Bertha Benz

Hello, my name is Bertha Benz, and I want to tell you about a journey that changed the world. I was born in a town called Pforzheim, Germany, on May 3rd, 1849. Even as a young girl, I was fascinated by how things worked. While many other girls were learning different skills, I was curious about machines and engines. This was very unusual for a girl back then, but I always followed my curiosity. One day, I met a brilliant young inventor named Karl Benz. He told me about his incredible idea to build a “horseless carriage,” a vehicle that could move all by itself without being pulled by a horse. I was immediately captivated by his dream and knew he was on to something special.

I believed in Karl and his vision so much that I decided to help him. In 1871, before we were even married, I used my own money to invest in his small workshop. I knew that with a little help, his invention could truly change how people traveled. We were married on July 20th, 1872, and I continued to support his work every step of the way. After many years of hard work, Karl finally finished his first automobile in 1886. He called it the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. It was a magnificent three-wheeled machine, but most people didn’t understand it. They were afraid of the loud noise it made and thought it was a scary, dangerous contraption. They didn't see the future I saw.

I knew I had to do something to show everyone that the automobile was not only safe but also very useful. So, I came up with a bold plan. On the morning of August 5th, 1888, without telling Karl, I woke up our two sons, Eugen and Richard. We quietly wheeled the Patent-Motorwagen out of the workshop and started it. We were going on the world’s very first long-distance road trip! Our destination was my mother’s house in Pforzheim, which was over 100 kilometers away. The journey was filled with challenges. The car ran out of fuel, but I found a pharmacy and bought a cleaning fluid that could be used as gasoline. At one point, a fuel line got clogged, so I used my long hatpin to clear it out. When a wire broke, I used my garter to insulate it and fix the connection. The wooden brakes were not very strong, so when we stopped, I asked a shoemaker to attach pieces of leather to them, inventing the very first brake pads.

When my sons and I finally arrived in Pforzheim, everyone was astonished. They couldn't believe we had traveled so far in the horseless carriage. Word of our amazing journey spread quickly, and newspapers began writing stories about my adventure. Suddenly, people weren't scared of the automobile anymore; they were excited about it. My trip proved that Karl's invention was reliable and had a real purpose. When I returned home, I told Karl about everything we had faced. Based on what I learned, he was able to make important improvements to the car, like adding a new gear to make it easier to climb hills. After my journey, people wanted to buy our cars, and our company began to grow.

That one journey helped start a revolution in how people get from one place to another. The company Karl and I started all those years ago eventually became part of the famous car company we know today as Mercedes-Benz. I lived to be 95 years old, and I am so proud that I took a risk to help my husband’s dream succeed. I am remembered as a pioneer who believed in a new idea and wasn't afraid to take a drive into the future.