Most people would be quite surprised to learn what law took effect in Germany 50 years ago today.

On September 1, 1957 a law took effect in the Federal Republic of Germany, introducing a speed limit. But it wasn’t for the Autobahn. Most visitors to Germany are curious about the lack of a speed limit on the Autobahn. Actually about 30 percent of Germany’s Autobahn network has a speed limit, for various reasons – noise protection for nearby residents, accident prone stretches of the road, etc. In 1953 the German Bundestag repealed a law from the Nazi era that mandated speed limits on German roads. 8 years after the end of the Nazi regime a speed limit was apparently viewed as some unjust imposition from that era. "Freie Fahrt für freie Bürger" became the slogan ["Unrestricted driving for free citizens"]. Actually with all the damage to Germany’s roads during the war, and the fact that hardly anyone owned a car, not having a speed limit didn’t really matter. But as roads were repaired and new ones built and German engineering produced cars with better suspension, average driving speeds began to move up upward. So a law was proposed imposing a speed limit within city limits and on roads outside city limits, but not on Autobahns. The bill had a rough ride, and a compromise was reached to introduce a speed limit within city limits. Today it is 50 kph (about 33 mph), like the sign says near my apartment. I doubt there will ever be a speed limit on the Autobahn unless it is forced on Germany by the European Union.