The convoy went over the German alpine road to the valley station Seegatterl (763 m); the toll station was opened for the beetles; from there it went up the 18% gradient to the high plateau (1160 m) with two escort vehicles; the beetles parked in front of the hotel and Alpengasthof Winklmoosalm. A great mountain panorama with a view of the Loferer Steinberge awaited the participants. The chairlift to the Dürrnbachhorn offered a panoramic view of the Weitsee, the Bavarian and Tyrolean Alps as far as the Großvenediger. In the afternoon the Windbeutelgräfin waited for the beetles; her famous "gräflichen" Lohengrin windbags are a speciality.

The convoy drove towards Reit im Winkel via Grassau (German Alpine Road) Bernau to Prien am Chiemsee up to the Ratzinger Höhe with the great view of the Chiemsee with the islands. The route continued to Gstadt directly on the lake. There the beetles parked on a hill at the lake with a wonderful view of the Chiemsee. We walked to the shore and a ship brought all participants to the Fraueninsel. After a one-hour stay we went on to Seeon-Seebruck to Harbour-Landlady”. The beetles were allowed to be set up directly at the lake in front of the restaurant with a view to the sailing boats. Then the convoy moved to the Seeon Monastery and on to the Unterwirt at Chieming in the beer garden. The Bavarian evening with a Schuhplattler group inspired the participants.

On the German Alpine Road, the beetle drivers experienced the particularly beautiful landscape in the direction of Berchtesgaden as far as Obersalzberg. There the beetles parked on reserved terrain. The ascent from the Obersalzberg up to the Kehlsteinbus parking lot on an impressive high mountain road was by bus. On the 6.5-kilometre-long route 700 metres in height were mastered. Since 1952 no individual traffic is allowed on the mountain road there! The VW Käfer-Club Última Edición e.V. received a unique special permit to drive this single-lane mountain road with the club beetle behind the buses! In the mountain restaurant Kehlsteinhaus in 1834 meters height, which lies in the alpine national park Berchtesgaden, was reserved for the participants and there is a fantastic view here. Afterwards we went in convoy on the Rossfeld-Panoramastrasse what an unforgettable experience. It is the highest panoramic road in Germany. In the mountain inn "Ahornkaser" the homemade cake tasted particularly delicious. On the way back there was a side trip to a panoramic view of the Ramsautal and Bavarian music live.

Sun, clouds, snow accompanied the beetle drivers in alternation - a unique experience! Both the day before and the day after, the Großglockner was closed - what a bless to have chosen the right day - the participants still rave about this special day full of experiences. Via Zell am See we went to the ascent. At the toll booth we had sunshine and the higher the beetles crawled, the more snow laid on the slopes and the side trip to the Edelweissspitze with a height of 2571 meters could not be missing (here only cars and motorcycles are allowed to drive) and even snow lay on the roads, and it started to snow! Passing over the high gate, 2504 meters high, was another highlight with snow. In front of the inn Schöneck the beetles were brought into position. For lunch, the host had prepared everything. Then came the highlight of the day: On the Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Höhe (2369 m) the club had received the permission to place the beetles in the form of a "U" exclusively in the pedestrian zone. After a stay including a snowball fight, the convoy drove to Heiligenblut and stopped at the Fuscherlacke Inn for a cup of coffee on the way back via the Grossglockner. Due to snowfall, there was a shortened coffee drinking. We carefully drove again to the direction Zell am See and further to Ruhpolding.

That 11th K-UE Beetle Meeting was again a special event; the Welcome Hotel Wesel accompanied the meeting excellently down to the smallest detail - extraordinarily numbered the parking lot, well positioned was the ADAC starter bow. The “Q-stall” as well as in the restaurant, dinner was prepared very tastefully. Friendly staff - we felt at home.

Star hour for the promenade - Beetles "crawl" across the promenade. Unique VW crawlers as guests on the promenade. Only three headlines of exiting newspaper articles about our visit to Rees.
Indeed, a unique picture with the beetles directly on the banks of the Rhine. The city tours were not only interesting from the point of history.

In the Inselgasthof Nass the served fish plate was a delicacy, from the terrace we had a great view to the Rhine.

When the beetle fans came to the old mill Donsbrüggen a very special reception was prepared: The wings turned like in old times! The bread produced in the mill. Each participant received a little surprise, and we were very happy about it.

The visit of the beetles in the Kleve campus (Kleve University of Applied Sciences) was impressive with its old crane and the modern architecture of the buildings next to the Spoykanal.

The trip through the Moyländer Allee to Moyland Castle, which was approved for us, was especially charming and our reception in the castle with Mr. Haagen (deputy mayor) was characterized by cordiality. The beetles in the carriage roundel gave the castle an unprecedented display. An excellent coffee break. Many a participant took an interesting walk through the herb garden and the plants of the castle park.

Xanten - the marketplace was reserved for the beetles - a great highlight of the whole meeting. The Xanten "X" with the beetles attracted many enthusiastic people and really brought the city to life. Many visitors were taken with the fact that an event so great was presented in Xanten. Guided tours of the city and the cathedral were arranged by the guides with a lot of commitments to the guests.

The lunch in the Gothic House was marked by a special note - excellent in the historic building.

The beetles "climbed" Sonsbeck Switzerland and were warmly welcomed in Schloss Wissen. Never have so many beetles parked in the castle courtyard - yet another picture that cannot be repeated for everyone involved. The many different types of cake not only tasted excellent - the atmosphere at the pond and at the Niers gave an unforgettable impression.

APX - the Romans send their greetings. Here the beetle convoy was warmly welcomed. Not unmentioned is the visit of a group of handicapped people from HEPHATA in Mönchengladbach, which the K-UE-Club often drives out with the club beetles. On the reserved park area, the beetles were not inferior to the meticulous architecture of the Romans - one could have stretched a bricklayer line - the beetles were parked so great "lined up".

Kalkar - that was a surprise: The boss of the Ratskeller - well dressed in his cooking wear - didn't miss the opportunity to open the locking band to the entrance of the parking place for the beetles in front of the town hall square! And his food was unsurpassable with the fried potatoes made from new potatoes.

With the participation of two vehicles, Volkswagen Classic underlined the friendly connection to the K-UE Club and the ADAC had an original VW road guard beetle driven up from Munich!

