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The root of VOMAG goes back to a knitting machine company which was founded by Johann Conrad Dietrich and Paul Hermann Dietrich as Strickmaschinenfabrik J.C. & H. Dietrich in Plauen in 1881. In 1895, it was converted to Vogtländische Maschinenfabrik (vorm. J.C. & H. Dietrich) AG. Until World War I, VOMAG became the world’s leading company for knitting machines. Beginning in 1915, VOMAG manufactured the Regeldreitonner lorry. More than 1,000 exemplars were manufactured until the end of war. The lorry production was continued after World War I. The first omnibuses were developed in this time, too. Due to the world economic crisis, bankrupt had to be announced in 1932. But the company was absorbed in the VOMAG-Betriebs AG in 1933. Because VOMAG continued series production for a longer time, sales figures stagnated compared to companies which worked with assembly lines. Nonetheless, vehicles made by VOMAG – especially in the 6.5 ton and higher payload classes – were appreciated for their high quality, reliability and durability. Beginning in 1938, it was traded under the name VOMAG-Maschinenfabrik AG. Now, assembly lines were introduced step by step. Lorries were made until 1943, at last exclusively with wood-gas generators. In the last year of war, the Jagdpanzer IV (V) was manufactured. Plauen and VOMAG were heavily damaged by a bombing raid in March 1945. After the war, VOMAG – as the only German automobile manufacturer - was totally crushed by the Allies. Even the production sites were totally razed!
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