AVUS Nordkurve

Hurtling down the AVUS, a sleek silver Mercedes-Benz kisses the edge of the Nordkurve. The year is 1937. This isn’t just any curve; it’s a 43.6-degree banked behemoth, a marvel of brick and engineering daring. The AVUS Nordkurve. A name whispered with awe and trepidation. Officially the Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übungsstraße (Automobile Traffic and Practice Road), the AVUS began in 1921 as the world’s first controlled-access highway. It was a dual-purpose marvel, serving weekday traffic and transforming into a thrilling racetrack on weekends. This unique blend of public road and racing circuit gave the AVUS Nordkurve, and its southern counterpart, the Südkurve, a distinct character. Imagine the scene: ordinary Berliners paying their ten Marks for a spin on the same asphalt that would soon host roaring race cars. The early AVUS was a challenging track. Its original, nearly 20-kilometer layout consisted of two long straights connected by flat curves. But as speeds increased, so did the need for change. The Nordkurve, initially a flat turn, underwent a radical transformation in 1937. The old curve was replaced with the imposing banked wall of bricks, designed by Erich Krey. It was a spectacle to behold, but also a testament to the risks of early motorsport. Drivers pushed their machines to the limit, sometimes hurtling over the edge of the banking. The fearsome reputation of the Nordkurve earned it a grim nickname: “Mordkurve,” or “murder curve.” The 1937 AVUS race was a showcase of speed and innovation. Streamlined Silver Arrows from Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union dominated the track. Hermann Lang achieved a breathtaking average speed of around 276 km/h, a record that stood for decades. Bernd Rosemeyer clocked an even faster qualifying lap, at an average speed of 284.31 km/h, a record that would remain unbeaten for an extended period. The AVUS Nordkurve hosted its final Formula One race in 1959. Tony Brooks secured victory, but the event was marred by the tragic death of Jean Behra in a support race. His Porsche flew over the top of the Nordkurve, highlighting the inherent dangers of this iconic corner. The “murder curve” met its own demise in 1967, demolished to make way for a highway intersection. Though the banked marvel is gone, the AVUS Nordkurve remains a legend in motorsport history, a symbol of an era where speed and danger walked hand in hand.