On behalf of the K-UE-Club board and all participants we would like to say a big THANK YOU to all those who provided the permits, the success, and the excellent catering.

The VW Beetle Club Última Edición e.V. is known for its unique Beetle Meetings in the scene. On the day of arrival, Club President Walter Köhler warmly welcomed the participants to the meeting and our Club member Annette Schulz sang the song "A cheer for us, what lies ahead of us, a cheer for the Club". The great atmosphere with the anticipation of the eventful days was further supported by the delicious Lower Saxony buffet in the hotel.

But what happened there in Wolfsburg exceeded all previous expectations: From Königslutter am Elm, where the AVALON Hotelpark Königshof was the guest house of the participants, we started the convoy on 22.5.2015 in the morning heading to Wolfsburg to the AUTOSTADT.

This was a spectacular beetle meeting with over 70 beetles! In the AUTOSTADT in Wolfsburg the beetle fans were for the first time warmly welcomed - never before: The exit of the new car delivery point was closed for our beetles - we had right of way. On that parking spot, roofed a symbol like of a huge leaf, which is a testing point for the new cars’s electronic. A unique photo of the parking beetle cars was quite unique. The guests were warmly welcomed by the management - the club board thanked on behalf of all participants with a Bettle model (size of one meter) in the color Aquarius blue with the logo of AUTOSTADT, the Última Edición badge and the K-UE logo.

The guided tours in the AUTOSTADT were excellently organized - each participant got to know the AUTOSTADT in a special way. The highly interesting factory tours followed - unimaginable the workforce and quality aspects in those factory premises and what management is applied to produce this quantity of new cars every day.

A highlight was the DREI ÚLTIMA KÄFER, which were displayed on the banks of the Zeithaus on the AUTOSTADT site: The last beetle built in Aquariusblue, the only UE beetle in Snap-Orange and a UE beetle in Harvestmoonbeige. In wonderful views, in the background the VW power plant with its four chimneys. The has the K-UE-Club made beetle history again! The formation at the AUTOSTADT with its power plant of the Volkswagen was never done before.

The StadtCafé in the AUTOSTADT was booked for the K-UE guests for lunch and coffee.

A tour of the Volkswagen Museum Foundation was prearranged by bus, followed by a "factory tour experience" on the Mittellandkanal.
In the evening, a great asparagus buffet was set up in the hotel, information on the next day was announced by the club board and a review of the first eventful day in Wolfsburg. DJ Johannes provided the musical entertainment.

A Norwegian report (10 MB) was also written about the meeting.

The second day did not lack on highlights: A convoy in the morning of June 23rd,2015 we drive directly to the Volkswagen factory premises. A unique special permit! The Beetle convoy drove across the factory premises with a VW police station car as the guiding vehicle with flashing blue light; a unique and proud the Beetle community it was. Stopover points for photo sessions were at the historical walls of the VW plant with its VW power plant and the four chimneys in the background.

The convoy then moved to the banks of the Mittelland Canal of AUTOSTADT and opposite the VW plant. We had a special permit and a spectacular event never seen before, when more than 70 beetles lined up on the banks of the Mittellandkanal. What an enthusiasm for the Beetle Friends and lots of spectators! The next highlight was on the agenda: The Beetle convoy turned at the banks of the Mittellandkanal and drove to Vorsfelde to the AUTOSTADT-DEPOT, where about 200 vintage cars of many brands could exclusively be visited. Afterwards the convoy moved back towards AUTOSTADT to the reserved parking spots. We visited the Time House with all its car demonstrations. In the workshop next to the restaurant La Coccinella coffee and cake was provided for us.

A very special THANK YOU to the AUTOSTADT management and its employees.

In the evening at the Hotel AVALON Königspark, in addition to the excellent barbecue buffet, an interesting club evening and lots of interesting items from the Käfer displayed along the perfect entertainment with DJ Johannes. A review of the second adventure day in Wolfsburg with information about the special permits issued by the club president showed the great cooperation with AUTOSTADT. This was followed by information for the coming day, packed with it further features with special permits.

The next morning, 24.5.2015, the beetle convoy had its destination at the Marienborn memorial site on the A2 motorway, the former border checkpoint of the GDR.

Her too, beetle history was written on the site: All beetles were allowed to be parked. There has never been a visit like this before, and the strict orders of the regime was explained to us by staff in detail.

The convoy then moved over the motorway to Magdeburg-Rothensee to the "waterway intersection Magdeburg". There was also a parking place reserved where the beetles were parked. With the ship "Großer Kurfürst" we went for five hours journey to the lock Rothensee, trip to the Elbe on the descent canal. Downstream to the lock Niegripp, lock through the lock Niegripp on the Elbe - Havel - canal, locked through the double savings lock Hohenwarthe on the Mittellandkanal and the crossing of the Trough bridge/waterway junction and back to the ship docking of the shipping company Kaiser to the ship lift. Very interesting, what was technically realized with the locks and water bridges.

To see a little more of the beautiful landscape we preferred the country roads returning journey to Königslutter.

The evening in the hotel was an excellent Italian buffet prepared; the mood among the participants was excellent and everyone looked forward to the handing over of the participant certificates by the president and vice-president. Information for the coming day was given and Anette sang the song again by popular request: "A toast to us... Thank you very much.

In the morning of 25.5.2015 the Beetle convoy went through the scenically very beautiful Elmtal, then it went over the motorway towards Braunschweig and from there to Hanover to the Oldtimer Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle Collection. It was, thanks to an exception that on Whit Monday morning this non-public collection was shown to the K-UE-Club.

Beetle fans were also warmly welcomed there. The Beetle drivers were greeted by the last built T2c-Bulli on the parking lot! After the beetles had been parked, the most diverse VW-Bullis and VW-Transporter were visited. Guided tours were made and even the restoration rooms were shown, and access was granted. Yes, there was a T1 and T2 vehicles completely rebuilt.

This unique K-UE beetle meeting passed also much too fast.

This meeting was also full of highlights and surprises. The club board brought the area and the life of the Holsteins a little closer with a unique program. Schleswig-Holstein offers great smokehouses, cultural sites, manor houses and much more.

