CURRICULUM VITAE
Erwin Komenda (April 6, 1904 - August 22, 1966)
Nationality: Austria
Place of residence: Stuttgart (D) and Weyer /Enns (Upper Austria)
Place of birth: Jauern at the Semmering (Austria)
Parents: Franz Komenda (machinist in Weyer) and Leopoldine Komenda, born Wipplinger (upper classes)
Married to Auguste Komenda, born Hauptmann, since 1920
2 children: Ingrid Komenda-Steineck and Erwin Komenda
-Elementary school in Weyer
-Citizen school in Steyr
-1916 -1920: Four year technical college for iron processing in Steyr
-1920: Car construction course with Josef Feldwabel in the trade technological museum Vienna, XX district
Profession:
1920 -1926: Car bodywork factory in Vienna XX, construction designer
1927 -1929: Steyrer factory, Upper-Austria: Komendas area of responsibility extended from the construction office up to the manufacturing facilities. In Steyr Erwin Komenda came up with the idea of a streamlined small car with rear motor drive. He worked in Steyr with Bela Barenyi and Ferdinand Porsche who was the technical director for Steyrer. Other teammates at Steyrer were Josef Zahradnik, Karl Fröhlich, Karl Wilfert and Josef Kales. Komenda was so innovative that he was promoted to the chief designer of the German Daimler-Benz AG in Sindelfingen. His development project at that time was the Steyr type XXX that got 300 kg lighter than its predecessors by a new Komenda design.
1929 -1931: Chief designer for the test and development department of the Mercedes-Daimler-Benz AG in Stuttgart/Sindelfingen.
1931 -1966: Chief designer and head of the bodywork construction department at the Porsche construction office. Responsible for calculation and development technology.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENTS
Swimming car’ and the ‘bucket car’ (kübelwagen) (World War II military craft)
Porsche 356:1946 Komente signed in Gmünd first ideas to the Porsche 356, later Komenda developed the 356-Variantes and Speedster (American Roadster)
Porsche 904: Designed car body material. The vehicle body was made of metal reinforced synthetic resin.
Porsche 911: Leader of the car body development department.
Inventor of the 911 body construction (self-supporting vehicle body).
Komenda also developed the Targa security bow.
Komenda was a man who thought technically but brought forth artistic creations. Over 100 patent applications show his progressive work. Komenda was an active worker up to his early death in 1966. His life's work ended with the development of the great Porsche 911 - with the Porsche 911 Porsche has achieved strong sales for the last forty years.