u/AlphaXAU

Volkswagen was founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the direction of Adolf Hitler.

The idea behind Volkswagen, which translates to "people's car, was to create an affordable, reliable vehicle that ordinary German citizens could buy. Hitler commissioned automotive engineer Ferdinand Porsche to design the car that would eventually become the Volkswagen Beetle.

So while the company itself was established as a state project under Hitler's government, Porsche was responsible for the engineering and design that defined Volkswagen's early success.