Wednesday 10th June 1903
The original Mercedes Seelberg-Cannstatt car plant in Germany suffered a great fire. All the machinery and 93 finished cars, a quarter of the annual production, were destroyed, together with a small museum with historical items like Daimler-Maybach’s first ever motorcycle. The displaced workers received haven-salaries and additional bread rations. Neighbouring companies lent workshops, allowing production to continue. DMG created a Relief Fund (one of the first worker insurance schemes) and began building separator blocks in all its plants. The following year, 1904, the whole operation moved to Untertürkheim. The last unit produced in Seelberg rolled out in the first weeks of 1905.