Wilhelm Maybach, born in Heilbronn on February 9, 1846, loses both parents by the age of 10. He grows up in an orphanage - known as the "Bruderhaus" - in Reutlingen and is trained as a technical draughtsman in the adjoining engineering works. Gottlieb Daimler, the technical manager of the works, recognises Maybach's talent and a close working relationship springs up between the two men. From here on, Maybach follows his patron wherever his career takes him: to Karlsruhe in 1869 and to the Gasmotoren-Fabrik Deutz in 1872.