Arnold Wirtgen
Arnold Wirtgen (born June 24, 1926 in Rodenbach ; † December 18, 2013 in Ehlscheid ) was a German civil servant and military historian . He founded the Defense Technical Study Collection in Koblenz and was chairman of the German Society for Heereskunde .
Life
Wirtgen, who obtained a degree in administrative management, started his career in the upper class in Neuwied in 1941 . He was drafted into military service in 1943 and received the Iron Cross 1st class as a soldier . Wirtgen became a US prisoner of war , where he remained until 1946.
After the Second World War he was again a senior civil servant. In 1960 he was transferred to the Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement (BWB) in Koblenz . In 1975, with his participation, the Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung (WTS) was moved from the Wehrtechnischen Dienststelle 91 to Koblenz. He later rose to higher service , most recently as a government director, and in 1982 played a leading role in making the collection accessible to the public. His son Rolf Wirtgen (* 1954), also a military historian, succeeded him as director in Koblenz.
On his second educational path , he studied history (military, economic and social history), military science and art history from 1975 and in 1988 he studied with the military historian Werner Hahlweg at the Philosophical Faculty of the Westphalian Wilhelms University in Münster with the dissertation published by ES Mittler & Sohn Die Prussian armament reform 1807 to 1813 in its effects on the army for Dr. phil. PhD.
In addition, Wirtgen was from 1986 to 1998 chairman of the German Society for Heereskunde and author of studies on Prussian firearms science. He was honored with the Federal Cross of Merit, 1st Class, for his work .
Fonts (selection)
- Handguns and Prussian Army Reform 1807 to 1813 (= Defense Technology and Scientific Armory , Volume 3). Mittler, Herford u. a. 1988, ISBN 3-8132-0292-5 .
- Edited with Andrea Theissen: Military City Spandau. Center of Prussian arms production 1723 to 1918 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-89488-129-1 .
- The Prussian handguns. Models, manufactories, rifle factories 1814 to 1856. Flintlock and percussion weapons (= military technology and scientific weapon knowledge , volume 16). Bernard & Graefe, Bonn 2004, ISBN 3-7637-6250-7 .
literature
- Udo Lander: Dr. Arnold Wirtgen passed away (obituary). In: Deutsches Waffen-Journal , January 14, 2014.
- Frank Wernitz , Joachim Niemeyer : Dr. phil. Arnold Wirtgen (obituary). In: Zeitschrift für Heereskunde , issue 452, p. 103.
Web links
- Literature by Arnold Wirtgen in the catalog of the German National Library
- Search for "Arnold Wirtgen" in the SPK digital portal of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation
Individual evidence
- ^ Rolf Wirtgen : History and Technology of Automatic Weapons in Germany , 1987, p. 183.
- ^ Arnold Wirtgen obituary notice . In: Rhein-Zeitung , January 11, 2014.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Wirtgen, Arnold |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German military historian |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 24, 1926 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Rodenbach |
| DATE OF DEATH | 18th December 2013 |
| Place of death | Ehlscheid |