| Bertha Benz Memorial Route | |
|---|---|
| Official signpost: |
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| Country: | Germany |
| Length: | 194 km (120 miles) |
| Location: | roughly between Frankfurt/Main and Baden-Baden |
| State: | Baden-Württemberg |
| Region: | Northern Baden |
| Course: | North-South, South-North |
| Start: | Mannheim |
| Most distant point: | Pforzheim |
| Finish: | Mannheim |
| Altitude: | 89 m to 359 m above sea level |
Map of Germany with the official heritage path commemorating Bertha's journey of 1888
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The Bertha Benz Memorial Route is a German tourist and theme route in Baden-Württemberg[1] and member of the European Route of Industrial Heritage[2]. Since its opening in 2008 everybody can follow the tracks of the world's first long distance journey by automobile of the year 1888.
Contents |
History
Bertha Benzs' husband, Dr Carl Benz, patented the first automobile designed to produce its own power in January 1886.(Reich Patent No. 37435)[3][4]
In early August 1888[5] and without her husband's knowledge, Bertha Benz and her sons Richard and Eugen, fourteen and fifteen years old, drove in one of Benz's newly-constructed Patent Motorwagen No. 3 automobiles from Mannheim to Pforzheim, becoming the first persons to drive an automobile over more than a very short distance[6]. The distance was about 104 km (64 miles). Distances traveled before this historic trip were short, and merely trials with mechanical assistants[7][8].
Although the ostensible purpose of the trip was to visit her mother[9], Bertha Benz also had another motive: to show her brilliant husband - who had 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[10].
On the way, she solved numerous problems. She had to find Ligroin, a detergent available only at dispensing chemists' shops, to use as fuel[11]. Thus the still existing Stadt-Apotheke (Town Pharmacy) in Wiesloch, some kilometers south of Heidelberg, became the world's first filling station[12]. A blacksmith[13] had to help mend a chain in Bruchsal. Brake linings were replaced in Bauschlott/Neulingen[14] north of Pforzheim. And Bertha Benz had to use a long, straight hairpin to clean a fuel pipe which had become blocked and to insulate a wire with a garter[15].
Bertha and her sons left Mannheim around dawn and reached Pforzheim somewhat after dusk, notifying Carl of their successful journey by telegram[16]. They drove back to Mannheim three days later.
Along the way, several people were frightened by the automobile and the novel trip received a great deal of publicity[17] - as she had sought. The drive was very helpful for Carl Benz, as he was able to introduce several improvements after his wife reported everything that had happened along the way - and she made important suggestions, such as the introduction of an additional gear for climbing hills[18].
Responsible body
In 2007 a not-for-profit initiative, led by Edgar and Frauke Meyer, founded two societies, Bertha Benz Memorial Route e.V. and Bertha Benz Memorial Club e.V., to commemorate Bertha Benz and her historic pioneer's deed.
On February 25, 2008, Bertha Benz Memorial Route was officially approved as a Tourist or Scenic Route by the German authorities, a dynamic monument of 194 km of German industrial culture.
The Route
Outbound trip
Mannheim to Pforzheim, approx. 104 km (64 miles), southbound (S):
Mannheim, Mannheim-Feudenheim, Ilvesheim, Ladenburg, Schriesheim, Dossenheim, Heidelberg, Leimen, Nußloch, Wiesloch, Mingolsheim, Langenbrücken, Stettfeld, Ubstadt, Bruchsal, Untergrombach, Weingarten, Karlsruhe-Grötzingen, Berghausen, Söllingen, Kleinsteinbach, Wilferdingen, Königsbach, Stein, Eisingen, Pforzheim
Return trip
Pforzheim to Mannheim, approx. 90 km (56 miles), northbound (N):
Pforzheim, Bauschlott, Bretten, Gondelsheim, Helmsheim, Heidelsheim, Bruchsal, Forst, Hambrücken, Wiesental, Kirrlach, Reilingen, Hockenheim, Talhaus, Ketsch, Schwetzingen, Mannheim-Friedrichsfeld, Mannheim-Seckenheim, Mannheim
Landscapes
The authentic route taken by Bertha Benz not only links almost forgotten original sites she passed on her way, it also leads to one of the most attractive scenic regions in Germany, the wine region Baden.
This route of industrial heritage of mankind follows several Roman roads in the area of the Upper Rhine Plain, for example the Bergstrasse (Mountain Road), it leads along the foot of the Odenwald mountains and the Kraichgau, and shortly before reaching Karlsruhe it branches off into the Pfinz valley leading to Pforzheim, the entrance to the Black Forest.
As Bertha was afraid of some steep mountains[19], the return trip follows an alternative route and finally leads along the river Rhine to reach Mannheim again.
