Elly Beinhorn

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Elly Beinhorn
Born 30 May 1907
Flag of Germany Hanover, Germany
Died 28 November 2007 (aged 100)
Flag of Germany Ottobrunn, Germany
Occupation Pilot

Elly Beinhorn-Rosemeyer (May 30, 1907 – November 28, 2007) was a German pilot.

Contents

[edit] Early life

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]

[edit] Long-distance flight

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]

[edit] Bernd Rosemeyer

On 29 September 1935, Elly attended the Masaryk Grand Prix, Czechoslovakia, 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 Nazi Germany. Heinrich Himmler commanded a reluctant Bernd to become a member of the SS.[17][18]

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. Elly received condolences from prominent Nazis, including Adolf Hitler, but requested a non-political, simple funeral ceremony. These wishes were ignored and several Nazis gave speeches at the graveside. Some accounts suggest that Elly walked off in protest at the Nazis claiming Bernd as their own and taking over what was a personal occasion.[19]

[edit] Second marriage & post-war life

In 1941 Elly married Dr. Karl Wittman and they had a daughter, Stephanie.[20]

After World War II she briefly took up gliding due to the ban on powered flight in Germany. But she soon moved to Switzerland to continue flying planes.[21]

In 1979, at the age of 72, she gave back her pilots licence.

[edit] Later years and death

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. [22][23]

She died on 28 November 2007, at the age of 100.[24]

[edit] Publications

  • Chris Nixon & Elly Beinhorn-Rosemeyer: "Rosemeyer!", Transport Bookman Publications 1989, ISBN 0851840469

[edit] References

  1. ^ birthdate, location
  2. ^ Köhl's transatlantic crossing
  3. ^ lecture inspiration
  4. ^ learns to fly in Berlin
  5. ^ taught by Thomsen
  6. ^ Klemm KL-20
  7. ^ weekend aerobatic displays
  8. ^ flight to West Africa
  9. ^ engine failure over Sahara
  10. ^ return to Berlin
  11. ^ Bali and Oz
  12. ^ Oz to Berlin
  13. ^ famous but in debt, awards
  14. ^ articles & photos sold to raise money
  15. ^ Africa E & W
  16. ^ Panama to Germany
  17. ^ lectures as source of income
  18. ^ Grand Prix, Bernd, marriage, SS, reluctant Nazis
  19. ^ death of Bernd
  20. ^ second marriage, birth of Stephanie
  21. ^ gliders and Switzerland
  22. ^ lives in Ottobrunn
  23. ^ Dr. Rosemeyer(need a better ref)
  24. ^ Elly Beinhorn gestorben

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Beinhorn, Elly
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Aviator
DATE OF BIRTH 30 May 1907
PLACE OF BIRTH Hanover, Germany
DATE OF DEATH 2007-11-28
PLACE OF DEATH Ottobrunn, Germany
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elly_Beinhorn"
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