Elly Beinhorn
Elly Beinhorn | |
|---|---|
| Born | 30 May 1907 |
| Died | 28 November 2007 (aged 100) |
| Occupation | Pilot |
Elly Beinhorn-Rosemeyer (May 30, 1907 – November 28, 2007) was a German pilot.
She was born in Hanover, Germany on 30 May 1907.[1]
In 1928, she attended a lecture by famed aviator Hermann Köhl, who had recently completed a historic East-West Atlantic crossing. This lecture is described as the spark that ignited her interest in aviation.[2][3]
At just 21 years old, she had a little money from an inheritance and against the wishes of her parents moved to Spandau in Berlin and learnt to fly at Berlin-Staaken airport under the tutelage of instructor Otto Thomsen. She had soon learnt to fly solo in a small Klemm KL-20, but her money was running out, so it was suggested she give aerobatic displays at weekends; financially rewarding, but personally unsatisfying.[4][5][6][7]
Long distance flying was her real passion and in 1931 she seized the opportunity to fly to Portuguese Guinea (now Guinea-Bissau) West Africa on a scientific expedition. On the return journey, engine failure resulted in a crash-landing in the Sahara. With the help of nomadic Tuareg tribesmen, Elly joined a camel caravan to Timbuktu. She subsequently returned to the crash site to recover parts of the plane. Word of her plight reached the French authorities and they sent a military two-seater plane to collect her.[8][9]
In April 1931, fully recovered, she was able to fly herself back to Berlin to a warm reception from the crowds.[10]
Soon after this, she embarked on another flight, her Klemm monoplane developing mechanical problems near Bushire, Persia. She found Moye Stephens, another pilot, in Bushire, who helped her fix the problem on her Klemm. Stephens and travel-adventure writer Richard Halliburton were flying around the world in a Stearman C-3B biplane, The Flying Carpet. She accompanied them on part of their flight, including the trip to Mount Everest. In her book Flying Girl (1935), the foreword is written by Richard Halliburton, and she has a picture of Moye Stephens repairing her plane. She flew on to Bali - and eventually Australia. In the process, she became only the second woman to fly solo from Europe to Australia, after Amy Johnson.[11]
Having landed in Darwin, North Australia, she headed down to Sydney, arriving in March 1932. Her plane was dismantled and shipped to New Zealand, then Panama where it was reassembled. Elly resumed flying, following the western coast of South America. She was presented with a medal in Peru. An ill-advised trip across the Andes followed. The plane was dismantled once more in Brazil and shipped to Germany. Elly arrived in Berlin in June 1932.[12]
Now famous but in debt to the tune of 15,000 marks or more, she was pleasantly surprised to be awarded the Hindenburg Cup, 10,000 marks and several other monetary awards from the German aeronautical industry which enabled her to continue her career. She also continued to write articles and sell photographs of her travels to raise funds.[13][14]
Free of debt, she took off for Africa, flying down the east coast, then back up the west coast.[15]
The following year, Elly shipped the plane to Panama, then flew through Mexico and California before crossing the United States to Washington DC and Miami. Elly and the plane returned to Germany by ship, arriving in January 1935. She was now a true German heroine.[16]
On 29 September 1935, Elly attended the Masaryk Grand Prix from the Czechoslovakian regime, at the invitation of Auto Union. She happened to be in the country on a lecture tour; by now a regular source of income. She congratulated the winner, Bernd Rosemeyer. He seemed smitten with her. They danced together that night and were married on 13 July 1936. A true celebrity couple, the adventurous aviatrix and the fearless racing driver, they were the toast of Germany. Bernd Rosemayer was to become a member of the SS.[17]
Elly had a son, Bernd Jr., in November 1937. Just ten weeks later her husband was killed attempting a speed record in his Auto Union Streamliner. As a national hero, he was mourned by much of Germany and received a state funeral. Elly received condolences from prominent government officials, including Adolf Hitler. Some accounts suggest that Elly requested a non-political, simple funeral ceremony.
In 1941 Elly married Dr. Karl Wittman and they had a daughter, Stephanie.[18]
After World War II she briefly took up gliding due to the allied occupation authorities' ban on powered flight in Germany. But she soon moved to Switzerland to continue flying planes.[19]
In 1979, at the age of 72, she gave back her pilots licence.
In her later years, Rosemeyer lived in Ottobrunn, Bavaria, near Munich. Her son, Dr. Bernd Rosemeyer, lives in the same area and has enjoyed a successful career as an orthopaedist. [20][21]
She died on 28 November 2007, at the age of 100.[22]
Publications
- Chris Nixon & Elly Beinhorn-Rosemeyer: "Rosemeyer!", Transport Bookman Publications 1989, ISBN 0851840469
References
- ^ birthdate, location
- ^ Köhl's transatlantic crossing
- ^ lecture inspiration
- ^ learns to fly in Berlin
- ^ taught by Thomsen
- ^ Klemm KL-20
- ^ weekend aerobatic displays
- ^ flight to West Africa
- ^ engine failure over Sahara
- ^ return to Berlin
- ^ Bali and Oz
- ^ Oz to Berlin
- ^ famous but in debt, awards
- ^ articles & photos sold to raise money
- ^ Africa E & W
- ^ Panama to Germany
- ^ lectures as source of income
- ^ second marriage, birth of Stephanie
- ^ gliders and Switzerland
- ^ lives in Ottobrunn
- ^ Dr. Rosemeyer(need a better ref)
- ^ Elly Beinhorn gestorben