The experience already began with the journey to the Hotel Meereszeiten in Heiligenhafen. Beautifully situated in the harbour area - a great starting point for the beetle exits. There is a special atmosphere in the air.
360° on the water: Enjoy the location between fishing port, 5* marina, Baltic Sea, and city centre.
The Hafenhotel-Meereszeiten 4* in Heiligenhafen, which was selected as a conference hotel, is regarded with good reason as a hotel with beautiful views and short distances. The south side borders on the old, atmospheric fishing port.

On the other side of the hotel, just a few steps away, the modern flair of the marina. A little further on is the large lake, the adventure bridge, and the Baltic Sea with its fine sandy beach. Within walking distance is the historic city center - for discovering, shopping, and enjoying. 360° on the water means that every room has a view of the water, whether it's the old harbour, the marina, or the Baltic Sea. For our beetles we reserved a large parking lot in front of the hotel.

The journey of the participants took place individually, as far as one did not arrange for a common journey or a part of a route. Many made use of the opportunity to arrive a day earlier to get to know the area a little better.
At 18:30 our club president Walter Köhler welcomed the participants for a welcome drink with a view of the harbour. The music of Annette and Mathias made the good mood even more atmospheric. As guest of honour the mayor Heiko Müller of Heiligenhafen spoke to the participants and wished the ambitious program much success. More than 100 participants with more than 50 beetles enjoyed the unique atmosphere and feverishly awaited the exciting common beetle experiences. The joy of meeting like-minded people and seeing each other again is always great. Around 19:30 the club president opened the evening buffet "NORDDEUTSCH". Over the evening, he provided details about the course of events on 2 June 2017. The day of arrival ended with interesting discussions among like-minded people and the anticipation of the coming days.

Volkswagen Classic was represented with a special Beetle: A 1302 TDE beetle! Thank you very much for your trust.

Holstein Switzerland (approx. 140 km), Malente – Lake Keller – Uwe Seeler Football Park – Sierhagen Manor.

At 08:30 am: Special permission to drive with our beetles to the historical marketplace of Heiligenhafen. Mayor Müller did not want to miss the spectacle himself! Continuation in convoy to Malente. In the premises of the slaughterhouse and ham smokehouse Petersen (Anno 1788) we were warmly welcomed; a short film and the explanations of Mrs. May showed, how the ham is still produced there after custom and prescription. There are only a few such smokehouses left in Schleswig-Holstein. We were served there both the special Holstein ham and the homemade Mettwurst for tasting. Delicacies that you can only find a few in a family-run traditional house. As a surprise, each participant received an original Petersen Mettwurst, packed in a beetle design.

Continue to Eutin-Sielbeck to Lake Keller - Uklei ferry house directly on the Lake Keller. With the sunny weather on the terrace, the participants felt the atmosphere of the lake in Holstein Switzerland over a drink. A wonderful view of Lake Keller.

12:45 p.m. Continue to the Uwe Seeler Football Park in Malente. The beetles are placed in front of the entrance (special permit). We were welcomed by the management. The Uwe Seeler Park has written football history. In 1974 the national soccer coach Helmut Schön trained the soccer players who won the World Cup. The DFB team had previously met for a legendary discussion at the team hotel in Malente the following night after the historic defeat against the selection of the GDR in the preliminary round. In the "Night of Malente", according to Franz Beckenbauer, "a quarrelled bunch became a unit", which finally became world champion through the symbolic "Spirit of Malente". There was a "historical tour" through the building with the former footballers' rooms and the coach's room, where the spirit of Malente was "conjured up".
The room is still furnished with furniture from the past. After the delicious lunch we went to the gym. How else could it have been expected, sporting challenges were in demand: e.g., shooting at the goal wall or measuring the speed, i.e., the strength of a football kick.

Around 14:30 o'clock the convoy started to move towards Sierhagen Manor. On the way there it went through rustic country to Plunkau. There Heino stood with a warning vest and his motorcycle and blocked off the narrow road "Baumkrug" for the Beetle convoy before the beetles got free access to Sierhagen Manor! It was a special highlight to drive into Sierhagen Manor with the beetles. One wonders on which paths the participants moved with their beetles – well, history live. In the barn "Alter Pferdestall" a delicious cake buffet was set up.
The beetle drivers enjoyed the special atmosphere while drinking coffee, either in the barn, or in the inner courtyard, or even under the trees on the green island in the centre of the estate.

Now the "piggish surprise" was pending. At the entrance was written with love: Beetle drivers welcome! The beetle caravan moved to the large mown field on Heino's property. There Heino handed out "Fred Ferkel" and "Glückssteine" to every guest before he lured out his domestic pigs - one of special size.

The dinner "ITALIAN" at the Hotel Meereszeiten-Heiligenhafen was excellent; the club president gave information about the next day. On the hotel terrace with a view of the harbour we let the eventful day come to an end.

Lübeck and Niendorf (approx. 150 km), Holsten Gate – harbour tour – old town Lübeck – Niendorf.

Around 08:30 o'clock: Drive in convoy over the motorway A1 to Lübeck to the parking lot Music and Congress Hall (MUK), where Heino has blocked the parking lot for us. The trip had gone quickly, so that there was still time to take a group photo at the world-famous Holsten Gate, before the one-hour city, canal and harbour tour started at 10:15 o'clock. The MS-Holstentor of the Quandt line had been chartered by the club board.

Afterwards free time to have a look at the historical city center of Lübeck. At 12:30 p.m. the lunch in the restaurant "Schiffergesellschaft" in the historical hall was kept secret with a Nordic specialty until it was served: "sour meat in a jar with fried potatoes"; what was that well received! The building dates to 1512 and had never been destroyed.

14:00 o'clock: Now the joint trip to Niendorf was on the agenda. On the way we passed the Herren Tunnel! The track "1" was closed for the beetle convoy until arrival! After payment of the toll for all vehicles the barrier was opened and the journey continued to Niendorf to the parking lot "Hafen-Vogelpark", where Heino had locked out for the beetles again.

From the parking lot it is only a short way to the beach promenade and the old harbour. It was worthwhile to stay here before the participants met for coffee/tea and cake at the beach promenade in the café "Mein Strandhaus" Friedrichsruh round about 4 pm.

Afterwards there was time off to go for a walk at the beach or on the promenade of Niendorf, to go to the pier or to lay down in a beach chair.
The return journey to Heiligenhafen led individually or in smaller beetle groups through the beautiful landscape. In the Hotel Meereszeiten-Heiligenhafen there was a "GRILL" buffet evening on the menu - on the terrace there were barbecues with a lot of delicious choices. The club president reviewed the eventful day and informed the participants about the coming day and continued the K-UE club programme.

