Bertha the magnificent

Posted by Barbara on April 14, 2025 in Dame designate, feminism, History, Women's equality issues | 4 comments

The virtual pages of damesnet have featured women scientists, doctors, bridge builders, nurses, politicians, writers, artists, historians, actors, designers, scriptwriters, authors, sportswomen, lawyers, surgeons…so how on earth have we managed to omit automotive engineers?

Step forward Bertha Benz, the engineer who was instrumental in the development of the first engine-powered carriage or automobile, and is best known for embarking on the world’s first long-distance drive in the Patent-Motorwagen, a car built by her husband.  She was born on May 3, 1849, the third of nine children. Her wealthy parents prized education for their children and Bertha was known for her ambition and fascination with technological innovation.

Aged 20, Bertha met Karl Benz, a passionate inventor determined to develop an engine for a horseless carriage. She chose to receive her dowry early so she could buy out Karl’s unsuccessful business partner and personally invest in Karl’s projects. When they married in 1872, according to German law, Bertha lost her legal power to act as Karl’s investor.  This did not stop the two working together to develop a two-stroke engine and in December 1885, they finished work on the first horseless carriage. Karl filed for a patent, but Bertha could not legally apply alongside her husband despite her financial and practical engineering contributions.  The Benz Patent-Motorwagen thus became the first automobile.

In August 1888 Bertha Benz and her sons, Eugen, age 15, and Richard, age 13, set out in the vehicle without Karl’s knowledge. She left a note for him on the dining table, stating that she and their sons were going to visit her mother in Pforzheim. She did not have a driver’s license at the time. (Karl had received the world’s first driving license only a few days prior.) Bertha omitted the key fact that they had set off by car.  

They completed the journey in about 13 hours, driving on about 96 km of unpaved roads.  The journey was not straightforward; the vehicle had no fuel tank and ligroin was a cleaning agent that served as petroleum fuel for the single-cylinder engine motor. However it was only available at apothecary shops, so  Bertha called in at one such apothecary to buy the fuel. On the way her engineering understanding and resourcefulness were essential: She cleaned a blocked fuel line with her hat pin and used her garter as insulation material. On the journey back, the Motorwagen’s  brake blocks wore out. Benz had a cobbler fit the brakes with leather strips, thus inventing brake pads.  She and her sons had to push the Motorwagen uphill, so she suggested that Karl add a third, lower gear to the next model.

The journey acted as a key event in the technical development of the automobile and proved that the Benz automobile could be a viable vehicle, which was the key reason for Bertha’s expedition.  Before Bertha Benz’s trip, most motorized drives were trial runs that were monitored by professionals.

The road taken by the trio still exists and is known as the Bertha Benz Memorial Route.  Bertha and Karl are the only couple to ever have been inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.

On her 95th birthday, Bertha Benz was named Honorary Senator by the Technical University of Karlsruhe. One last point: I was introduced to Bertha and her story by my grandson Caleb so this blog is a tribute to him; Horrible Histories have scored again!