Mercedes Benz 1945

March: The Mannheim plant is the first Daimler-Benz plant to be occupied by American troops.
April: The Gaggenau plant is occupied by French troops. The Untertürkheim plant is shut down and occupied by French troops three days later. On 8 July it is handed over to the American forces. The Berlin-Marienfelde plant is occupied by Red Army troops. Any machines still in the factory are dismantled and confiscated.
May: The Untertürkheim plant is provisionally reopened. 1240 blue and white-collar employees begin reconstruction work.
June: The largely destroyed Berlin-Marienfelde plant is placed under trusteeship. It begins preparations for the production of potato hoes, handcarts and carriers for bicycles.
June: Production of the L 701 3 ton truck (the Opel "Blitz" under license) restarts at Mannheim plant, manufacture of which had commenced just prior to the bombing raids.
August: The American military government instructs Dr. Haspel to prepare for production of sedan car models.
August: Production of the L 4500 truck restarts in Gaggenau (total production in 1945: 290 units).
October 26: On the instructions of the American military government, Wilhelm Haspel is dismissed as Chairman of the Board.
November: Daimler-Benz is granted permission by the Allies to produce the Mercedes-Benz 170 V (W 136 I) in pickup, van and ambulance versions. In the Untertürkheim plant a repair workshop for American military vehicles is set up.