Karl Friedrich Benz was born in 1844 in the small town of Karlsruhe, Germany. He was the son of Johann Georg Benz, a locomotive designer, and his wife, Josephine. Karl was the ninth of twelve children in his family. His early education was that of a typical boy, attending school and also studying at home. His father was a strict disciplinarian and hoped Karl could one day become a locomotive engineer like himself.
From his school days, Karl was always very inquisitive, often asking why things worked the way they did. He loved inventing things and played with makeshift toys created from discarded materials. He had an eye for beauty and was naturally drawn to engineering, design, and machinery. After completing his schooling, Karl studied Locomotive Production in Utrecht, Netherlands. He then worked at a variety of engineering positions, giving him valuable insight into the mechanics of machinery.
In 1871, Karl met Bertha Ringer, and they married one year later. Through Bertha, Karl gained access to valuable resources and money which enabled him to pursue his budding automobile dreams. She was also an astute business woman and enabled Karl to safeguard his inventions; this enabled him to set up the Benz & Cie. Company in 1883.
The first Benz car was built in 1885, making him the inventor of the first automobile. In 1886, Benz gained a patent for the automobile, and soon after that, the first gasoline engine made its appearance in the car. His four-stroke engine quickly revolutionized travel and he was not done yet. In 1888, Karl Benz released the “Velocitas” motor car, which was a groundbreaking step in the development of the modern automobile.
Benz and his wife went on to have six children, five of which survived into adulthood. In 1900, Benz merged their business with Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft and the company was re-named DMG (Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft) Benz & Company. Karl Benz also had the honor of being awarded with the Grand Cross of the Prussian Order of Merit and the Order of Merit of Baden in 1898 and 1899, respectively.
After Karl’s retirement in 1906, his wife Bertha continued to help run the family business. She established a trust fund for the workers, as well as ensuring that many of the inventions Karl had developed over the years were safeguarded. In 1925, the C. Carl Benz Foundation was founded, which carried out research and studies, including studies into road traffic. To commemorate Karl Benz, the International Karl Benz Prize is awarded each year to a person who has made a notable contribution to the automobile industry.
Karl Benz’s work revolutionized travel and transportation, with cars now a common sight across the world today. He was an engineer and inventor, who had an eye for beauty, as well as a passion for success. His determination and focus allowed him to develop one of the most important inventions of our times, the automobile. For this, he should be remembered as one of the most important figures of the 20th century.
