Siegfried Marcus was born on September 18th, 1831, in Malchin, Mecklenburg, Germany. This man built four of the world's earliest gasoline-powered vehicles, including the first combustion-engined automobile in 1864.
Because the machine had no clutch, the rear wheels had to be lifted off the ground before the engine could be started. Dissatisfied with its performance after one test drive, Marcus dismantled the vehicle and took on other projects.
Ten years later, his next vehicle featured a remarkably advanced electrical system. It is currently preserved in the Technical Museum for Industry and Trade in Vienna as probably the oldest gasoline-powered automobile extant.
Why isn't he more famous?
Because Marcus was a Jew, museum authorities had to hide the vehicle to prevent its destruction during the Nazi occupation. However, the Nazis managed to destroy all original documents, photos, and patent filings in both Berlin and Vienna.
Marcus was removed from German encyclopedias as the inventor of the modern car, under a directive from the German Ministry for Propaganda during World War II. He was replaced with the names of Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz, who were then credited with inventing the world's first combustion-engined automobile in 1885.
Following repeated requests by inventor Mario Petrucci, the memorial in front of the Vienna museum was rebuilt in 1949. A year later, Marcus' hidden automobile resurfaced and enjoyed major restoration.
Because the machine had no clutch, the rear wheels had to be lifted off the ground before the engine could be started. Dissatisfied with its performance after one test drive, Marcus dismantled the vehicle and took on other projects.
Ten years later, his next vehicle featured a remarkably advanced electrical system. It is currently preserved in the Technical Museum for Industry and Trade in Vienna as probably the oldest gasoline-powered automobile extant.
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| First gasoline-powered vehicule by Marcus, 1870 (Photo: Wikipedia) |
Why isn't he more famous?
Because Marcus was a Jew, museum authorities had to hide the vehicle to prevent its destruction during the Nazi occupation. However, the Nazis managed to destroy all original documents, photos, and patent filings in both Berlin and Vienna.
Marcus was removed from German encyclopedias as the inventor of the modern car, under a directive from the German Ministry for Propaganda during World War II. He was replaced with the names of Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz, who were then credited with inventing the world's first combustion-engined automobile in 1885.
Following repeated requests by inventor Mario Petrucci, the memorial in front of the Vienna museum was rebuilt in 1949. A year later, Marcus' hidden automobile resurfaced and enjoyed major restoration.