidal gears produced at this enterprise became known throughout Europe. Once bought a Russian patent for the production of gears, whose gearing in the form of a chevron immediately became a brand, brought Citroen not only huge profits, but also wide popularity. By the way, a Car locksmith Citroen is available on the pages of a specialized site.
The name of the young entrepreneur became almost a legend, and already in 1908 Andre came to the Mors automobile plant as an anti-crisis director — the business of the enterprise immediately began to go uphill.
The First World War was another leap in the career of a young specialist. Lieutenant of the 2nd Heavy Artillery Regiment IV of the French Army Andre Citroen was on the Argonne section of the front line. With his own eyes, he saw how one after another choked attempts to go on the offensive. The reason for this was the catastrophic shortage of ammunition. In January 1915, General Louis Baquet, head of artillery at the French Ministry of Defense, received a letter signed by Artillery Captain André Citroën. The general could not believe his eyes. André Citroën undertook to build and equip a plant for the production of 75-mm shrapnel shells within four months. These were shells of the most demanded caliber at the front.
In the shortest possible time, an enterprise is growing on the banks of the Seine, producing more ammunition than all other enterprises combined.
The cannonade of the First World War has not yet subsided, and Citroen is already passionate about the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating its own car. The huge finances earned in the war make it possible to attract the most highly qualified personnel to this project. In 1912, he visited the Ford factories and got acquainted with the conveyor organization of labor. In January 1919, announcements appeared in all the newspapers in France about the imminent appearance on the market of a completely new car at a price of only 7250 francs. No manufacturer could offer such a low price then.