Unsung Pioneer: Siegfried Marcus and his Forgotten Contributions to the Car Industry

Siegfried Marcus, a Jewish inventor from Malchin, Germany, built the first car powered by a gasoline engine in 1875. However, he is often overlooked in discussions about the history of the car industry. Although Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach, and Carl Benz are widely recognized as pioneers in the automotive industry, Marcus’ contributions deserve recognition as well.

Born in 1833 into a Jewish family in Malchin, Germany, Marcus began his career as an apprentice mechanic at the age of 12. He later moved to Vienna, Austria, where he worked as a technician and eventually established his own business manufacturing electrical and mechanical equipment. Marcus held 131 patents in 16 countries.

In the mid-1860s, Marcus started experimenting with self-propelled vehicles and invented the world’s first carburetor in 1864. His first vehicle was built in 1875 and had a 4-stroke gasoline engine that could reach speeds of up to 16 km/h. As his designs improved, he added steering mechanisms, brakes