In February 1975, the news on the front page of the Heilbronner Stimme newspaper that the Neckarsulm plant was to be closed came as a surprise. What had until then only been discussed behind closed doors and repeatedly denied suddenly became public.

The minutes of the VW board meeting on 5 February stated that there was a basic agreement on the necessity of plant closures. In addition to Neckarsulm, the VW plants in Brussels and Salzgitter were also on the line.

The momentum was great: Toni Schmücker, a proven reorganiser, had just taken over as chairman of the board at Volkswagen. Schmücker was supposed to pull the coals out of the fire. Time was pressing.