Heiligenhafen and Fehmarn (approx. 55 km)

Sea bridge and NSG-Graswarder; Fehmarnsund bridge; castle. This day began with some rain, which did not stop the beetle drivers, to take a walk at 09:00 o'clock past the marina to the sea and experience bridge Heiligenhafen.

Then we walked to the nature reserve Graswarder. Mr. Klaus Dürkop, NABU nature reserve advisor and two colleagues told the participants about this spit with its wildlife, breeding birds, resting birds and migratory birds. In guided tours and a movie with the unique diversity of nature was brought closer. Especially impressive was the walk on the meadows and the observation tower.

The rain stopped and so all beetles started around 13:00 o'clock to cross the Fehmarnsund bridge from Heiligenhafen. To film all the beetles on the bridge by drone without a foreign vehicle, all the beetles had to be positioned beforehand. This succeeded smoothly and was filmed by Höhenflug-Pictures! In addition, a photo team was on the bridge to capture every beetle in the picture on the Fehmarnsund Bridge.

The convoy went to the ferry port Puttgarden to get from there a good entrance to Burg a.F. to the marketplace and the sun shined as ordered. A special permit had been issued by the Head of the Public Order Office Fehmarn to park the beetles on the historical market square of Burg a.F.. Crowds came to see the beetles. For lunch there were the tastiest fish rolls of the island at "FF Grell`s Fehmarn Fischbrötchen" Burg a.F. With the K-UE-value voucher every club member could choose two fish rolls. The shrimp rolls tasted particularly good. Afterwards there was time for a ramble through the old town of Burg a.F. At 16:00 o'clock another highlight was waiting. For the exit from the market place the leader of the public order office had taken out the barrier posts and our club president dressed in warning vest and radio stopped the traffic, so that all beetles could drive in convoy from the market place, which lasted approx. 10 minutes.

Via Burgstaaken the beetle convoy went directly to the shore of the Baltic Sea and from there it went for historical pictures with the Fehmarnsund bridge to the village of Fehmarnsund. All beetles were photographed together and individually by the photo team beautiful sunny weather. Great unique photos were taken. With a delicious dinner "asparagus" buffet in the Hotel Meereszeiten Heiligenhafen a great beetle meeting of the VW Käfer-Club Última Edición e.V. ended. The president gave a short overview of the experience, Annette and Mathias gave a musical background. With the handing over of the participant certificates our club president ended the Beetle meeting.

For most of the participants the beetle meeting ended on Monday with the return journey. Some members spent another day in this beautiful region.

The Club Board would like to thank you very much for your participation in the Baltic Beetle Meeting.

This time the Black Forest was the meeting point of more than 50 beetles. A north tour and a south tour on specially selected routes – the beetles are in their element to let off steam uphill and downhill – on these fascinating landscapes.

Our big beetle family waited for this meeting with a lot of excitement and joy. The Waldsägmühle Nature Park Hotel in Kälberbronn was the meeting place and conference house. On the day of arrival, the club board welcomed the participants with a drink; for the beetles, the entire hotel parking lot was available.

With an excellent dinner "Regional menu around the nature park North Black Forest" there was an excellent introduction to this meeting; with interesting conversations among like-minded people, we ended the day of arrival.

At 08:00 o'clock the beetle convoy set off towards the southern Black Forest: Kälberbronn, Freudenstadt (Black Forest Valley Road) Lossburg - Alpirsbach - Schiltach - Wolfach. A detour through the historic city centre was a nice surprise on the way, before we went via Hausach to Haslach in the Kinzigtal. By special permission the beetles were allowed to enter the historic old town of Haslach in the Kinzigtal, a first stopover. Since there was a market at that time, many people became aware of the beetle spectacle. Special thanks go to the city administration for culture and marketing, which also announced the "beetle rush" through the local media.

The convoy continued towards Elzach, shortly before Waldkirch the convoy turned onto the Black Forest Panorama Route towards Kandel. There we reached with 1241 m the highest point of this distance; the view from the Kandel is uniquely beautiful.

The trip led us further through scenic areas via St. Märgen to the Hexenloch Mill. A Black Forest farmer's vesper, a specialty of the Hexenloch Mill, was waiting for us.

We continued our journey via Kaltenherberg, Furtwangen, Triberg on the German Clock Route in the direction of Hornberg to Schramberg. There the beetles were welcomed on the grounds of the Car and Clock Museum ErfinderZeiten. Many a surprise awaited them on four floors of the museum!

Then the convoy returned to Kälberbronn; the chef spoiled the beetle fans with a "Mediterranean buffet".

Our selected route: Kälberbronn – Erzgrube – Besenfeld – Enzklösterle (Black Forest Spa Road) – Nonnenmiß – Reichental (Hohloh Tower) – Weisenbach – Forbach – Rote Lache – Scherrhof.

Another special permit was available on this route: The beetles were allowed to drive up to the area of the Hohloh tower (984 m high)! The weather was not very good this morning, but that didn't cloud the good mood. 150 steps must be climbed, then you are 28 m higher with a view of the beetles!

The journey continued in a convoy through a scenic route to the "Scherrhof", hidden in the deep Black Forest; the region is part of Baden-Baden.

As a speciality, Badisches Schäufele was cooked in a root stock and served with homemade potato salad from Baden. A typical Black Forest dish – enjoy your meal. The trout was also excellent!

After a short walk, another highlight awaited the Beetle friends. Via the Black Forest High Road, we crossed the beautiful northern Black Forest. Up to the junction Ruhestein, there it became quaint on the streets. Past the waterfall Allerheiligen, from there to Oppenau and the beetles drive on the Oppenauer Steige with 18% gradient! This gradient already served Ferdinand Porsche to test the beetles. All beetles still mastered this route today!

Again, on the Black Forest High Road to Ruhestein, where we turned off to Baiersbronn via Obertal and Mitteltal. Destination: Hotel Tanne in Tonbach. What we didn't have at our 15th beetle meeting is an original Black Forest cherry cake. This was served to us here - pure Black Forest.

Again, in the nature park hotel Waldsägmühle a 5-course Beetle gala menu was served - excellent...

Afterwards, the K-UE participant certificates were handed over and the day ended with a review of what the club president had experienced together.

