17 replies to this topic

[Darren Galpin]

The following was reported in the Salt Lake Tribune, 29th June 1926, pg 14:

 

Warsaw, Poland, June 28 (AP): The first motor car race by women held in Poland was run yesterday over a course of 305 km. Of 17 starters, 16 finished. Mrs Toeffler won.

 

 

 

Quite why this is reported in a paper in Utah, USA, I don't know, but this is the first I've heard of this event. Does anyone know anything else about this?

[LotusElise]

There was a long-running rally for women held in Poland. Maria Kozmianowa won it in 1930, and a lady called Halina Regulska was involved in its running.

 

This article (in Polish) mentions an event in 1926 of that distance, starting in Warsaw. It seems to have been the first one. 

Edited by LotusElise, 18 November 2015 - 22:29.

[nexfast]

Curiously, the article in Polish says the winner in 1926, the first edition indeed, was Ludmila Boguslawska in a Lancia and not Mrs. Toeffler. At least, the 305 km route is the same as in the Utah newspaper.

[LotusElise]

I couldn't find Mrs Toeffler anywhere in that article, but newspapers have never been good at getting names right.

[nexfast]

Boguslawska is also mentioned in this old thread as racing a Lancia two years before:

 

http://forums.autosp...polish-meeting/

 

Pity her photo is gone.

[LotusElise]

Very interesting!

 

I'm quite sure that "Toeffler" is a fudged rendition of a Polish name, poorly-heard down a telephone and probably pronounced incorrectly in the first place.

[Darren Galpin]

I've found another US paper which used "Toepfler" as the surname - I'm suspecting that someone in the US Associated Press office was familiar with German surnames and fudged a Polish name into what sounded closest in German.

[Darren Galpin]

And many thanks for the links!

[LotusElise]

Mrs Toefler/Toepfler could also have been a western Pole with German ancestry, and/or married to a German, if she existed. I thought she might have been a class winner, although there are no other mentions of that name in the Polish accounts of the event. I'm inclined to prefer my first theory.

[anjakub]

Mrs Halina Toepfer

 

There were first rally for women in Poland, which took place on 27 June 1926. The official name of event was: I Jazda Konkursowa Pań (First competitive drive for women). Mrs Halina Toepfer on Lancia Lambda took third place. The first was Ludmiła Bogusławska (lancia Lambda) and second - Hanna Schiele (Tatra).

 

Previously Mrs Toepfer partecipated in race in Lwów in 1925.

 

Note: "Mrs Toefler/Toepfler could also have been a western Pole with German ancestry, and/or married to German... etc." - of course is not true.

[nexfast]

Note: "Mrs Toefler/Toepfler could also have been a western Pole with German ancestry, and/or married to German... etc." - of course is not true.

 Thanks for solving the mystery but why do you say she could not be of german ancestry? Toepfer is after all a german name, no?

[anjakub]

Because I know a little bit about her genealogy. Her husband was Toepfer.

[LotusElise]

Is she related to you?

My suggestions about her background were only informed speculation. What do you know about her?

The name does suggest German/Prussian/German-speaking in some way.

[Rob Miller]

On page 215 of this 1926 publication

 

http://winntbg.bg.ag...uto_1926_07.pdf

 

her name is given as Halina Toepferowa.

Edited by Rob Miller, 19 November 2015 - 23:05.

[nexfast]

On page 215 of this 1926 publication

 

http://winntbg.bg.ag...uto_1926_07.pdf

 

her name is given as Halina Toepferowa.

 

And on page 213 as Halina Teopfer - a typo for sure. As far as I know the suffix owa in Polish means married woman, so in this case it means nothing more than "Mrs.Toepfer".   By the way, great publication, thanks for sharing.

[Darren Galpin]

Excellent link, and a full entry list too

[anjakub]

Toepfer = Toepferowa

 

Like other Slavic langueages, Polish has special feminine suffixes which were added to a woman's surname. A marrried woman used her husband's surname with suffix -owa.

[LotusElise]

A fascinating resource there.

 

More Germanic-named ladies as well: were Hanna, Anna and Marja Schiele sisters? Or two sisters in Tatras, and a sister in law (Hanna Edwardowa) is a Fiat?