TrabantUSA

Member #31
Ray & Annette

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
P601 Sedan (Otto)

I'm a collector of German Police (Polizei) Uniforms and have participated with the German-American Police Associaition in Chicago. In 1996, my wife Annette and I were in Chicago for the annual "von Stueben Day" parade. That year we both wore uniforms from the former East German (DDR)
Volkspolizei (VoPo). It also happened to be the year that a Trabi Club from Germany was doing a
motor tour in the US. We were quite a hit and were asked to pose with some of the Trabis!
(I bet that we where the last thing that they expected to see in Chicago). As my mother was from the DDR, I've always been interested in East German stuff and have a pretty big collection.
After seeing the Trabis close up, I just had to get one. In June 2007, I was able to find one for sale on the east coast. My father-in-law and I hooked up the trailer and off we went. On the way back to Milwaukee, we drove through the Chicago area. As it was the usual "Construction" season, traffic was moving slowly.
A small dump truck pulled up next to us. The driver, who had a heavy Polish accent called out and said "I know that car! I know it from Poland!". That was a high point of the trip back. So, "Otto der Auto" (Named by our daughter Gretchen, who attends the Milwaukee German Immersion School) is at his new home in Milwaukee and has even been in a local car show. Lot's of questions and photos!
Looking forward to summer and "Cruisin'" with Otto.