Born : March 4 1922
Deceased : November 13 1973
Biography Richard von Frankenberg
Richard Von Frankenberg was born March 4 1922 in Darmstadt (Germany) in a noble family. His mother was Irene-Konstanze von Brauchitsch. His father, Alex-Victor von Frankenberg und Ludwigsdorf was a writer. This probably explains his unequalled talent to write and to express thoughts and ways of thinking in words…
During his childhood Von Frankenberg went to school in Schloss Kirchberg near Lake Constance (the Germans call it the Boden See). Later he followed High School in Tubingen, near Stuttgart. Since his childhood von Frankenberg was intrested in cars and motorbikes. As he went to school he even had a small motorbike.
Though it is thougt that he got this motorbike not because of his intrest in technique, but rather of his fair health. After Richard von Frankenberg completed high school, it was a logical decision for him to go study Mechanical Engineering. Unfortunately, he had to interrupt the studies as the war broke out.
During the war, the family von Frankenberg crossed the North sea to get away from the violence and lived in England , where relatives of the family were living. The von Frankenbergs are related to the Oppenheims and the Brauchitschs which are famous and wealthy families in Germany.
Journalist
In England von Frankenberg has set his first steps as a journalist , and that is what he continued to do after his return to Germany when the war came to an end. The combination of his interest in technique and the journalistic blood in his veins , made him get in touch with Porsche during the research he was doing while writing the book Porsche, der Weg eines Zeitalters, which was written under his pseudonym Herbert A. Quint.
The book was published in 1951 and is so far the is the oldest known book completely dedicated to Porsche. For many collectors of Porsche related literature, this is one of the rarest pieces in their library. Soon more Porsche activities followed. Von Frankenberg engaged himself to develop a Press and advertising department for Porsche. He designed the first Porsche brochures together with his friend Erich Strenger and the idea of publishing a magazine for the Porsche customers ensprouted from von Frankenbergs brain. The result was the still existing Porsche customer magazine Christophorus. And of course we should not forget his race-career.
Race Career
He was an official Porsche Team racer for 7 years. He drove 3 times the famous Mille Miglia race in Italy, set some records on his name in Montlhery and Monza and achieved victories in the 24hours of Le Mans
and in on the Nurburgring. In september 1951 he was a member of the Porsche Worldrecord Team, together with Peter Max Muller, Walter Glockler, Huschke von Hanstein and Herman Ramelow.
This team drove the 72 hour worldrecord on the Autodrom of Montlhery in a 1500 Porsche. At the 1956 Avus GP in Berlin, Richard von Frankenberg drove the Porsche prototype Typ 645. Unfortunately he was involved in a terrifying crash that he luckily survived. That accident was later nicknamed the Miracle of the Avus. In 1960 Richard von Frankenberg retired from the active race sport. He took up his habit of writing books, and worked as a independent journalist, tv reporter and quizmaster. But his love for cars never fainted.
He was one of the founding members of the Maybach club in Germany and in spring 1970 the oldtimermuseum Schloss Langenburg opened. This museum would have never existed without Richard von Frankenberg who was the inspiring power behind it.
November 13 1973, Richard von Frankenberg had a car accident at the German Highways and passed away at the age of 52. From 1952 until his death in 1973, von Frankenberg was the chief editor of the Porsche Christophorus Magazine.
Richard von Frankenberg’s personal life
Von Frankenberg maried 3 times. First wedding was august 30 1946 in Frankfurt am Main with Edit Maria Neumann. Two children were born in this marriage, son Donald and daughter Stephanie. Von Frankenberg and his wife divorced in Stuttgart, january 28 1960. May 24 1960 von Frankenberg married a second time. His spouse was Margarita Sofia (Roxa) Spohn, who unfortunately died april 12 1961 in Verona Italy. No children were born in this marriage. February 2 1962 in Krefeld Richard von Frankenberd married a 3rd time. Lucky person this time was Helga Elisabeth Brandenburg. In this marriage one son was born, Cypselus von Frankenberg, who started working as Chief of the Product Press department of Porsche and this way he makes the name von Frankenberg back alive in the Porsche factory.
