Gottlieb Daimler

Gottlieb Daimler was born on March 17, 1834 in Schorndorf, a small town near Stuttgart in Germany. He showed an early interest in engineering and mechanics, and apprenticed as a gunsmith before studying at the Stuttgart polytechnic institute. He worked in various engineering firms and gained experience with engines and machinery. In 1872, he joined the Deutz gas engine factory in Cologne, where he met Wilhelm Maybach, who became his lifelong business partner and friend. Together, they developed a new type of high-speed liquid petroleum-fueled engine that could be used for various transportation devices. They left Deutz in 1882 and set up their own workshop in Cannstatt, where they built the first motorcycle in 1885 and the first four-wheeled automobile in 1886. They also experimented with engines for boats, trains, and airships. In 1890, they founded the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG), a stock company that produced and sold their engines and vehicles. Daimler was the technical director and Maybach was the chief designer. They achieved fame and success with their innovations and inventions, and their products were exported to many countries. Daimler also had a keen interest in art and culture, and supported various charitable causes. He was married twice and had four children. He died of heart failure on March 6, 1900 at the age of 65. He is widely regarded as one of the fathers of the automobile industry and a pioneer of internal-combustion engines. His name lives on in the brands of Daimler-Benz and Mercedes-Benz, which are derived from his company and one of his cars.