Vogelsang Castle is located in the solitude of the North Eifel, above the Urftalsperre on the Erpenscheid mountain. A historically burdened place, one of three so-called Ordensburgen, which the National Socialists built in 1934 in order to train managers there until 1941. American, British and Belgian forces later used the building, which is modeled on a medieval castle. Since spring 2023, the 34,000 square meter facility has been used entirely for non-military purposes: for the Degener Opel Museum (DOM), the world’s largest private collection of models with the lightning bolt. The Opel Post was there before the official opening in summer 2023.
“Welcome to the DOM”, Martin Degener greets his visitors. Friends of the brand from all over Europe have already made the pilgrimage to the former Opel dealership in Vreden in the Münsterland. “Vogelsang Castle will now become a new place of pilgrimage for Opel fans and lovers of old metal,” he says with certainty. Several hundred historic Opels belong to the collection of the now 74-year-old, his brother Josef, who is four years his senior, and their family. 150 are to remain in Vreden; In Vogelsang, the family wants to present around 250 Opel oldies – among other things in a 2,100 square meter vehicle yard and adjoining historic halls on a total of two floors plus a basement.
Built by Karmann, the Diplomat Coupé with a V8 engine was one of the most expensive and sought-after Opel models of the post-war period. If you want to get hold of one of the only 347 copies, you have to shell out a six-digit purchase price.
A look at a first-generation Kadett: one focus of the collection is on the Opel models of the 1950s and 1960s. Every single copy has been lovingly restored and cared for, and Martin Degener has a story to tell about most of them.
In the DOM, short for Degener Opel Museum, a total of 250 models with lightning bolts await. Persian carpets and contemporary furniture give the exhibition its own character.
“Vogelsang Castle will be a new place of pilgrimage for Opel fans and lovers of old metal.”
– Martin Degener –
How did this love for Opel come about? His father Anton had been an Opel dealer since 1933. The Degener brothers grew up in their father’s workshop. “After the war we didn’t have a kindergarten in Vreden,” he recalls. Instead of a baggy bib, he wore a small boiler suit. “I could weld before I could write.”
More than half a century
When did his passion for collecting begin? More than half a century ago. After the death of his father in 1970, at the tender age of 22, the trained car mechanic and retail salesman took over the business, which he ran until he retired at the age of 65. And in which he still works on the side today. When one of his first customers bought a new car in 1970 and traded in his record, Degener didn’t have the heart to scrap it. “Our grandmother Katharina always said: You don’t throw away what isn’t worn out. That was the gospel. And an Opel doesn’t break easily.”
In the years that followed, Degener was happy about every Opel he took back when selling a brand-new car. And they mostly had a few kilometers on the clock. “Our customers drove their Opel to church on Sundays or to the bull auction at the wholesale market in Münster, usually not more than 5,000 kilometers were clocked up a year.” In addition, his father always sold his customers seat covers, “so they can see Upholstery still looks like new after 70,000 kilometers.”
Holy halls: Martin Degener (second from left) received a visitor from Rüsselsheim even before the official opening of the DOM Museum. Communications Director Martin Golka (left), Jens Cooper, Project Manager at Opel Classic (third from left), and Harald Hamprecht, Vice President Communications (right), explored the remarkable collection.
Outside of Vreden he built his first hall with a workshop. In his spare time he worked on and restored the Opel. Since the 1990s with his employee Clemens Winking and a small “retirees’ team – that’s a nice club, a pensioners’ depository,” laughs Degener.
Over the decades, Degener has built up a huge spare parts store and collected restoration objects. Entire car bodies lie patiently in a deep slumber. He stores speedometers, shafts, screws, bumpers and chrome parts on long shelves – and knows exactly where everything is.
Complete collection from 1948 to 1980
What is Degener particularly proud of? That he owns one example of every Opel model made between 1948 and 1980. Olympia, Rekord, Kadett, Admiral, Diplomat and all other models from 1948. He rebuilt them. There are so many cars that some of them are even stacked on self-made shelves. And he knows the history of every car, the previous owners and their experiences.
