Theodor Dreher

Surname:
Dreher
First name:
Theodor
Date of birth:
27.08.1874
Date of death:
23.04.1914

Born in Schwechat near Vienna and equipped with the necessary means as an industrial magnate, Dreher developed a passion for the up-and-coming automotive sport at an early age. He immortalised his name in the history of the Austrian Automobile Club when he donated the Semmering Challenge Trophy in 1900, which was awarded to the winner of the once-a-year race after three victories in consecutive years. As the owner of the winning cars from 1904 to 1906, Dreher himself was the first definitive winner of the challenge trophy.

For the following editions of the Semmering mountain race, he offered a second challenge trophy, which is now awarded for two victories in three consecutive races. When this second challenge trophy also got given to him in 1909, he passed it on to Willy Pöge, who won the race in 1907 and came a close second in 1908.

The Mercedes cars sent to the events by Theodor Dreher with the best drivers were successful in almost every race in which they competed, not least in the Herkomer competitions and Prinz Heinrich drives. Dreher was killed in a car accident on 23 April 1914, not even 40 years old.