Avus roadway was built in Berlin suburbs during 1921. It had an unusual feature: not only it served as a city highway; it also could be used as a race track. "The road for automobile driving and exercises" (exact translation from Deutsch) consisted of two, almost perfectly straight lanes which ran along railroad tracks. In the south these two lanes were connected by 180° turn with the radius of 12.5 meters; the curve had a slope inclination of 1:7. In the north both lanes were also joined by the 180° turn with the radius of 50 meters; this curve had slope inclination of 1:12. The length of Avus circuit was 19, 565 meters.
After the World War II the southern part of Avus track ended up in the Soviet Union zone of occupation. West-Berlin authorities decided to shorten the cuirsuit to 8,298 meters (with the turn at East Berlin border) and continue using it for races.
German Grand Prix was held at Avus track in 1959. Many experts were skeptical about it; the circuit had been constructed in the beginning 1920s and could not support Formula 1 races since it did not comply with new safety requirements. Fears of experts were justified - during Grand Prix practice and race there were a number of accidents, one of which resulted in a fatality of the French driver - Jean Behra.
Since then Avus track has never appeared on the Grand Prix World Championship calendar again. After 1959 the circuit has been reconstructed and shortened three times - in 1968, 1989, and 1992; it was also used for DTM, ITC, and for Formula 3 races.