Marie Goldschmidt

Marie Goldschmidt aka Mme. (Gustave) Goldschmidt born Marie Kann (1890–1917) was a French aeronaut who co-piloted a balloon world distance record in 1913 of over 2,400 km. She was the first woman to enter an Fédération Aéronautique Internationale balloon race when she finished sixth in the Gordon Bennett Cup.

Marie Goldschmidt
in 1911 when ballooning with Marie Surcouf
Born
Marie Kann

1890
Died1917
NationalityFrench
Other namesMadame Gustave Goldschmidt
Known foran aeronaut and world distance record holder
SpouseGustavo or Gustave Goldschmidt

Life

She was born in 1890 and named Marie Kann. She married a man called Gustave or Gustavo Goldschmidt and frequently used his name as "Madame Gustave Goldschmidt".[1] Her parentage and place of birth are not known. She came to notice as a balloonist.[2] In 1911 she was flying with Marie Surcouf who was the President of the French balloon club for women aeronauts known as "La Stella"[3] and with Beatrix de Rijk an Indonesian Dutch balloon pilot and the first Dutch woman to earn an aviator pilot's license.[4]

Rumpelmeyer and Goldschmidt being welcomed and photographed in 1913

She set out with René Rumpelmayer in 1913 and their balloon travelled over 2,400 km[5] from St Cloud near Paris to a landing in Russia.[6] When they arrived in Russia they were given a reception by Robert Fulda and Stephan Ivanovitch Osoviecki of the Sports Club of the Moscow Imperial Aeronautics Society.[7]

Poster for the 1913 Gordon Bennett ballon competition

Later that year she and Rumpelmayer entered the eighth annual balloon distance competition (The Gordon Bennett Cup) in October 1913. The competition had begun in 1906 and it continues each year as the "premier event of world balloon racing". The first woman to enter this competition was Goldschmidt,[8] in fact she was the first woman to enter any FAI balloon race anywhere.[9] They set off from Paris and finished out of twenty one entries. They travelled 437 km and they were the best French team.[10] The first woman pilot in that competition, Nini Boesman, was not until the 1980s.[8]

Her exploits as an aeronaut ceased when war broke out. She died in 1917 as a nurse.[11]

References
  1. "G - Who's Who of Ballooning". www.ballooninghistory.com. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
  2. "Aerostation". Le Figaro. 16 July 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  3. photographique (commanditaire), Agence Rol Agence (1911). "17-9-11, [St Cloud], [VIIe] Grand prix de l'Aéro [Club de France], Mme Surcouf et Goldschmidt, Stella III [ballon] : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]". Gallica. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  4. Lebow, Eileen F. (2002). Before Amelia : women pilots in the early days of aviation (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: Brassey's, Inc. ISBN 978-1-61234-225-2. OCLC 755569874.
  5. Flying. Flying Association at the Office of the Aero Club of America. 1914. p. 29.
  6. Aeronautics in the Army: Hearings Before the Committee on Military Affairs, House of Representatives, Sixty-third Congress, First Session, in Connection with H.R. 5304, May 16, 1913, Entitled "An Act to Increase the Efficiency of the Aviation Service of the Army, and for Other Purposes." August 12, 14, 15, and 16, 1913. U.S. Government Printing Office, United States Congress House Committee on Military Affairs. 1913. p. 266.
  7. "Moscow Balloon Flight Record Rumpelmayer Goldschmidt Old Photos 21 March 1913 by Anonymous: Photograph | Bits of Our Past Ltd". www.abebooks.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  8. "Part K, Famous Females". www.ballong.org. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
  9. David, Shayler; Moule, Ian A. (2006-08-29). Women in Space - Following Valentina. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-84628-078-8.
  10. "8th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett – Gordon Bennett Legend & History". Retrieved 2021-11-05.
  11. Avigliano, Marisa (2016-12-22). "La mujer del aire | rescates". Pagina12. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
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