History of the BMW

The company with itīs base in Munich, the capital of Bavaria was from the start tightly connected with the Bavarian region.
In year 1913, Karl Rapp founded a company named Rapp Motorenwerke. The main engeneer of the company was Austrian engineer Franz-Josef Popp.
In year 1916 BMW formed under name Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke (BFW) - Bavarian Aircraft Works.
The next year, the company was enjoying a rapid growth caused by the World War I effort, but Karl Rapp resigned from the company. As a result, the company was renamed to BMW GmbH (Ltd.).

In year 1919 BMW got an altitude record with their BMW IV six cylinder engine.
After the Versailles peace treaty, the company being a part of defeated Germany was prohibited aircraft production. The company went on to produce air brakes for railway cars.

BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke / Bavarian Motor Works) was established in 1922 as a public company (AG/Inc.).
This is the official date the company refers to. The history of the company is somewhat overcast by a slavery that was going on by the founders.

BMW AG began producing different types of engines and wide variaty of products. The first motorcycle was produced in 1923 and car production began in 1929.

BMW logo has official Bavaria colors (blue and white) and is believed to be derived from the Rapp Motorwerke logo.

BMW has also itīs world war II history, where it produced engines for aircraft power plants. By the end of the WWII BMW factories were damadged and itīs machineries were confiscated by the Allies. Again, the production was switched and the company made kitchen and garden equipment. The company was forced to rebuild from the scratch.

In year 1947 the BMW produced itīs first post-war motorcycle R24. It was a huge success not only in Germany, but until 1950 BMW began exporting 18% of itīt production.