wolfgang von trips

Behold the art of Jim Sitz, an 18-year-old Californian who was already steeped in racing knowledge and an expert photographer when arrived in Europe in the summer of that magical, epochal, dangerous year of 1957. Sitz was not wealthy, but worked and saved for two years in order to afford the trip that would change his life forever. And after 67 years his photographs and memories are still enriching our lives.

We have assembled a portrait gallery of fourteen of the greatest race drivers of the era, adding Jim’s personal recollections including his first-hand report of Fangio’s German Grand Prix. Also herein are Jean Behra, Mike Hawthorn, Luigi Musso, Stirling Moss, Peter Collins, Oliver Gendebien, Ron Flockhart, Archie Scott Brown, Masten Gregory, Wolfgang von Trips, Phil Hill, Harry Schell and Ken Miles.

Story and photos by Jim Sitz

Lead Photo: Masten Gregory (29 February 1932 – 8 November 1985) sitting in the Testa Rossa prototype before the 1957 Swedish 6 Hour on August 11 where the car was retired with gearbox failure. A week earlier at the Nurburgring I joked with him, saying he’d should be very careful and that I’d seen him spin his C type Jag at March Field in 1953. “Oh God, you mean you were there?” he replied. [Read more…] about Jim Sitz: Faces ’57

Castle image by Henk Brouwer, inset by Graham Gauld.

Copyright Henk J. Brouwer

[Henk Brouwer visited the von Trips Museum in 2001 and wrote about it for VeloceToday. It may be one of the only complete descriptions of the Museum as it apparently closed its doors in 2014. Ed.]

As we have recounted in Part 1, Count “Taffy” von Trips lived in a castle, whose foundations dated from the late 14th century. The castle Hemmersbach was awarded to Franz Adalph Ansem Berghe von Trips in 1751 and extended by Wolfgang’s grandfather in 1899. Wolfgang’s father Eduard continued to live in the castle until his death in 1971. The widowed Thessa, then moved out of the castle into the nearby Villa Trips which she had built, until her death in 1978.

The castle was sold in 1984 to a private owner who restored it in 1988. After that, the castle seemed to be neglected. In 1999 it was sold to a software engineer, and there was a very radical restoration of the whole castle in progress, starting with the outbuildings. The estate directly around the castle is fully fenced in. Warnings of big, mean dogs are posted on the fences. The castle leaves a ruinous impression, caused by the rampancy of ivies and weeds between the bricks of the entrance and some blisters on the paint. With thunder, lightning, rain and wind, the castle even can look lugubrious.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
Login Subscribe