Life Elly Beinhorn

1 life

1.1 life
1.2 long-distance flights
1.3 bernd rosemeyer
1.4 second marriage , post-war life
1.5 later years , death

life
early life

she born in hannover, germany on 30 may 1907.

in 1928, attended lecture famed aviator hermann köhl, had completed historic east-west atlantic crossing. lecture described spark ignited interest in aviation.

at 21 years old, funds small inheritance (against wishes of parents) moved spandau in berlin took flying lessons, @ berlin-staaken airport, under tutelage of instructor otto thomsen. made solo flight in small klemm kl-20. money running out, suggested give aerobatic displays on weekends. found financially rewarding, unsatisfying.

long-distance flights

elly beinhorn 1933

long distance flying real passion , in 1931 seized opportunity fly portuguese guinea (now guinea-bissau) west africa on scientific expedition. on return journey, engine failure resulted in crash-landing in sahara. of nomadic tuareg tribesmen, elly joined camel caravan timbuktu. subsequently returned crash site recover parts of plane. word of plight reached french authorities , sent military two-seater plane collect her.

in april 1931, recovered, able fly herself berlin warm reception crowds.

soon after this, embarked on flight, klemm monoplane developing mechanical problems near bushire, persia. found moye stephens, pilot, in bushire, helped fix problem on klemm. stephens , travel-adventure writer richard halliburton flying around world in stearman c-3b biplane, called flying carpet. accompanied them on part of flight, including trip mount everest. flew on bali - , australia. in process, became second woman fly solo europe australia, after amy johnson. foreword of book, flying girl (1935), written richard halliburton (whose english publisher, hers, geoffrey bles); includes photo of moye stephens repairing plane. barbara h. schultz flying carpets, flying wings - biography of moye stephens (2011) contains stephens own account of meeting first introduced in halliburton s bestselling flying carpet (1932).

having landed in darwin, north australia, headed down sydney, arriving in march 1932. plane dismantled , shipped new zealand, panama reassembled. there elly resumed flight, following western coast of south america. presented medal in peru. ill-advised trip across andes followed. plane dismantled once more in brazil , shipped germany. elly arrived in berlin in june 1932.

now famous in debt tune of 15,000 marks or more, pleasantly surprised awarded hindenburg cup, 10,000 marks , several other monetary awards german aeronautical industry enabled continue career. continued write articles , sell photographs of travels raise funds.

free of debt, took off africa using heinkel 71, flying down east coast, west coast.

the following year, elly shipped plane panama, flew through mexico , california before crossing united states washington dc , miami. elly , plane returned germany ship, arriving in january 1935. true german heroine.

bernd rosemeyer

elly beinhorn , bernd rosemeyer @ wedding

on 29 september 1935 elly attended czechoslovakian grand prix, held in town of brno in czechoslovakia, @ invitation of auto union (she happened in country on lecture tour, regular source of income). congratulated winner, bernd rosemeyer, seemed smitten her. danced night , married on 13 july 1936. true celebrity couple – adventurous aviator , fearless racing driver – toast of nazi germany. heinrich himmler ordered reluctant bernd become member of ss.

they had son, bernd jr., in november 1937, ten weeks after birth father killed while attempting speed record in auto union streamliner. national hero mourned of germany. elly received condolences prominent nazis, including adolf hitler, requested simple, non-political funeral ceremony. these wishes ignored , several nazis gave speeches @ graveside. accounts suggest elly walked off in protest @ nazis claiming bernd own , taking on personal occasion.

second marriage , post-war life

in 1941 elly married dr. karl wittman , had daughter, stephanie.

after world war ii briefly took gliding due ban on powered flight in germany. moved switzerland continue flying planes.

in 1979, @ age of 72, surrendered pilot s licence.

later years , death

in later years, rosemeyer lived in ottobrunn, bavaria, near munich. son, dr. bernd rosemeyer, lives in same area , has enjoyed successful career orthopaedist. married countess michaela von castell-ruedenhausen, died 8 august 2011, , have 2 children.

elly beinhorn died on 28 november 2007, @ age of 100.