After the common breakfast of the great “Beetle Family” farewell of the participants. The club board thanked the participants for their participation and wished them a safe journey home. There is one thing to look forward to: The next K-UE beetle meeting is sure to come!

Have a safe trip to Norway

The starting point of the tours was Wittlich (Hotel Vulcano Lindenhof). Around 90 people, not only from Germany, did not miss the beautiful selected routes along the Moselle. The timing fell on the grape harvest - there is a lot going on in the vineyards. The Beetles are in their element to let off steam uphill and downhill on the Moselle slopes! The club board presented these fascinating landscapes on specially selected routes with impressive views of the Moselle valleys from the heights.

The first drive led from Wittlich through a magnificent landscape to Cochem; the Beetles drove down gradients and climbs of up to 18%; in Cochem, the top two decks were reserved for the Beetles in the Endertstraße car park; the participants visited the mustard mill and then had time to discover Cochem. Afterwards, the tour continued up the Moselle mountains to Valwig; the driving route led to Pünderich. There, a snack was taken at the Hotel-Restaurant Zur Marienburg and the highlight of the day began with the beetles crossing with the Marienburg ferry to the opposite bank. There we went through the vineyards to the Marienburg youth education centre for coffee. After a walk to the Prinzenkopf tower, from where there is a fantastic panoramic view of the Moselle and its course, the convoy drove back to Wittlich, where a surprise awaited the participants. On his model farm, farmer Jürgen Zellner explained the animal husbandry of over 150 cows and a milk tasting was not to be missed. The evening buffet at the Vulcano-Lindenhof Hotel was excellent.

The next day had more highlights in store for the participants. Early in the morning, Landshut Castle was approached to enjoy the unique view of Bernkastel-Kues. The ZYLINDERHAUS, a classic car museum with an experience entirely in the spirit of nostalgia and love for historic automobiles, then awaited the Beetle fans. The Beetles were expected in Traben-Trarbach from 12.00 noon. Thanks to an exceptional permit, the Beetles were allowed to be parked in front of the tourist office! It was great fun, attracting many spectators to see so many Beetles together again these days. The Beetles could be looked at for two hours, while the participants used this time to have a look at Traben-Trarbach. Then there was another surprise: The club had been granted permission to drive in convoy on the newly built, but not yet approved Moselle High Bridge (length 1.7 km, 160 m high)! In the early afternoon, the participants had the opportunity to visit the Thanisch winery in Lieser; just right at the beginning of the wine harvest to experience this. The drive along the panorama road was not to be missed with the destination Trittenheim, the Zummethof. There, the participants were allowed to enjoy another coffee and at the same time experience the magnificent view of the Moselle river.

In the evening, a gala dinner buffet awaited the participants in the festively decorated ballroom.

We had chosen the Upstalsboom Landhotel Friesland**** in Varel-Dangast for our meeting. The "Blue Salon" was reserved exclusively for the VW Beetle Club Última Edición e.V.; breakfast and dinner were served there. A terrace in front was available for the welcome reception, which was ideal for our Beetle meeting. The parking spaces for the Beetles were reserved according to the allocated start numbers. We drove a total of 282 kilometres.

In the evening, the club committee greeted the participants with a welcome drink on the terrace in front of the Blue Salon. This was followed by the North Sea Welcome Dinner Buffet in the Blue Salon.

The arrival day ended with interesting conversations among like-minded people and the anticipation of the days to come.

The destination of the first trip is Neuharlingersiel. Before that, a lovely, quiet drive through the Friesland countryside took us to the Faß farm near Friedeburg. The committee had planned a tasty little surprise, only available there! Everyone was given a wrapped beef sausage!

We continued our journey to Sielhof Neuharlingersiel, where a unique atmosphere awaited us. All the car parks there were blocked off for the Beetles. We were served tea and a freshly baked Frisian waffle with cherries and cream. All the Beetles remained parked at the Sielhof, while the group of Beetles set off on foot to the ferry quay for the departure of the ferry to the island of Spiekeroog.

Visit the island of Spiekeroog, the green island - unspoilt nature, extensive beaches, idyllic island village. The North Sea spa resort of Spiekeroog is one of the East Frisian islands in Lower Saxony's Wadden Sea. The island lies between Langeroog and Wangerooge and covers an area of 18.25 square kilometres. The shortest distance to the mainland is 5.7 kilometres. Spiekeroog belongs to the district of Wittmund.

There was no special programme planned for the island of Spiekeroog. Everyone could discover the island in their own way, which was great fun when the weather was good.

After returning to the mainland, the Beetles drove in a convoy from the Sielhof back to the Landhotel Friesland, where the "Landhaus Buffet" dinner in the Blue Salon was delicious.

Afterwards, the club committee had prepared an exciting surprise: An evening walk around the Mühlensee by torchlight, followed by a drink on the terrace.

The next day was even more interesting.

The Beetle convoy drove to a pier in Hooksiel, where all the Beetles lined up on the North Sea shore. The Beetles lined up on the North Sea shore for a photo session. The K-UE Beetle Club has never been so close to the Beetles on the North Sea. The Bernhard Gruben lifeboat is also moored here, and we didn't miss the opportunity to take photos of all the participants with their Beetles and the lifeboat.

The Beetles then parked in the grounds of Restaurant Brücke. It was time for a walk along the dike and the North Sea beach, before enjoying a unique lunch at Restaurant Brücke: Neptune's delicacies in the unique flair of the maritime Restaurant Brücke from the "Altonaer Räucherofen" - without gas! The seafood is prepared according to the restaurant's own recipes with selected spices and marinades. Smoking with alder wood gives the fish a golden colour and a particularly delicate flavour, which we couldn't resist.

The rest of the journey took us through rural areas with a lot of agriculture and livestock farming towards Carolinensiel and on to Harlesiel, partly along the Harle. A special permit allowed the K-UE Club to set up the Beetles in Harlesiel harbour for a photo session. The arrival of the Beetles had been publicised by the local tourist office and a large number of people had come to watch the event with enthusiasm.

Afterwards, the Beetles could be parked on the dike again with a special permit. Several hours were left for the participants to explore Harlesiel and Carolinensiel. Walking along the Harle promenade or taking the paddle-steamer Concordia II to Carolinensiel, the participants were able to soak up impressions of this gem.

