I just spotted the BMW symbol on one of the cars in our parking lot. As a professional photographer I always (almost) have a camera with me, so I took a picture of it. Then I started thinking abut the company itself. It is interesting to see how this brand become the symbol of wealth and status; while we may be shocked if we dig deep into the car manufacturer’s history.
It is interesting that the company had nothing to do with car manufacturing at the beginning. The circular blue and white BMW logo symbolizes the movement of an aircraft propeller; the white blades cutting through the blue sky. Initially the company specialized in airplane engines. To be specific, they specialized among others, in manufacturing fighter airplane engines.
After World War I, BMW was forced to cease aircraft (engine) production by the terms of the Versailles Armistice Treaty. The company consequently shifted to motorcycle production in 1923 once the restrictions of the treaty started to be lifted, followed by automobiles in 1928-29. With German rearmament in the 1930s, the company again began producing aircraft engines for the Luftwaffe. The theory is further strengthened with the statement that the image has its origins in World War I in which the Bavarian Luftwaffe flew planes painted in blue and white. It also reflects the origins of BMW as a military aircraft engine maker during WWI and the belief that BMW started as an aero engine manufacturer. According to the company’s journal, “BMW Werkzeitschrift” (1942), the BMW logo emerged when a BMW engineer was testing the company’s first 320 bhp engine. He admired the reflection of the shining disc of the rotating propeller that radiated like an aura of two silver cones. In between the two cones, the blue from the sky shined that made the ‘rotating propeller into four areas of color – silver and blue’. The engineer, who envisioned this image, also saw three letters – B M W – reflected on the propeller. Thus, the BMW logo was born.
However, according to a BMW spokesperson, the BMW logo does not symbolize a spinning propeller (although the imagery did appear in post-WWI advertisements).
Also, it is interesting that the British airplanes were engined by Rolls-Royce engines and the German fighters were powered by BMW engines. We can lok at it tha way that BMW “competed” with Rollse Royce in the WWII. As we know BMW lost. However, 60 years after BMW took over Rolls-Royce and acquired it in a peaceful business transaction. Today, Rolls-Royce is owned by BMW.
As you can imagine, after WWII the world wasn’t keen on BMW further manufacturing airplane engines and also the manufacturing facilities were in ruin. As a result, BMW has changed its “product line” manufacturing to motorcycles and cars.
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