The International Rally started in 1951 as the first German endurance test after the Second World War. Organized by the Wiesbadener Automobilclub (WAC), the event over road and race tracks soon became a household name in the European rally scene and a Wiesbaden trademark, gathering ever more participants from Germany and abroad at the finish line in front of the Brunnenkolonnaden. The 30th International Rally in 1968 was classified as a round of the "European Rally Championship for Drivers" and the "German Rally Championship".

At the end of the 1960s, the main part of the rally was moved to Czechoslovakia. In 1968, the local automobile club supported the rally, followed by the automobile club of the town of Klatovy in 1969-71. Czechoslovakia's increasing isolation from the West put an end to the rally for 40 years. An attempt to move it to France in 1973 failed. In 2011, however, the WAC succeeded in making a new start with the Czech automobile club Klatovy.

The 34th International Rally for Historic Vehicles led from Hersbruck to the Czech Republic and ended after 1,300 km and 300 km of special stages in front of the Kurhaus in Wiesbaden. The rally took place for the 38th time in May 2015.