Jan-Erik Nord, a journalist from Berlin, is bringing his iconic champagne beige Trabi to the United States after it arrived by ship from Europe. He plans to embark on a 6,000 km journey across the country in June, covering famous cities such as Detroit, Chicago, Las Vegas, Yellowstone National Park, and Stanford in California.
The Trabant is a product of the socialist GDR and has left its mark in the USA through its appearance alongside Thomas Gottschalk in “Trabbi goes to Hollywood” in the early 1990s. Nord’s love for Trabis began as an adult when he experienced a ride in it while living in Berlin.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the best-selling Trabant model, and Nord has named his mission “Route 601”. However, originally planned as a vacation trip, Nord’s journey has transformed into a “Charity Drive for Käthe,” where he aims to raise awareness and collect donations for a new therapy for her condition. The small teddy bear that he carries with him was given by Käthe Hofmann from Zwickau.
Nord plans to engage with people and institutions along the way and share his journey on social media platforms like Instagram and Tiktok. Despite being an adult who bought his first Trabant after experiencing a ride in it while living in Berlin, Nord is now on his third one and is enthusiastic about promoting awareness for Käthe’s condition while exploring American landscapes in this iconic car. His journey combines adventure, charity work and passion for cult vehicles.