On the return journey to the Landhotel Friesland, where a gourmet buffet dinner awaited the participants, the Beetles crossed the Friedrichsschleuse, a bascule bridge built in the Dutch style.

Before all the Beetles flew home, there was a morning tour of the historic town of Jever. With special permission, the Beetles were allowed to park around the church square. The grand finale was tea and cakes at the Leidenschaften tea house on the church square.

Every year at Whitsuntide, the VW Beetle Club Última Edición e.V. organises a special Beetle meeting.

In 2022, Dresden and the surrounding area was the venue, and over 150 participants with more than 75 Beetles came to see Prof Dr Hahn in person. He had accepted Walter Köhler's invitation to be the guest of honour.

In perfect weather, the Beetles drove past Moritzburg Castle, took the Beetle fans to Königstein Fortress and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, and were taken across the Elbe on the castle ferry from Pillnitz to Kleinzschachwitz. The Beetles then climbed up to Lingnerschloss, where an unprecedented highlight took place:

The last VW Beetle ever built was brought to Dresden by Autostadt Wolfsburg and handed over to Club President Walter Köhler. Prof. Dr. Hahn, whose father was a DKW owner, has close links with Saxony and was delighted with the organisation of the meeting, and even more so when he was chauffeured around Dresden for an hour by Walter Köhler in the Beetle: Lingner Castle.

There it was greeted with enthusiasm by the participants and other guests of honour. The Última Edicíón Beetles were lined up in a semi-circle in front of the palace entrance, with a place reserved for the last Beetle to drive up, right in front of the entrance steps. As soon as Prof. Dr. Hahn stepped out of the car, which was greeted with loud applause by the guests, he gave an impressive welcome speech before walking down the red carpet with Club President Walter Köhler to the palace entrance, where he was greeted by guests of honour and representatives of the City of Dresden.

Prof Hahn then addressed the participants once again before dinner was served to all guests and participants on the Lingnerter terraces. Quote from Dr Hahn: "After all, it was the Volkswagen Beetle that gave people unprecedented mobility.

Club President Walter Köhler then invited all the guests to the castle hall. There he hosted the evening, and Prof Hahn's speech on the history of the Beetle was broadcast. Guests of honour Robert Radermacher (Gottfried Schultz Group), Tiddo Bresters (FIVA President), Dr Lenk as host and Isolde Decker (TDE) entertained the participants with interesting presentations, including some 'inside stories'.

The evening went by far too quickly, but the next day brought an unprecedented highlight:

75 VW Beetles were given special permission to park on the Neumarkt square in front of the Frauenkirche church! The arrival of the Beetles, with their unmistakable engine noise, attracted a great deal of attention. While the club president personally marshalled the Beetles, the band Silberberg-Musikanten played. A special atmosphere was in the air. When the 75 cars were lined up, our guest of honour, Prof. Dr. Hahn, arrived at Neumarkt. Even at his advanced age (95), he had never seen such a formation. And in front of the Frauenkirche in Dresden! It was a unique sight, these spherical floats lined up like pearls on a string, and with music that fascinated even the spectators who rushed towards them!

Prof. Dr. Hahn stood in front of the Beetle Formation with enthusiasm... And he was particularly taken with the music: he conducted the band himself... And because it was so atmospheric, he sat down on the rear wing of a Beetle and put his right foot on the bumper: a Beetle lover rejoicing with emotion! Yes, what he has not done for the VW Beetle in his career and he was able to experience how much the Beetle still has a huge fan base today...

It was a special historic venue, a car with a special history and a special experience for everyone who was there. It can't be beaten and will probably never be equalled.

The programme included guided tours of Dresden, visits to museums and in the evening an exciting boat trip on the Elbe on the paddle-steamer 'Pillnitz'.

The next day, the Beetles travelled to Meißen, where the club president organised a special highlight: All the Beetles were allowed to line up in front of the cathedral for a photo session.

This year the Beetles took us to the eastern Baltic Sea. The itinerary included Bad Doberan, Kühlungsborn, Warnemünde, Graal-Müritz and Wustrow. We experienced the Baltic Sea several times directly on the coast with highlights and surprises.

For those who arrived early on Wednesday, 24 May 2023, there was a special trip on Thursday, 25 May 2023. Around midday, the Beetle convoy set off for Bastorf to visit the 100-year-old BUK lighthouse, which is topographically the highest lighthouse in Germany. But with a height of only 20.8 metres, it is also one of the smallest. The mayor gave us special permission to park our beetles right next to the lighthouse. After climbing the 55 steps, our view extended far into the surrounding area and across the Baltic Sea. A worthwhile excursion.

On Thursday 25th May 2023 all registered Beetle friends arrived in Wittenbeck. The club committee greeted everyone with a welcome drink and got us in the mood for some wonderful experiences on the Baltic Sea.

After breakfast on Friday 26 May 2023, the convoy of Beetles set off from the car park of the Landhotel Wittenbeck towards Bad Doberan. With a special permit, the 45 Beetles were allowed to park on the festival lawn in front of the monastery ruins in the immediate vicinity of Doberan Minster. Mayor Jochen Arenz took the opportunity to welcome the Beetle drivers personally.

The Molli train took us from Bad Doberan station to the Baltic seaside resort of Heiligendamm. In Heiligendamm we had an hour to stroll along the beach promenade to the pier and have a look at the White Houses. In 2007 the G8 meeting was held at the Grand Resort Heiligendamm.

After our stay in Heiligendamm we took the Molli train back to Bad Doberan. There was plenty of time to visit the cathedral and stroll around the town. After a successful day in Bad Doberan and Heiligendamm, the Beetles made their way to the marina in Kühlungsborn.

The harbour master was so enthusiastic about the idea of setting up the Beetles in the marina for the photo session that he immediately issued a special permit. Spectators watched in amazement as the 45 Beetles formed a semi-circle in the open area of the marina, right on the Baltic Sea.

The column of Beetles then drove through Kühlungsborn along the Baltic Sea promenade. Again, the many beetles were much admired. Our destination was the Meergut Hotel on the Baltic Sea beach. A delicious coffee buffet was prepared for us in the ballroom. The manager of the Meergut Hotel and her staff were beaming with joy as they greeted us in the hotel car park. She didn't miss the opportunity to instruct the Beetles herself. The Beetles were allowed to park around the hotel and on the lakeside terrace. What a unique picture, the Beetles parked directly on the Baltic Sea beach.

