New Book! Vintage Cars of Königsberg

2021 calendar celebrates classic cars of Russia

Published: 15 December 2020

It was during the summer months this year that our friend Sergey Goryunov invited us to take part in a photoshoot which he was organising with a view towards producing a 2021 calendar for the members of Kaliningrad’s Auto Retro Club.

The photo session was scheduled to take place at 6am, which meant that we had to wake up at 4am, and it was just my luck that the night before I had experienced one of my life-long bouts of insomnia. It was not a case of can I drag myself out of bed in time, rather should I be dragging myself into it.

As the photographer was on standby, the vintage car organised and the venue prescribed, the effort had to be made and, in spite of myself, it was good to have the opportunity to get dressed up again in our vintage attire and to take part in this capital retro project.

Sergey Goryunov picked us up in his Volga GAZ 21 R (1966). It was fairly quiet in Kaliningrad at that time of day, but as we drove through the main streets the sight of Sergey’s vintage Volga attracted toots of appreciation from other motorists as we passed by.

The location for the photoshoot was none other than the concourse at the foot of the steps to the old German Stock Exchange. Whilst we were happy to co-star, the real star of the show was the Moskvich 401 (1956), whose immaculate condition at the age of 64 made my condition feel somewhat tarnished!

Everything went without a hitch, and a few days ago we received notification from Sergey that the calendar had been printed.

Praise where praise is due, the commitment of the car club members, particularly with regard to their vintage outfits, was highly commendable, but the lion’s share of the work, and consequently recognition for vision, planning and organisation, rests with Sergey Goryunov, without whose sterling efforts the calendar would not have been possible ~ oh, and whilst we are at it, let’s don’t forget the cars!

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Speech by Sergey Goryunov at the official launch of the 2021 Auto Retro Club Kaliningrad

Sergey Goryunov: “The year is coming to an end. I would like to introduce my child — the 2021 Club Calendar of the Auto Retro Club Kaliningrad. We have focused on the GAZ-21, including the epoch-making ‘Muscovites’ and the legendary Pobeda cars for this photo series, using models from inside the club. Accompanying the cars are their owners and their teammates. Titanic work has been accomplished. Filming locations were located throughout the region, and the shooting itself was conducted at different times of the year. Three photographers worked on the calendar. Of course, this project would not have been possible without the enthusiasm of its participants, who, despite the pandemic, at my first call, got up in the early hours, preened, dressed themselves in retro clothes and rushed to the shooting location. We did it! Hurray!”

Auto Retro Club Kaliningrad 2021 Calendar

The Steel Ghost of Königsberg

Published: 19 October 2020

A new book on the vintage cars of Königsberg , titled The Steel Ghost of Königsberg, is a nostalgic & historical landmark

A historic moment was recorded today (17 October 2020) when our friend, Yury Grozmani, journalist, historian, vintage car enthusiast and organiser of the Kaliningrad international vintage car festival, The Golden Shadow of Königsberg, presented me with a signed copy of his recently completed book The Steel Ghost of Königsberg. The inscription on the inside front cover reads:

“To an excellent journalist Mick Hart from an equally excellent journalist Yury Grozmani. For a long memory in honor of the best years spent in the beautiful historical city of Kant and Schiller – the city of Königsberg – with respect from the author.”

Yury reminded us that it had been almost a year ago when we discussed the progress of this project over dinner at the Plushkin restaurant, sadly now closed. On that occasion he had brought with him a copy of the book’s proposed front cover, adding that there was still much work to do on the book itself. During that evening we discussed his previous book, The Iron Heart of Königsberg, which was published in 2015. The Steel Ghost of Königsberg is the sequel to this work.

**Front cover design to The Steel Ghost of Königsberg**

The Steel Ghost of Königsberg, which explores the relationship between the vintage cars of Königsberg and their owners, contextualised within the history of the East Prussian city, was no short time in the making. Yury confided in us that he has been researching, writing and compiling the book for an astounding 29 years!

New Book! Vintage Cars of Königsberg

The book is based on real events. It narrates the stories of people who, after the Siege of Königsberg in 1945, had the honour to own or use the cars that once belonged to the ‘great and good’ ~ kings, heads of state, ministers, bankers, actors and leading Königsberg townspeople.

The book comprises 18 chapters distilled from the memoirs of people from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life, including those who took part in the Battle of Königsberg, famous Soviet generals, doctors, actors, housewives, taxi drivers, traffic wardens, tram drivers and so on. The stories are different — some intricate, some formal, some sentimental, some dramatic and many very amusing.

With its imaginative page designs, detailed accounts and being lavishly illustrated throughout, this landmark publication demonstrates yet again Yuri Grozmani’s top-flight ability as a writer, journalist and editor, whilst the breadth and incisiveness of his research speaks volumes for his love of vintage vehicles, the history of their ownership and the unique city and region upon whose dramatic stage the vehicles’ life stories and the stories of those who travelled in and/or travelled through existence with them have been played out over the years.

To seal the historic occasion, Yuri completed the inscription on the inside front cover by penning in today’s date just before he handed my copy to me ~ 17 October 2020.

Many thanks, Yuri!