Sunday 2nd May 1948

Wilhelm von Opel (76) died in Wiesbaden, Germany. Known as Wilhelm Opel before being granted nobility in 1917, he was one of the founding figures of the German automobile manufacturer Opel. He may be best know for introducing the assembly line to the German automobile industry. His father Adam Opel had founded the Opel firm as a manufacturer of sewing machines and later expanded into bicycle manufacturing. Upon Adam’s death control of the company passed to his five sons. In 1898, Wilhelm and his brother Fritz brought Opel into the automobile industry with the purchase of the small Lutzmann automobile factory.