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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Karl and Bertha

Widely considered the first automobile, the Karl Benz Patent Motorwagen was unveiled to the public on July 3, 1885.

Bertha Benz, the wife of the inventor, chose to publicise the car by personally demonstrating its feasibility as a means to travel long distances.

Bertha Benz drove her sons Eugen and Richard (fifteen and fourteen years old) from Mannheim to her hometown of Pforzheim. As well as being the driver, she acted as mechanic on the drive, cleaning the carburettor with her hat pin, using a garter to insulate a wire, and obtaining fuel from chemists along the way. We may never have known about the great inventor, Karl, without the involvement of the great publicist, Bertha.

1 comment:

Col. Milquetoast said...

Mercedez was named after a patron's daughter. If Benz had done the same would racing gloved snobs brag about "Cruisin' 'round in my Bertha"