Bertha Benz

From Free net encyclopedia

(Difference between revisions)

Revision as of 14:41, 13 April 2006
TexasAndroid (Talk | contribs)
rm cat per CFD Apr 5
Next diff →

Current revision

Bertha Benz, born Bertha Ringer (born May 3, 1849 in Pforzheim, Germany, married inventor Karl Benz on July 20, 1872, and died May 5, 1944 in Ladenburg), was the first person to drive an automobile over a long distance.

On August 5, 1888 and without her husband's knowledge, she drove her sons, Richard and Eugen, 14 and 15 years old, in one of Benz's newly constructed automobiles from Mannheim to Pforzheim, becoming the first person to drive an automobile over more than just a very short distance. This was a distance of more than 106 km (more than fifty miles). Distances traveled before this trip were short and merely trials with mechanical assistants.

Although the primary purpose of the trip was to visit her mother, she also had another motive: to show her brilliant husband—who failed to consider marketing his invention adequately—that the automobile would become a financial success once it was shown to be useful to the general public.

Image:Benz Patent Motorwagen 1886 (Replica).jpg

Underway, she solved numerous problems. She had to find petrol or similar fuels which were available—sometimes—only at chemists' shops. A blacksmith had to help with a chain at one point. Bertha Benz had to use a long, straight hairpin to clean a fuel pipe which had become blocked. She left Mannheim around dawn and reached Pforzheim somewhat after dusk, notifying her husband of her successful journey by telegram. She drove back to Mannheim the next day.

Along the way several people were frightened by the 'horseless carriage' and the novel trip received a great deal of publicity—as she sought. The drive was helpful for Karl Benz, her husband, as he was able to introduce several improvements after his wife reported everything that had happened along the way and she made suggestions, such as, the introduction of an additional gear for greater ease climbing hills.

In Germany, a festive annual holiday celebrates this historic trip of Bertha Benz and features antique automobiles.

[edit]