Bertha Benz Memorial Route

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Bertha Benz Memorial Route
Official signpost:
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

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.

History

Bertha Benz (1849 - 1944)

In 1886 Dr Carl Benz invented the automobile in Mannheim/Germany (Reich Patent No. 37435)^[3][4] - but nobody wanted to buy it.

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

The Benz Patent-Motorwagen Nr. 3 of the year 1888

Mannheim to Pforzheim, approx. 104 km (64 miles), southbound (S):

Mannheim, Feudenheim, Ilvesheim, Ladenburg, Schriesheim, Dossenheim, Heidelberg, Leimen, Nußloch, Wiesloch, Mingolsheim, Langenbrücken, Stettfeld, Ubstadt, Bruchsal, Untergrombach, Weingarten, 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, Friedrichsfeld, 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 Pfinztal 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
• Hockenheim: Museum of Motorsports at the Hockenheimring, Hockenheimring
• Schwetzingen: Schwetzingen Castle

Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz, Ladenburg	Heidelberg Castle and Old Bridge	Heidelberger Druckmaschinen	The Town Pharmacy in Wiesloch, the World's first Filling-Station
Bruchsal Castle	Melanchton's House, Bretten	Hockenheimring	Red Mosque of Schwetzingen Castle

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• Bertha Benz Memorial Route
• Prof. John H. Lienhard on Bertha Benz's ride
• Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz, Ladenburg