German automotive engineer Ferdinand Porsche founder of the Porsche car company, was born on September 3, 1875 in Maffersdorf, Austria. At a young age, he had an affinity for technology, and was especially intrigued by electricity. Porsche worked as a successful vehicle engineer from the late 1800s to 1931, when he founded his own firm. In 1934, Porsche and his son, Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche, collaborated to develop the first designs of the Volkswagen car.
In 1931, Porsche built his own firm, which he named "Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH, Konstruktionen und Beratung für Motoren und Fahrzeuge," according to Commercial Register documents from April 1931. In 1934, Porsche became deeply involved in Adolf Hitler's "people's car" project.