Race Results Richard von Frankenberg
| Date | Race / Event | Start No. | Car (model / chassis / class) | Drivers / Co-drivers | Result / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04.05.1952 | Mille Miglia | 050 | Porsche 356 (1100 cc, Ss1.1) | Richard von Frankenberg / Heinz-U. Wieselmann | DNF |
| 08.06.1952 | 12 Hours of Hyères | — | Porsche (model not specified) | von Frankenberg / von Berckheim (Hampel listed, never drove) | 6th — 1st in class S1.1 |
| 26.04.1953 | Mille Miglia | 431 | Porsche 356 1500 Super (S2.0) | von Frankenberg / “Hans (Beck Hans)” | DNA (did not arrive) |
| 09.05.1953 | Silverstone International | 5 | Porsche 356 | Richard von Frankenberg | DNS (did not start) |
| 31.05.1953 | Eifelrennen Nürburgring (Sports 1500 cc) | 124 | Porsche 356 (PS1.5) | Richard von Frankenberg | 2nd in class PS1.5 |
| 07.06.1953 | 12 Hours of Hyères | 32 | Porsche 550 #02 (Typ 502, 1488 cc, S1.5) | von Frankenberg / Walter Ringgenberg | DNF (mechanical) |
| 14.06.1953 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 45 | Porsche 550 Coupé #02 (Typ 502, 1488 cc, S1.5) | von Frankenberg / Paul Frère | 15th & 1st in class S1.5 |
| 30.08.1953 | 1000 km Nürburgring | 60 | Porsche 356 1500 | von Frankenberg / Walter Ringgenberg | DNF (accident) |
| 02.05.1954 | Mille Miglia | 229 | Porsche 356 1500 Super (GT1.5) | von Frankenberg / Heinrich Sauter | 29th & 1st in GT1.5 |
| 23.05.1954 | Hedemora (PS under 1600 cc) | 63 | Porsche 356 1500 Super Coupé (PS1.6) | Richard von Frankenberg | 1st (winner) |
| 06.06.1954 | 12 Hours of Hyères | — | Porsche 550 (Glöckler license No.4) | von Frankenberg / Walter Ringgenberg | DNF |
| 13.06.1954 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 40 | Porsche 550 #10 (Typ 547; 1498 cc, S1.5) | von Frankenberg / Helmut Glöckler | DNF (engine) |
| 04.07.1954 | 12 Hours of Reims | 41 | Porsche 550 #11 (Typ 547; 1498 cc, S1.5) | Helmut Polensky / von Frankenberg | 8th & 1st in class S1.5 |
| 01.08.1954 | Rheinland-Pfalz Prize Nürburgring | 50 | Porsche 550 #12 (Typ 547; 1500 cc, S1.5) | Richard von Frankenberg | 2nd |
| 01.08.1954 | Rheinland-Pfalz Prize Nürburgring | 96 | Porsche 356 (PS / GT1.6) | Richard von Frankenberg | DNA (did not arrive) |
| 15.08.1954 | Zandvoort International (Sports 2000 cc) | — | Porsche (model not specified) | Richard von Frankenberg | DNS / DNF in heat |
| 19.09.1954 | Berlin Grand Prix [S1.5] | 38 | Porsche 550 #12 (Typ 547; 1500 cc, S1.5) | Richard von Frankenberg | 1st (winner) |
| 19.09.1954 | Berlin Grand Prix [PS1.6 / GT1.6] | — | Porsche 356 | Richard von Frankenberg | 4th |
| 01.05.1955 | Mille Miglia | 244 | Porsche 356 1300 Super (GT1.3) | von Frankenberg / Peter Oberndorf | 21st & 1st in GT1.3 |
| 08.05.1955 | Hockenheim (class S1.5) | 7 | Porsche 550 #0031 (Typ 547; 1500 cc, S1.5) | Richard von Frankenberg | 1st (winner) |
| 29.05.1955 | Eifelrennen Nürburgring | 31 | Porsche 550 (Typ 547; 1500 cc, S1.5) | Richard von Frankenberg | 21st — DNF (accident) |
| 12.06.1955 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 37 | Porsche 550 #0046 (Typ 547; 1498 cc, S1.5) | Helmut Polensky / von Frankenberg | 4th & 1st in S1.5 |
| 07.08.1955 | Swedish Grand Prix (GT +2000 cc & Production) | 25 | Porsche 550 #0048 (Typ 547, 1498 cc, PS) | Richard von Frankenberg | 3rd & 1st in PS |
| 07.08.1955 | Swedish Grand Prix (GT 2000 cc) | 41 | Porsche 356 1500 Super (GT2.0) | Richard von Frankenberg | 9th |
| 28.08.1955 | 500 km Nürburgring | 2 | Porsche 550 (Typ 547, 1500 cc, S1.5) | Richard von Frankenberg | 2nd |
| 11.09.1955 | Coppa Inter Europa (GT under 1300 cc) | — | Porsche (model not specified) | Richard von Frankenberg | Disqualified |
