Fritz Held

Born in Mannheim, Held was one of the pioneers of the car and German motor racing par excellence. As early as 1886, he frequented the Benz household and became close friends with the sons of the company's owner, Carl Benz, Eugen and Richard. He subsequently took over a number of company agencies, but initially the Benz & Cie. branch, Motor Carriage division.

He also won many laurels for the company in motorsport competitions, for example in 1899 as the winner of the Frankfurt - Cologne race, together with Hans Thum, and the Berlin - Leipzig race, accompanied by Richard Benz. The following year, he was also able to win the Mannheim - Pforzheim - Mannheim race, in which he had Benz master mechanic Mathias Bender on board.