35 Years of Trabant — Oldtimer Event Zwickau
Special Day for the 35th Anniversary of the End of Trabant Production — April 30, 2026, in Zwickau City Centre
About 35 Years of Trabant
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Trabant — Myth, Symbol, Industrial History
The Trabant is more than just a car: it is a symbol of GDR mobility, the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, and an East German identity that lives on after reunification in memorial culture and a vibrant classic car scene. For over four decades — from 1957 to 1991 — the Trabant was manufactured at VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke in Zwickau: three model generations (P50, P60, 601), with a total of over three million vehicles produced. The end of production on April 30, 1991, is not just the end of a brand, but a symbol of the economic upheaval in the new federal states. 35 years later, Zwickau dedicates its own special day to this date.
Programme in the City Centre
The special day on April 30, 2026, will take place at three locations: the former JOH department store on Marienstraße will host a three-part window exhibition about the Trabant in the GDR and during the Peaceful Revolution of 1989. At 1 p.m., a parade of historic Trabants will start from the August Horch Museum, driving through the city centre to the Hauptmarkt. At 2 p.m., representatives of the InterTrab e.V. association and the Economic Development Agency will officially open the event at the JOH department store. The programme in the city centre runs until 5 p.m. with expert technical discussions, rare vehicle variants (Wankel Trabant, Diesel experimental vehicles, Pick-up), and culinary offerings.
August Horch Museum and Zwickau's Automotive History
Zwickau is one of Germany's most important automotive cities. August Horch founded his car company here in 1904 — which later became Audi. In the GDR, Trabants were built at the Sachsenring works; today, Volkswagen operates electric ID production at the same site. The August Horch Museum on Audistraße comprehensively documents this history — from the first Horch sports car to the last Trabants. The special day '35 Years of Trabant' temporarily extends the museum exhibition into the city centre.
Zwickau in West Saxony
Zwickau, with just under 90,000 inhabitants, is the fourth-largest city in Saxony, located in the west of the state at the transition to the Erzgebirge foothills. The birthplace of composer Robert Schumann, home to the medieval St. Mary's Church, a well-preserved old town, plus the VW factories and the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences — it is a diverse industrial and cultural city that the Trabant has significantly shaped for over four decades.
35 Years of Trabant — edition 2026
April 30, 2026 — Special Day for the Trabant Community
The event is conceived as a unique anniversary celebration — not a recurring date, but a curated tribute to the 35th anniversary of the end of Trabant production. InterTrab e.V., the association of Trabant enthusiasts in Saxony, the August Horch Museum, and the Economic Development Agency of the City of Zwickau have jointly developed the programme.
The visual prelude is the three-part window exhibition in the former JOH department store on Marienstraße — shop windows accessible to passers-by and day-trippers, showcasing the significance of the Trabant for GDR society, the Peaceful Revolution of 1989 (Trabis as a symbol of the exodus via Hungary and the CSSR embassy in Prague), and post-reunification memorial culture. At 1 PM, a convoy of historic Trabants will set off from the August Horch Museum, driving through the city centre to the Hauptmarkt — a parade celebrated visibly by the people of Zwickau.
Programme 35 Years of Trabant 2026
Thursday, April 30, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Opening of the three-part window exhibition at JOH Department Store, Marienstraße
- 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM — Programme in the city centre: exhibition of rare vehicle variants (Wankel, Diesel, Pick-up)
- 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM — Experts and technical discussions at Hauptmarkt
- 1:00 PM — Start of the parade of historic Trabants from August Horch Museum
- 1:30 PM — Arrival of the convoy at Hauptmarkt
- 2:00 PM — Official opening of the event by InterTrab e.V. and the Economic Development Agency
- All day — Culinary offerings (Bratwurst, East German specialities, drinks)
- 5:00 PM — End of event
In parallel, the August Horch Museum (Audistraße) and its permanent Trabant exhibition are open at regular admission prices — a recommended accompanying visit.
Highlights 35 Years of Trabant 2026
- Three-part window exhibition at the former JOH department store
- Parade of historic Trabants from the August Horch Museum starting at 1 PM
- Rare vehicle variants: Wankel Trabant, Diesel, Pick-up
- Technical discussions with experts
- Commemoration of the Trabant as a symbol of the Peaceful Revolution of 1989
- Free admission to the city centre programme
- In parallel: Trabant exhibition at the August Horch Museum
Prices 35 Years of Trabant 2026
Admission to the city centre programme and the window exhibition is free. August Horch Museum: regular admission (Adults €9, Concessions €6.50). Food and drinks available on site.
Practical information — 35 Years of Trabant
Date
Thursday, April 30, 2026, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Locations
JOH Department Store Marienstraße, Hauptmarkt, and August Horch Museum (Audistraße), 08056 Zwickau. Parade of historic Trabants starts from the August Horch Museum at 1:00 PM.
Admission
Free admission to the city centre programme and the window exhibition. Admission to the August Horch Museum at regular rates.
Getting There
By train from Leipzig or Chemnitz to Zwickau Hauptbahnhof, then take tram 1 or 3 to Hauptmarkt. By car via the A72 (exit Zwickau-Ost or -West), parking garages in the city centre.
Organisers
InterTrab e.V. together with the City of Zwickau (Economic Development Agency) and the August Horch Museum.
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Travel to this festival
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Where it takes place 35 Years of Trabant
JOH-Kaufhaus Marienstraße, Hauptmarkt und August Horch Museum
Marienstraße / Hauptmarkt / August Horch Museum, 08056 Zwickau