The birth of Heinrich Büssing in 1843 in Nordsteimke near Braunschweig is actually too early for someone who will deal with the construction of trucks and buses in his life. Accordingly, it takes 60 years before it comes to that.

In the meantime, the death of five of his eight siblings, the visit of the multi-class village school, the teaching as a blacksmith at his father's, and a journey of one and a half years extending his world sight, comprehensively embraced mostly the southern part of Germany.

It is uncertain how one can go to the college in Braunschweig as a guest-listener with a narrow village-school knowledge and pay a considerable salary from the small amount he gets as a journeyman. Büssing acquires basic knowledge for its company foundations, the upcoming bicycle and the railway safety installations. The latter leads only after a series of bitter defeats to global success.

As a multi-millionaire, Büssing risked his fortune in 1903 by establishing a truck and bus factory. It starts with the prototype 'Gray Cat'. Significant for Büssing's approach is e.g. the founding of an own omnibus line. This keeps the vehicles and possible faults under control.

The first truck ZU 550 (picture above) has a two-cylinder petrol engine, 6.6 kW (9 hp), 3 tons payload, 15 km/h is only borrowed, completely dismantled after a year and examined for errors. Success is not lacking, even with authorities. It is remarkable how quickly the buses spread abroad even in London.

For the First World War, the military has a very strong influence on the business of trucks with regulations, but also with subsidies. The war itself then creates massive work, but its end is terrible. There is almost civil war in Germany, after which inflation rages.

It was not until 1924 that the situation improves, of course not for everybody. With Büssing things are going upwards. As in 1914, Büssing was one of the biggest German truck manufacturers, once again since 1914. But now Mannesmann MULAGs had been taken over by Büssing, merged with NAG as well as Daimler and Benz 1926. Of the four, only two were left.

Two days after the 'Black Friday' 1929 with its stock market crash Heinrich Büssing dies 86 years old. But his work has survived the crisis as well as many others. In 1971 the company was taken over by MAN. Visible sign still today, the Braunschweig lion, which is to be seen at each MAN.

Below you can see the Büssing type LU with underfloor-engine. In order to be able to fully utilize the cab at the front end, the engine was banished behind it in the chassis. It was a horizontal six-cylinder, the cylinder heads of which, e.g. for adjusting the valves, were accessible from the right. The ground clearance was still greater than above the final drive. 01/17