His greatest treasure? His father’s beige 1948 Olympia. “My brother and I learned to drive on it. Secretly through the fields of our home town of Vreden. At ten years old, if our parents didn’t notice.” This Olympia adorns the logo of his new museum. He also cherishes and cares for a piano black Diplomat Coupé like the apple of his eye. Eventually only 347 of these were built.
A lot has come together in over 50 years of passion for collecting. The impressive private collection also includes numerous Opel Blitz models.
The beige 48 Olympia (front) now has 450,000 km on the clock. The vehicle with the lightning bolt belonged to Martin Degener’s father and was used as a driving school car for many years.
“Our grandmother Katharina always said: You don’t throw away what isn’t worn out. Nothing breaks an Opel that easily.”
– Martin Degener –
Martin Degener also learned to drive in the ’48 Olympia. However, even as a child: together with his brother Josef, he went on short jaunts through the fields – when father and mother didn’t notice.
The former, formally desecrated “Malakoff Chapel” now houses nine copies of the Kadett A, including a coupé with red and black paintwork. Why isn’t the stately KAD series presented here? The monument protection prohibits widening the doors. Only narrow Opel models fit through. The chapel will soon also be converted into a library. “My brother is a teacher. He has nearly 40,000 books that he can’t part with. You will find a worthy place here.”
Place with its own charm
Anyone who only expects restorations that are true to the original or a high-gloss museum will be disappointed. Disused Persian carpets and contemporary furniture give this garage full of stories its very own character. True fans of the brand will love this place. “Some models that are here are even missing from the largest Opel vintage car collection in the world – here in Rüsselsheim,” says Opel Classic employee Jens Cooper, impressed. And means about the quartet of delivery vans from 1953 to -57 and the Olympia Rekord P1 Caravan and P2 Caravan.
The Vogelsang facility has been a place of remembrance since 2006 and stands for tolerance, diversity and peaceful coexistence. A permanent exhibition is dedicated to the National Socialist history of the place.
Splendor and glory on two floors: the chrome-plated captain post-war models will be ready in the courtyard when the DOM officially opens this summer.
“Some models that are here are even missing from the largest Opel vintage car collection in the world – here in Rüsselsheim.”
-Jens Cooper-
In the courtyard, Martin Degener is presenting a bizarre vehicle from the collection: the red Diplomat has a fold-out construction and was used as a pace car in horse races – the high-capacity V8 engine with lots of torque makes this possible.
And the exhibition grows and grows and grows. Around 30 oldies will soon be added after they have been in two halls in Herne-Süd for more than 30 years: Hilmar Born ran a small museum here and now, at almost 70 years old, wants to take things a little easier. That’s why his sweethearts are hiking to his friend Martin: “Hilmar’s Opel Museum will live on, just under a different name here in the DOM.”
Happy Birthday Opel!
The Rüsselsheim-based company is celebrating a special anniversary next year: 2024 marks the 125th anniversary of the beginning of the automotive age – the starting point is marked in 1899 by the patent motor car “System Lutzmann”. To mark this occasion, the official anniversary volume “Opel Love – 125 Years of Automobiles” will be published in September 2023. 125 automotive milestones from 125 years of Opel will be presented – from the “Doktorwagen”, “Tree Frog” to the Kadett, Kapitän and Admiral to the GT Concept and Manta GSe. Central protagonists from the past and present of the brand have their say – and of course the fans, whose solidarity has not only been legendary since the manta mania of the 90s. A section of the anniversary volume is also dedicated to the Degener family’s passion for collecting. The richly illustrated Opel book exclusively presents the car and motorsport history from Rüsselsheim, written by brand expert Harald Hamprecht. A must for every Opel fan!
June 2023
Text: Harald Hamprecht, photos: Dominik Asbach