On Saturday 27 May 2023, our destination was the Darß peninsula in the Baltic Sea. To get there, the Beetles had to take the Warnow ferry Hohe Düne from the mainland. Our first destination of the day was Graal-Müritz. We were stopped on the main road by the fire brigade, who escorted our convoy of Beetles to the pier in two large fire engines. We received special permission from the public order office to set up the Beetles from the beach promenade to the pier. The town put up posters announcing the event. The fire brigade took us safely along the traffic-calmed Seestrasse to the pier. There we were asked by many onlookers to park the Beetles on the area in front of the pier. We were greeted by a convoy of Beetles driving down the pedestrian street 'Zur Seebrücke'. A band played to welcome us as the Beetles parked. It was a special spectacle to present the Beetles so close to the Baltic Sea beach on such a beautiful day. The fire brigade did not miss the opportunity to escort the Beetle convoy back to the main road with lights and sirens.

The next stop was the Baltic seaside resort of Wustrow, situated between the Baltic Sea and the Bodden on the Hartman farm. The Beetle friends were welcomed to the farm with many surprises. Farmer Hartmann not only parked the Beetles on his farm, but also organised a regional lunch for us. A coach was waiting to take us to the beach promenade in Wustrow. We also had plenty of time to walk between the fields to the Baltic Sea beach or to the Bodden on the other side of the farm. After a wonderful time, farmer Hartmann said goodbye to us with home-made gifts from his farm. Simply delicious!

The journey continued to the open-air museum in Klockenhagen. There, all 45 Beetles were allowed to drive directly onto the museum grounds and park among the beautiful old buildings. The beautiful museum café is located in an old barn. A coffee table was waiting for us. After an extraordinary day, we took the ferry back to the hotel. Another attraction awaited us in the evening. When we are guests in the north with our Beetles, we want to experience something live from the Waterfront. We managed to hire the Reriker Heulbojen shanty choir! What an atmosphere that created...

On Sunday the 28th of May 2023 we drove to Warnemünde. Our Beetles were parked in the Mittelmole car park, right next to the cruise ship harbour where the AIDA was anchored at the time. There was plenty of time for a walk along the river. Many participants walked past the small lighthouse and the teapot to the lighthouse on the pier. From there you could see the wide beach of Warnemünde and the Hotel Neptun. Also the wide Baltic Sea with the ferry traffic and the many large and small ships. There was a lot going on here. At noon we met for the harbour tour on the passenger ship 'Käpp'n Brass'. During the two hour tour we were shown and explained the harbour. Catering was also provided.

In the afternoon, the 'Blaue Boje' beach restaurant in the Baltic seaside resort of Margrafenheide was reserved for the Beetle friends for a coffee. The Beetles drove past the AIDA to the ferry terminal and took the Warnow ferry back to the other side. The restaurant 'Blaue Boje' is a very popular and sought-after address on the Baltic Sea and gives you the feeling of being 'on the Baltic Sea'. The view is unique. We were able to enjoy it on a beautiful sunny day.

The atmosphere in the hotel was excellent with a delicious farewell dinner. We talked about what we had experienced together and looked forward to the next K-UE Beetle meeting. The committee closed the meeting by handing out certificates of attendance and wishing everyone a safe journey home. The committee put everyone in the mood for the 20th K-UE Jubilee meeting. This will be held in the Eifel / Lower Saar region.

During the journey home on Monday 29 May 2023, some Beetle friends went to the Waldfriedhof cemetery in Wolfsburg to visit the grave of Prof. Dr. Carl Hahn. They paid their last respects to Prof. Dr. Carl Hahn and laid a wreath on behalf of the VW Beetle Club Última Edición e.V. The unique hours with Prof Dr Carl Hahn during the K-UE Beetle Meeting 2022 in Dresden will remain unforgettable.

In addition to the convoy rides, there were also highlights: The participants were able to ride the Wuppertal suspension railway, drive on the KÖ and parked on the reserved lane at the opera house with the cult cars. A unique spectacle was the crossing of the Rhine with the car ferry "Michaela II" with exclusively Aquarius blue and Harvestmoon beige VW beetles of the last series Última Edición from Lank to Kaiserswerth.

Überquerung des Rheins mit der Autofähre

With a special permit for the UE Club, the "Plein 1992" (named after the year of the EU treaties signed in Maastricht) was reserved where the beetles parked and with the simultaneous event "Preuvenmint" this became a highlight and an ideal meeting place.

Led by a police car, the Beetle Squadron drove to the Schinvelder Beetle Meeting of the Dutch Kever-Club Limburg on August 28th, 2005.

In the closed city centre of Donauwörth the beetles took part in the Oldtimertages. Further highlights were the event at Harburg Castle and the surprise programme in the city of Nördlingen. There, the VW logo was shown with the beetles. Surrounded by 30 Mexico beetles in the logo was a beetle named Charlotte, the owner is the Nordhoff family, which was made available especially for this meeting by the AutoMuseum Volkswagen Foundation.

This meeting was documented with a one-hour film.

With the visit of the car manufactory Wiesmann and an excursion to the wild horses in Merfelder Bruch near Dülmen, now only two highlights are mentioned. Another attraction was the runway at the Borkenberg airfield. The Volkswagen AutoMuseum Foundation provided two historic vehicles.

MotorKlassik and N-TV accompanied this meeting and reported exclusively about it.

100 beetles stood in front of the monument protected facade. A picture that remains in memory. In honour of the birthday, Wolfsburg had provided the last built beetle and entrusted it to our 1st chairman. After the convoy drove over to the factory premises and the passage of a hall the beetles parked in a semicircle.

After lunch the convoy drove with special permission through the old town of Fritzlar; further it went to the Ederstausee. There, in the restaurant Zündstoff, coffee and cake were provided before the surprise was announced. The K-UE-Club had the permission to drive the beetles on the Edersee dam. This had never happened before: The beetles lined up along the entire length of over 400 meters like a string of pearls. In the best weather the participants enjoyed this highlight! Afterwards the convoy went to the Residenzschloss Arolsen, Fürst Waldeck, who personally has received us, the 67-beetle-parade.

