Women's Day 2018: Bertha Benz & The Story Of The World's First Car Journey

While everyone knows about Karl Benz and his story behind the first ever car - and of course the resulting juggernaut that Mercedes-Benz today is, not many people know about the important role his wife, Bertha Benz played in all of this. And since today is International Women's Day 2018, what better day to tell a story that not many know but one that changed the way the world looked at motor cars! But before we tell you how she shaped the history and the future of automobiles with an act of sheer disobedience, lets dive a little deeper into knowing who she really was.

Also Read: We Drive India's Oldest Mercedes-Benz!

(An advertisement for the Benz Patentwagen in the 1880s)

Bertha Benz was born to an extremely rich family in 1849 in Germany as Bertha Ringer. Before she married and took on the Benz surname though, she was already Karl Benz's business partner - in fact using part of her marriage dowry to invest in Karl Benz's then failing iron construction company. After their wedding in 1872, Karl Benz continued to use the dowry money to invest in his new venture Benz & Cie, which was the brand under which the first ever Benz Patentwagen was finished in 1885. However, even though it was Bertha's money that had financed the horseless carriage, she was not allowed to hold the patents for the same as during the time, married women were not allowed to apply for a patent!

((The Benz Patentwagen - this one however is a replica made in India))

The Benz Patentwagen continued to improve since its launch in 1885 with first the Model II which was a four wheeled vehicle for test purposes and then the Model III which was the actual car that sold in decent numbers - especially for the time. The Model III featured a three wheel design with powered rear wheels and a steerable front wheel. And it is with this vehicle that Bertha Benz created history in August 1888!

(Bertha Benz's Road Trip caught the attention of the Press in Germany)

One morning, Mrs.Benz got onto her husbands Patentwagen and decided to embark on what we now know as the first ever long distance journey that was undertaken by an automobile! Without telling her husband and without informing the authorities (which at the time was a must), Bertha drove from Mannheim to Pforzheim a distance of 106 kms. Before this, the only trips undertaken by the Patentwagen were short trial drives made with support staff and returning to the start point. Bertha's drive however started at point A and ended at Point B making it record setting!

(And illustration of Bertha Benz refuelling the Benz Patentwagen)

While it is claimed that Bertha Benz took on this trip to go and meet her mother, in reality, she undertook it to show to the public that her husband's invention, which she had invested herself into, would actually work. Bertha Benz did of course face considerable adversities over the course of her trip. The Patentwagen for example had a very small fuel tank which had to be filled with petrol or benzene. And since petrol stations hadn't been invented yet, she had to go to a chemist to buy a liquid called Ligorin. The pharmacy in question was in a town called Wiesloch and is attributed to be the first ever fuel station in the world!

(The Benz Patentwagen Bench Seat)

Bertha also had issues with the car's cooling system, which constantly needed water to be refilled. Other issues included the fuel line that kept getting blocked (which she mended with her hat pin) and a broken chain which was mended by a local blacksmith. And then there is the story of how the wooden brakes on the Patentwagen began to disintegrate prompting her to pull into a cobbler's shop and installing a set of leather ones - making the world's first ever brake pads! Her two sons that kept her company during the trip - Eugen and Richard had to also get off the car and help push it up steeper hilly slopes as it's two speed gearbox just wasn't enough.

(Official Benz Patentwagen replica Made in India in the town of Coimbatore)

When she returned back to Mannheim a few days ago, she is said to have given a technical briefing to Karl Benz which prompted him to add features like the leather brake pads and an extra gear in order to climb hills. As they say, behind every successful man, there is a woman. And that holds so very true in the case of Karl And Bertha Benz! 

Pictures Courtesy Mercedes-Benz Archives and Makarand Baokar