The Ballad of Bertha & Karl

ROADSTER! introduces Sir Geoffrey Gearhart, our very own time 

wandering Bard of the Road. 

Here he shares the true story of the first ever car…

The Ballad of Bertha & Karl

Come gather, young dreamers, come close, lend an ear,

For a tale full of wheels—and a woman of cheer!

It starts with Carl Benz, a thinker so deep,

Who built the first car while the world was asleep.

A mechanical mind, with big ideas in sight,

He met Bertha Ringer, and saw a new light.

From Pforzheim she came, with a spirit so keen,

She invested her dowry, a generous queen!

Together with Carl, a power couple was born,

She stood by his side, from dusk until morn.

“An idealist," Carl wrote, so certain and true,

Encouraging his dreams, seeing each one through.

New Year's Eve, 1879, she whispered, “Let's try!"

And their engine first fired, beneath the night sky.

By 1885 testing a three-wheeled machine in the yard,

The Benz Motorwagen, a patent earned and hard!

But the press just scoffed, and the church called it sin,

No one believed in the marvel within.

So in 1888, to prove the invention worthwhile,

Bertha took charge, with a sparkle and a smile.

She secretly planned, on August the Fifth,

With two sons, Eugen and Richard, a remarkable gift!

They got up early, before the lark,

Pushing machine silently, past the police in the dark!

She left Carl a note: “To Mother's we've gone"

He'd not know how, until the day was well on!

An epic road trip, the first ever made,

106 kilometers—a brave escapade!

At Wiesloch, their little engine was near empty,

An apothecary sold Ligroin, a spirit providing plenty.

“You'll poison your horses!" the chemist did warn,

But instead the first filling station was born!

When wooden brakes wore, she knew what to do,

A shoemaker helped, with a fix strong and new.

With leather from shoes, the first brake linings laid,

Through villages onward, no longer delayed.

Uphill, young Richard drove, while Bertha did push,

She used her hatpins to clear clogs in a rush!

She used her garter to fix frayed ignition wire,

Such clever solutions, her spirit on fire!

At Pforzheim they arrived, their journey complete,

The first to go driving through dust and through heat.

A telegram from Carl: his machine really ran!

The world would know thanks to Bertha’s bold plan!

So remember, young roadrunners, curious and small—

Sometimes it’s your turn to answer the call.

When zooming with dreams, on the path far ahead,

Think of Karl and of Bertha… and push on instead!

🛠️ Worksheet: The Great 1888 Road Trip

Part 1: The First "Pit Stop"

In the ballad, Bertha stops at a pharmacy in Wiesloch because the car ran out of fuel. Back then, you couldn't find a petrol station!

1. What was the name of the cleaning fluid Bertha bought to use as fuel?

(Hint: It starts with an 'L')

2. Why do you think people in 1888 were scared of the "Motorwagen"?

Part 2: The Design Challenge

The Benz Patent-Motorwagen had three wheels and a very simple engine.

• Look at the image: If you were Richard or Eugen (Bertha's sons), where would you sit?

• Improve the Design: The poem mentions Bertha had to push the car uphill. If you were Karl Benz, what would you add to the engine to help it climb hills?

(Think about gears or power!)

Part 3: Be the Bard!

Sir Geoffrey Gearhart wrote a ballad to tell this story. Write your own four-line rhyme about Bertha’s arrival in Pforzheim at the end of her 106km journey.

Line 1: ___________________________________________

Line 2: ___________________________________________

Line 3: ___________________________________________

Line 4: ___________________________________________

Roadster! Challenge:

Bertha’s trip proved the car worked. If you were to go on a 100km trip today, what is the one piece of technology you couldn't live without?