Sights
- Mannheim: Mannheim Palace, Luisenpark, Water-Tower
- Ladenburg: Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz, House of the Benz Family, Old Town
- Heidelberg: Heidelberg Castle, Old Town, Old Bridge
- Wiesloch: The World's first Filling-Station (Town Pharmacy)
- Bruchsal: Bruchsal Castle
- Pforzheim: Museum of Jewelry, House of Industry
- Bretten: Melanchthon's House, close by Maulbronn Abbey (World Heritage Site of UNESCO), students: Johannes Kepler, Friedrich Hölderlin, Hermann Hesse (Steppenwolf)
- Hockenheim: Museum of Motorsports at the Hockenheimring, Hockenheimring
- Schwetzingen: Schwetzingen Castle
 Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz, Ladenburg |
 Heidelberg Castle and Old Bridge |
 The Town Pharmacy in Wiesloch, the World's first Filling-Station |
|
 Bruchsal Castle |
 Melanchton's House, Bretten |
 Red Mosque of Schwetzingen Castle |
References
Notes
- ^ Official tourist webpage of Baden-Württemberg
- ^ ERIH European Route of Industrial Heritage
- ^ Original patent specification
- ^ Mercedes Benz webpage on Carl Benz' patent
- ^ Winfried A. Seidel: Carl Benz. Eine badische Geschichte. Edition Diesbach, Weinheim 2005, ISBN 3-936468-29-X [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]., page 43
- ^ Mercedes Benz webpage
- ^ (Karl Volk:) Carl Benz. Lebensfahrt eines Erfinders. Koehler & Amelang 1925, unchanged reprint München 2001, ISBN 3-7338-0302-7 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]. (Onlineversion), chapter "Die ersten Fahrten: Im Fabrikhofe & Auf der Straße"
- ^ Winfried A. Seidel: Carl Benz. Eine badische Geschichte. Edition Diesbach, Weinheim 2005, ISBN 3-936468-29-X [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK], page 38: Article in the "Badische Landeszeitung", June 4, 1886, and in the "Generalanzeiger", Sept 5, 1886.
- ^ (Karl Volk:) Carl Benz. Lebensfahrt eines Erfinders. Koehler & Amelang 1925, unchanged reprint München 2001, ISBN 3-7338-0302-7 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]. (Onlineversion), chapter: "Wir fahren in die Welt! Die erste Fernfahrt".
- ^ Mercedes Benz webpage
- ^ Bertha Benz Memorial Route webpage
- ^ The world's first filling station
- ^ (Karl Volk:) Carl Benz. Lebensfahrt eines Erfinders. Koehler & Amelang 1925, unchanged reprint München 2001, ISBN 3-7338-0302-7 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]. (Onlineversion), chapter: "Wir fahren in die Welt! Die erste Fernfahrt".
- ^ http://www.neulingen.de/index.cfm?fuseaction=neulingen&rubrik=historisches&id=26 The leather was nailed onto the brake blocks by the shoemaker Karl Britsch in front of the guesthouse "Adler" (Eagle).
- ^ Prof. John H. Lienhard: The Engines of Our Ingenuity
- ^ (Karl Volk:) Carl Benz. Lebensfahrt eines Erfinders. Koehler & Amelang 1925, unchanged reprint München 2001, ISBN 3-7338-0302-7 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]. (Onlineversion), chapter: "Wir fahren in die Welt! Die erste Fernfahrt".
- ^ * (Karl Volk:) Carl Benz. Lebensfahrt eines Erfinders. Koehler & Amelang 1925, unveränderte Neuauflage München 2001, ISBN 3-7338-0302-7 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]. (Onlineversion), chapter: "Der neue Wagen holt sich auf der Münchener Ausstellung 1888 die Große Goldene Medaille".
- ^ (Karl Volk:) Carl Benz. Lebensfahrt eines Erfinders. Koehler & Amelang 1925, unchanged reprint München 2001, ISBN 3-7338-0302-7 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]. (Onlineversion), at the end of the chapter: "Wir fahren in die Welt! Die erste Fernfahrt".
- ^ http://www.neulingen.de/index.cfm?fuseaction=neulingen&rubrik=historisches&id=26 For the return trip she preferred the smoother road via Bauschlott.
Bibliography
- (Karl Volk:) Carl Benz. Lebensfahrt eines Erfinders. Koehler & Amelang 1925, unchanged reprint München 2001, ISBN 3-7338-0302-7 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK]. (Onlineversion)
- Angela Elis: Mein Traum ist länger als die Nacht. Wie Bertha Benz ihren Mann zu Weltruhm fuhr. Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg 2010, ISBN 978-3-455-50146-9 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK].
- Hans-Erhard Lessing u.a. (Hg): Die Benzwagen. Reprint of the company's publication of 1913. Wellhöfer-Verlag, Mannheim 2008
- Hans-Erhard Lessing: Mannheimer Pioniere. Wellhöfer-Verlag, Mannheim 2007
- Winfried A. Seidel: Carl Benz. Eine badische Geschichte. Edition Diesbach, Weinheim 2005, ISBN 3-936468-29-X [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK].
External links
- Bertha Benz Memorial Route
- Prof. John H. Lienhard on Bertha Benz's ride
- Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz, Ladenburg
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