The next day began with a visit to Otto Weymann in Fuldatal, who owns the oldest registered beetle built in 1942. With much respect, the participants admired the Beetle monument, which found its existence in the garden and is attached with a Western oak and an Eastern oak between the bumpers and the bodywork as an immobilizer. At noon, the car dealer Glinicke in Baunatal had invited the participants to dinner and afterwards the beetle convoy with police escort drove through the districts of Baunatal. The highlight in the afternoon was the presentation of the number 50 with the Última beetles in honour of the 50th anniversary of the VW plant in Kassel. The beetle drivers were warmly welcomed by the mayor and while the band was playing, the beetle fans received their certificates of participation.

A unique meeting came to an end much too quickly; in fact, the participants and spectators experienced the beetle's spell alive! A three-and-a-half-hour film documents this unique meeting.

In nice weather, 60 beetles drove through the Swabian Alb. The highlight was with special permit to drive through the vineyard in Neuffen. It has never happened before that one beetle lined up on a vineyard path. Afterwards the beetles visited the castle Hohen Neuffen and in the afternoon the dam hotel was taken by the beetles for coffee.

On Saturday we had to get up early: The beetle convoy moved through the Swabian Alb to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen to the Porsche Museum. The K-UE Club has once again made history: Where the beginnings of Beetle construction began, the last of the species paid tribute to the designer Porsche. Never have the Última Edición Beetles lined up in front of the Porsche Museum! Mexico special models and beetles from the 50/60s as well as US beetle models also lined the entrance to the museum.
For lunch, the beetle convoy was invited to the courtyard of the Residenzschloss. In honour of the city of Ludwigsburg, which celebrated its three hundredth anniversary, the Beetles presented the numbers "300" and "LB". The friendly NSU-Schwaben-Club showed its line-up with " '09 ". VW and NSU also have a common air-cooled past.

On Saturday evening the participants were surprised with life Mexican folk dances!

Sunday morning was the day:... On the tracks of the prehistoric beetles!
The convoy drove a part of the test track through the northern Black Forest to the idyllic Eyachmühle near Dobel. There, the beetle fans were spoiled with delicious trout for lunch.

The Black Forest trip continued over the most beautiful routes to Baden-Baden. There the beetles were received with the destination flag and thanks to the exception permit the beetles were allowed to be lined up on the Lichtentaler Allee.

With this club trip not only our participants were happy. We put many other people with our beetles into the most beautiful memories. The Volkswagen-Automuseum Foundation accompanied the meeting with a Mexican beetle taxi, driven by Dr. Bernd Wiersch a car historian.

This meeting was documented by a 256-page photo book and a one-hour film. The magazine VW-Speed (issue 12/09) reported about this meeting with a four-page report with the rating "Kultur-Trip".

The Hotel Maria in der Aue (Wermelskirchen) was selected as the conference hotel above a meadow slope in the middle of the typical mixed forest of the Bergische Region. The participants enjoyed the view of the Bergische Land from the terrace. Castle Bensberg and the Porsche Centre Bensberg never had so many beetles for a visit, and under special permission 60 beetles were allowed to be parked in front of the Cologne Cathedral for blessing. Another highlight was the convoy ascent to Petersberg. The guesthouse of the federal government read request...

With Hamburg a completely new great beetle ideas opened: The prototype museum, the HafenCity with museum harbour in the Speicherstadt, the Reeperbahn, an Elbe and harbour tour, Elbe crossing with the beetles, trip through the marsh landscape to Vierlande and its heathlands experience.

The highlights were: Elbe and harbour round trip, Vierlande trip to Winsen an der Luhe with special permission to park the beetles on the Schlossplatz. Convoy trip to Hamburg over the Köhlbrand bridge through the customs port to the prototype museum. The police beetle from the Hamburg police led the convoy towards Cityhafen; something unprecedented: 6 beetles were allowed to be positioned on the pontoons in Sandtorhafen!

On to the Reeperbahn, "Die Entdeckung der Currywurst" at the "Heißen Ecke"! By special permission the beetles were allowed to be parked on the Spielbudenplatz at the Davidswache, the famous police station.

In the harbour museum Schuppen 50 the development of the port of Hamburg became very closely noticeable! The beetles were admitted to the listed ensemble of the 50s sheds. They are original locations with an unmistakable character and genuine harbour flair. A VW Cabrio 1303 was a special discovery in the hold of the MS Bleichen!

The end of a special beetle meeting was the ride on the edge of the Lüneburger Heide was the "Café im Schafstall" at lunch with its very special character.

The rope ferry Tussy II travels between Caputh and Geltow and crosses the Havel. The beetles were introduced to the rope ferry. Up to ten beetles fitted on the cable ferry! The journey took hardly more than a minute!

When they reached Lehnin Monastery, the beetles entered the inner courtyard and had permission to park there during their stay. Afterwards the convoy took course to the island town Werder. Over the narrow-paved bridge, the beetles drove straight at walking speed to the market place, a special permit for parking had been given to the K-UE-Club. Many visitors had come to admire the crawling animals. A wonderful scenery on this marketplace with the big tree and the fountain.

The following day, the convoy of beetles set off on their journey from the hotel to Berlin to the "Straße des 17. Juni". With the Brandenburg Gate in the background, each participant was "captured" with his beetle in the picture.

The chartered steamer "MS PEGASUS" took us for one hour on the Spree through the city of Berlin and passed the well-known government buildings.

In the unique restaurant "Ständige Vertretung" (an insider restaurant) the old chancellor filet was served. Only because the owner is an Oldtimers and beetle fan, a booking was made!

In the afternoon at Gut Schloss Golm (insider tip) in Potsdam-Golm, coffee was served directly at Lake Zernsee. We were served coffee and tea with homemade cakes in an idyllic location directly on the lake. The beetles parked on the beautiful meadow directly at the lake!

"Enchanting romance directly on the shore of the Großer Zernsees" if you can’t get carried away... A successful afternoon with great weather; what more could you ask for!

In the evening the "MS-Potsdam" waited at the jetty of the Hotel Seminaris, it cruised for two hours on the Templiner lake and surroundings. The captain explained the area and the sights; a wonderful day full of experiences ended with a great sunset.

The following day the beetles stayed in the hotel garage. From the hotel, they took historic buses for a 2.5-hour tour of Potsdam with photo stops: Sanssouci Palace, Cecilienhof Palace, Neues Palais and the Dutch Quarter.