Ritscher 515-520 R

Karl Ritscher started tractor manufacturing in 1920. The first decade was dedicated to tracked tractors. In the following decade, 3-wheeled tractors were introduced. After the war ended, the factory's machinery was confiscated and sent to the Soviet Union. Operations could only resume in 1948. The three-wheeled models were followed by the first four-wheeled models 420 and 415 in 1949. They were only produced for one year.

In 1950, the 500 series was introduced, consisting of several models with a more rounded design than before, featuring a 5+1 gearbox unlike previous models. The smallest in the series was the 15-horsepower 515, equipped with a single-cylinder 1.2-liter MWM engine and Ritscher's own transmission.

The second single-cylinder model was the 518, whose engine was manufactured by Bauscher, with a displacement of 1.3 liters. The gearbox was from ZF. A year later, MWM was able to offer an 18-horsepower engine, and the 518's engine was replaced by a 1.5-liter MWM. The same base engine was used in the 520 R model introduced in 1953, which featured Ritscher's own transmission.