How it all Began 1844: Carl Benz: Love of invention will never end.

Carl Benz was born in Karlsruhe on November 25, 1844. After his father died when he was just two, his mother made sure he got a good education, and he eventually studied mechanical engineering. Starting as a locksmith, Benz quickly moved up to become a designer and workshop foreman.

In 1871, he teamed up with August Ritter to start a company called “Carl Benz and August Ritter, Engineering Workshop” in Mannheim. When Ritter turned out to be unreliable, Benz had to buy him out using his wife Bertha’s dowry and continued running the company alone.

From 1878, Benz focused on creating a gas-powered engine to build a “vehicle without horses.” After many trials, he succeeded in running the engine for the first time on New Year’s Eve in 1879. In October 1882, he founded the Mannheim Gas Engine Factory, but with only a 5% share, he had limited say in the company, which was more interested in stationary engines than vehicles.

In January 1883, Carl Benz left his old company and teamed up with Max Rose and Friedrich Wilhelm Esslinger to start “Benz & Cie. Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik Mannheim.” They introduced the two-stroke “System Benz” engine. While Benz was excited about making cars, his partners were doubtful. So, he had to find new investors.

By May 1890, Julius Ganss and Friedrich von Fischer replaced Rose and Esslinger. The company did well by making both stationary and vehicle engines. However, Benz wanted to focus only on vehicles, so in 1906, he started “Carl Benz Söhne” (Carl Benz & Sons) in Ladenburg.

In 1912, Benz stepped down as Managing Director and let his sons take over. He saw his automotive ideas become a reality and, on his 80th birthday, was celebrated around the world for his groundbreaking work. Carl Benz remained active as a board member of Daimler-Benz AG until he passed away at his home in Ladenburg on April 4, 1929.

 How it all Began 1909: The three-pointed star on all routes.

In September 1902, DMG secured the patent for the “Mercedes” brand name but needed a distinctive logo. Gottlieb Daimler’s sons, Paul and Adolf, remembered that their father had once used a star as a symbol. Inspired by this, DMG’s management registered both a three-pointed and a four-pointed star as trademarks in June 1909.

While both stars were protected, the three-pointed star was chosen and became the iconic logo, appearing on vehicle radiators starting in 1910. When DMG merged with another company in June 1926, they created a new brand name that combined key elements from both old emblems.

The world-famous three-pointed star of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft is framed with the brand name ‘Mercedes’ as well as with the celebrated brand name ‘Benz’ – both words connected with a laurel wreath.