Bertha Benz | |
|---|---|
 Bertha Ringer, c. 1871, prior to her marriage to Carl Benz | |
| Born | Cäcilie Bertha Ringer 3 May 1849 |
| Died | 5 May 1944 (aged 95) |
| Nationality | German |
| Known for | First person in history to drive an automobile over a long distance |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5 |
Bertha Benz (German: [ˈbɛʁta ˈbɛnts] ; née Cäcilie Bertha Ringer; 3 May 1849 – 5 May 1944) was a German automotive pioneer. She was the business partner, investor and wife of automobile inventor Carl Benz. On 5 August 1888, she was the first person to drive an internal-combustion-engined automobile over a long distance, field testing the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, inventing brake lining and solving several practical issues during the journey of 105 km (65 miles).[1] In doing so, she brought the Patent-Motorwagen worldwide attention and got their company its first sales. Bertha Benz was not allowed to study in the Grand Duchy of Baden, and her financial and practical engineering contributions have long been overlooked until the 21st century.
- ^ Robertson, Patrick (2011), Robertson's Book of Firsts: Who Did What for the First Time, Bloomsbury Publishing US, p. 91, ISBN 978-1608197385, retrieved 28 May 2015