To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' Munich event, 23 November 2024.

• The first Veritas built, thought to have been first constructed in 1945 with its race debut in 1947
• One of the most significant early post-war German race cars in existence
• Raced by Eugène Chaboud, Georg Meier, Toni Ulmen, and Hans Herrmann
• Competed in 30 races from 1947 to 1953, recording German Sportscar Championship wins with Georg Meier and Toni Ulmen in 1948, 1950, and 1951
• Part of The Aumann Collection for over 30 years
• Highly eligible for historic racing events; accompanied by a 1988 FIVA Passport
• Presented with a fascinating history file, containing immense details on Veritas race cars in the early post-war scene

Reported in a 1950 German racing magazine, the first Veritas was nameless at its time of construction in 1945. Bearing the identity “85335”, by 1950 the car had earned the name Großmutter or “Grandmother”. It was powered by a tuned 2.0-litre BMW 328 engine with a twin-cam cylinder head, generating a reported 140 PS. The bodywork was constructed from French-supplied aluminium in the style of what later became known as the Veritas RS.

Debuting with Eugène Chaboud at the 2nd Alsace Grand Prix in 1947, the French race director ordered the Großmutter be removed after a few laps as it was German built. The BMW motorcycle rider and 1939 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy winner, Georg Meier—nicknamed Eiserner Schorsch (Iron George)—raced the car in 1948 and became the German Formula 2 Champion. Following Meier’s last race in the Großmutter at Nürnberg in 1949, Veritas co-founder Ernst Loof agreed to sell the car to Toni Ulmen. Ulmen went on to place 2nd in the 1949 German 2-Litre Sports Car Championship—he raced seven times, winning twice.

In 1950, Ulmen had Karosseriewerke Joseph Hebmüller Söhne build a monoposto body, and ran the Großmutter in seven known German Formula 2 races. Ulmen won the German Formula 2 Championship that year. For the 1951 season, Ulmen modified the Großmutter into a two-seater open-wheel race car (as the car is configured today), and that year he won the German 2.0-Litre Sportscar Championship.

For 1952, regulations changed and Ulmen had removable cycle wings fitted. Following his crash at the 4th Sachsenringrennen in testing, he retired from racing and finished 2nd in the 1952 German 2.0-Litre Sportscar Championship. He sold the Großmutter wreck to Hans Klenk, who rebuilt and then sold the car to the German racing legend Hans Herrmann who won the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 917. Hermann raced the car twice before selling it to a dentist. A race chart can be viewed containing information for each of the 30 races the Großmutter took part in.

In 1983, Gehard Ulmer discovered the Großmutter, likely still with the dentist who had bought the car some 30 years prior. Ulmer restored the car over a three-year period, and attended a Veritas meet in 1987. Norbert Nowak was the next owner of the car, obtaining a FIVA passport in 1988. Mr Aumann acquired the Großmutter in the early 1990s and spent over 20 years researching the history of the car, which is accompanied by an impressive history file.

The Großmutter is most likely the first German-built race car following World War II. It has an impressive race record and helped to win three German Sportscar Championships in 1948, 1950, and 1951. Presented now in restored condition, and in its final body configuration as a twin-seater, open-wheel sports car. For post-war German race car enthusiasts, the Veritas Großmutter would be the focal point of any collection and is highly eligible for a variety of historic racing events.

An extended-length description is available to view on the RM Sotheby’s website.

DateEventDriverEntrantRace NumberResultAugust 3, 1947II Grand Prix de l'AlsaceEugène ChaboudErnst Loof4DNF Lap 2 May 9, 1948II Maipokalrennen HockenheimGeorg "Schorsch" MeierVeritasUnknown1stMay 30, 1948I Kölner KursGeorg "Schorsch" MeierVeritas643rdJuly 18, 1948II Coupe des Petites Cylindrées @ Reims-GueuxEugène ChaboudEcurie Lutetia203rdAugust 15, 1948XVI Rund um SchottenGeorg "Schorsch" MeierVeritas612ndSeptember 5, 1948II Eggbergrennen HillclimbGeorg "Schorsch" MeierVeritasUnknown3rdSeptember 12, 1948NürnbergGeorg "Schorsch" MeierVeritas10Unknown Georg "Schorsch" Meier is German Formula 2 Champion for 1948 with 18 Points    May 22, 1949Eifelrennen NürburgringToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft2DNF (oil leak)June 5, 1949I Riemer Flugplatzrennen Riem-München Toni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft22ndJuly 31, 1949Schauinsland-Freiburg HillclimbToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft22ndAugust 7, 1949Nürburgring Grand PrixToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft23rd Overall & 1st in ClassSeptember 11, 1949II DMV GrenzlandringrennenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft2DNF (rear axle)September 18, 1949I SolituderennenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft22ndOctober 2, 1949II Kölner KursToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft21st Toni Ulmen alongside Fritz Riess have 7 points and is 2nd in the 1949 German 2-litre Sports Car Class    May 7, 1950I Preis der Ostschweiz-ErlenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft203rdJune 11, 1950XIV Internationales ADAC EifelrennenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft1252ndAugust 6, 1950Schauinsland-Freiburg HillclimbToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft1253rdAugust 13, 1950II SolituderennenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft125DNF Lap 4August 20, 1950XIII Grosser Preis von DeutschlandToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft664thAugust 27, 1950II SachsenringrennenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft1251stSeptember 17, 1950III DMV GrenzlandringrennenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft1252nd  Toni Ulmen is German Formula 2 Champion for 1950 with 13 Points    August 5, 1951Schauinsland-Freiburg HillclimbToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft21stAugust 12, 1951II Preis der Ostschweiz-ErlenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft14DNF Lap 18August 31, 1951IV DMV GrenzlandringrennenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft1251stSeptember 2, 1951NorisringToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft2DNFSeptember 30, 1951III SachsenringrennenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft125DNF Toni Ulmen is German 2-Litre Sportscar Champion for 1951    May 10, 1952BRDC International TrophyToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft3911thMay 17, 1952III Preis der Ostschweiz-Erlen Toni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft4DNF Lap 5 fuel leakMay 25, 1952XVI Internationales ADAC EifelrennenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft22ndAugust 3, 1952XV Grosser Preis von DeutschlandToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft21st in ClassAugust 10, 1952Riemer Rundstreckenrennen München-RiemToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft22ndSeptember 7, 1952IV SachsenringrennenToni UlmenUlmen Renngemeinschaft125Crash in testing Toni Ulmen is 2nd in the German 2-Litre Sportscar Championship for 1952 & Retires from Racing    May 31, 1953XVII Internationales ADAC-EifelrennenHans HerrmannHans Klenk31DNFJuly 12, 1953IX Internationales AvD AvusrennenHans HerrmannHans Klenk214thAugust