Skoda were a major industrial-works in the Habsburg (Austro-Hungarian) Empire in the 19th century, building everything from armaments, trains, ships and steelworks. Following the break up of the empire, Skoda found itself in Czechoslovakia. In 1925 they acquired the automobile manufacturer, Laurin and Klement and began building cars. Skoda's industrial capacity was such that its car production quickly outstripped the previous big players in Czechoslovakia, Praga and Tatra.
Despite being nationalised by the Germans in 1938, then bombed as a military industry during the war, then stripped of much plant and equipment by the Soviets, like other essential industries in Europe, Skoda was nationalised in 1945. Car production was restored in 1946, primarily for export. Skodas enjoyed a good reputation as well engineered and reliable and were sold as far afield as Australia. By the late 1940s, Skoda cars were being sold in foreign markets through the Motokov concern, along with Tatra luxury vehicles, Aero budget cars (two-stroke engine) and Jawa and Cz motorcycles.
1952 Skoda 1102: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2022/12/1952-skoda-1102.html
1952 Skoda 1200: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2022/12/1952-skoda-1200.html
1949 Aero Minor II: https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2022/07/1949-aero-minor-ii.html
1950 Jawa 350: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2022/07/1950-jawa-350-motorcycle.html
1950 CZ Motorcycle: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2022/07/1950-cz-motorcycle.html
1950 Manet Motorcycle: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2022/07/1950-manet-motorcycle.html
