The Eva Braun Car
- FORT WORTH, TX, June 12, 2007 - Of the more than 3,000 rare replicas and toy cars at
DFW Elite Toy Museum, only one is a lightning rod for controversy. The
Eva Braun Car, built by Tippco, is not only exceedingly rare, but continues to be a subject of debate among historians and car buffs alike.
"Only five of these Tippco models are known to exist worldwide, and there is so much debate about their history," explains
Ron Sturgeon, noted car collector and owner of the
DFW Elite Toy Museum. "Many historians deny such a car ever existed, but others disagree and speculate that the toy is based upon a car that
Adolf Hitler gave to his mistress."
The tin-plate replica of a
1938 Mercedes 540K is gold with a blue-green top and running boards. Tippco built it in 1942, and Sturgeon spent five years searching for it. Dubbed the
Eva Braun Car, it is valued at $12,000.
The
540K found fame and a following after being introduced in 1936 at the Berlin Motor Show, where it won drivers over with its elegant design. By using a supercharger, the
540K and its predecessor, the equally luxurious 500K, were among the very few 1930s-era passenger cars that could exceed 100 mph.
Although that part of the
540K's history is not in dispute, its role as the car that belonged to Hitler's mistress is hotly debated. To some, the simple fact that the model car is gold reinforces its authenticity; every gift that Hitler gave to
Braun was said to have been gold. But others insist that Hitler was a frugal man who preferred to keep his mistress hidden away and would never have bestowed such an opulent, highly visible gift upon her. While the debate continues over the role of this particular Mercedes 540K during the Third Reich, Sturgeon says the model car provides a fascinating glimpse into the cars of that era.
"This is a hugely controversial topic, but the fact is, the
Mercedes-Benz was the car of choice for Hitler's regime," says
Sturgeon, whose collection includes a complete set of cars that were used during Hitler's reign, including the
jet black "Fuehrer wagon" and a beige Staff Car. Tippco made all of the models, which are rarely seen because most were destroyed after World War II.
Even without its controversial lineage, the collection of tin-plate models is fascinating. Intricately detailed, the cars all are in museum-quality condition. In some cases, the boxes that the cars came in are worth more than the cars themselves - and they are also on display at the
DFW Elite Toy Museum.
"This is a dark part of history that nobody wants to talk about," Sturgeon says. "It's rare to see any of these cars, but to see them all together in a single collection is absolutely unheard of. You aren't going to see these
vintage German toys anywhere else."
The
DFW Elite Toy Museum is located inside
DFW Elite Auto Rental at 5940 Eden in
Fort Worth. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, with weekend hours by appointment. In Fort Worth, call 817.838. RENT (7368); in
Dallas call 214.247.4700. For more information, visit them online at
www.DFWEliteAutoRental.com.
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