Topic: Rex Simplex trucks and Ernst Valentin

[lattey@sbcglobal.net]

This is a photo of my Great uncle Ernst Valentin at the wheel of a car in 1908 in Berlin, Germany.  Ernst Valentin was the principal engineer at the Berliner MotorWagen Fabrik or Berlin Motorcar factory. I believe that he was the principal designer for Rex Simplex Trucks and other Rex Simplex vehicles.  Can anyone tell me what model of vehicle this is? Does anyone know where there is a Rex Simplex vehicle that is still in existence?  Does anyone have any information about the Rex Simplex vehicles from about 1906 to 1933? 1933 is about when Ernst Valentin was kicked out of Germany for being Jewish. My family is mounting and exhibition about my great uncle and we would love to have one in the exhibition.

Peter Lattey

[Wendax]

Hello Peter,

I found something about your uncle in a book about German car engineers:
1874: Born in Berlin on September, 18
At the end of the 1890s: employed at Sté. Gobron-Brillié at Boulogne-sur-Marne, France
Around 1900: employed at Nagant Frères, Liège, Belgium
1900 - 1905: Chief engineer of the Berliner Motorwagenfabrik GmbH (BMF), Berlin-Tempelhof
1905 -1908: Chief engineer of the automotive department of the Siemens & Schuckert Werke, Berlin
1908 - 1910: Chief engineer of the Motorenfabrik Protos GmbH, Berlin, which was taken over by Siemens-Schuckert in 1908.
1910 - 1911: Valentin worked in his own technical bureau (Technisches Büro für Fragen der Automobil- und Flugtechnik)
1911 - 1912: He worked for Deutsche Automobilindustrie Hering & Richard, Ronneburg, which built the Rex-Simplex cars
1912 - 1914(?): Head of automotive department at Russko-Wagonyij-Zawod, Riga, Russia, which built the Russo-Balt cars
1919: He was to become the first "Reichskommissar für das Kraftfahrwesen" (National commissioner for motor transportation)
1921: He founded his own publishing house
1950: Death

Rex-Simplex cars were built from 1901 to 1914, trucks until 1921. A Rex-Simplex 10/28 PS from 1913 has survived and is displayed at the Norsk Kjøretøyhistorisk Museum at Lillehammer, Norway.

Unfortunately, I couldn't identify the pictured car, but if the picture is from 1908, it probably is a Protos. But that is just a guess.

[lattey@sbcglobal.net]

Thank you!!!  I am amazed at the knowledge that is out there and the willingness of people to share it.  Now if we can somehow convince the museum in Lillihammer to lend us the Max Simplex truck.....I will ask but I am very doubtful.

Thanks again

Peter Lattey