| 18.09.1955 | Tourist Trophy | 30 | Porsche 550 #0048 (Typ 547; 1498 cc, S1.5) | von Frankenberg / Herbert Linge | 16th |
| 25.09.1955 | Berlin Grand Prix / AVUS Race [S1.5] | 15 | Porsche 550 #0047 (Typ 547; 1498 cc, S1.5) | Richard von Frankenberg | 1st (winner) |
| 25.09.1955 | Berlin Grand Prix (GT 1300 cc) | 70 | Porsche 356 | Richard von Frankenberg | DNA (did not arrive) |
| 29.04.1956 | Mille Miglia | — | Porsche 550 (open bodywork) | Richard von Frankenberg (listed) | DNA (did not arrive) |
| 13.05.1956 | Grand Prix Spa (Production Car race) | 4 | Porsche 550 (S1.6) | Richard von Frankenberg | 5th & 1st in S1.6 |
| 27.05.1956 | 1000 km Nürburgring | 20 | Porsche 550 | von Frankenberg / Hans Herrmann | 6th |
| 24.06.1956 | Supercortemaggiore Grand Prix (Monza / 1000 km) | 39 | Porsche (1500 cc) | Carlo Leto di Priolo / von Frankenberg | DNA (did not arrive) |
| 29.06.1956 | 12 Hours of Reims | 30 | Porsche 550 #0067 (Typ 547; 1498 cc, S1.5) | Richard von Frankenberg / Claude Storez | 1st (winner) |
| 22.07.1956 | Solitude Race (Sports 1500 cc) | 11 | Porsche 550 Special (1500 cc, S1.5) | Richard von Frankenberg | 4th |
| 29.07.1956 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 24 | Porsche 550 RS Coupé #0103 (Typ 547/1, 1498 cc, S1.5) | Hans Herrmann / Umberto Maglioli (von Frankenberg listed, never drove) | DNF (piston failure) |
| 29.07.1956 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 25 | Porsche 550 RS Coupé #0104 (Typ 547/1, 1498 cc, S1.5) | Richard von Frankenberg / Wolfgang von Trips | 5th & 1st in S1.5 |
| 05.08.1956 | Rheinland-Pfalz Prize Nürburgring | 53 | Porsche 550 RS (1500 cc, S1.5) | Richard von Frankenberg | 4th |
| 12.08.1956 | Swedish Grand Prix | 43 | Porsche 550 Spyder #0081 (Typ 547; 1498 cc, PS2.0) | Richard von Frankenberg / William C. Buff | 8th & 1st in PS2.0 |
| 28.04.1957 | Aspern (class S over 1.1) | 10 | Porsche 550 | Richard von Frankenberg | 5th |
| 28.04.1957 | Aspern (GT over 1.6) | 33 | Aston Martin DB2/4 | Richard von Frankenberg | 3rd |
| 26.05.1957 | 1000 km Nürburgring | 22 | Porsche 550 | von Frankenberg / Schulze | 7th |
| 23.06.1957 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 33 | Porsche 550 | Herrmann / von Frankenberg | DNF |
| 14.07.1957 | 12 Hours of Reims | 48 | Porsche 356 | von Frankenberg / Barth | 6th |
| 22.03.1958 | 12 Hours of Sebring | 42 | Porsche 718 | (entry list) | DNF |
| 15.05.1958 | Aspern (GT1.6) | 60 | Porsche 356 | Richard von Frankenberg | 1st |
| 01.06.1958 | 1000 km Nürburgring | 22 | Porsche 718 (according to some entries) | Scarlatti / von Frankenberg / de Beaufort | DNS |
| 01.06.1958 | 1000 km Nürburgring (reserve entry 22T) | 22T | Porsche 550 | von Frankenberg / de Beaufort / Barth | 6th |
| 22.06.1958 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 30 | Porsche 718 | Storez / von Frankenberg | DNF |
| 05.07.1958 | 12 Hours of Reims | — | Porsche 356 | Storez / von Frankenberg | 6th |
| 17.08.1958 | Zeltweg (GT + 1.3) | 80 | Porsche 356 | Richard von Frankenberg | Result listed as “?th” (unknown) |
| 05.10.1958 | Innsbruck (GT1.6) | 50 | Porsche 356 | Richard von Frankenberg | 3rd |
| 12.04.1959 | Coppa Ascari | — | Fiat 500 | Seidel / von Frankenberg | 20th |
| 05.07.1959 | Linz (Sports) | 75 | Porsche 550 | Richard von Frankenberg | 1st |
| 18.10.1959 | Graz-Thalerhof (GT + 1.3) | — | Porsche 356 | Richard von Frankenberg | 1st |
| 05.03.1960 | Pferdsfeld (GT 2.0) | — | — | Richard von Frankenberg | 3rd (car not specified) |
| 01.05.1960 | Coppa Ascari | — | Fiat-Abarth 700 Record Monza | Seidel / von Frankenberg | 4th |
| 08.10.1960 | Preis von Tirol (GT + 1.3) | 76 | Porsche 356 | Richard von Frankenberg | “Raced” (exact classification unknown) |
