Edgar Härtel

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edgar Härtel (* approx. 1871 ; † October 27, 1915 in Leipzig ) was a German officer, photographer and author. He was the first German to be recognized for his achievements in the field of balloon photography in Paris.

Life

Edgar Härtel embarked on a military career after completing his schooling and became a captain in a train battalion stationed in Leipzig-Gohlis . As such, he earned lasting merits as an airship and balloonist and was promoted to major. He was one of the first German photographers to take aerial photos from balloons and airplanes. While these were initially only intended for military purposes, some of his aerial photographs were published as postcards in large numbers and were therefore widely used.

He also wrote a few publications about his balloon rides, for example over the Brenner , and gave numerous public lectures, for example Im Firnenglanz des Ober-Engadin or About modern aviation and its significance for geography .

Edgar Härtel was discharged prematurely from military service due to illness and died at the age of 44 in October 1915 of a nervous disorder after a stay at a health resort in Bad Nauheim .

Honors

  • Order of Albrecht 1st class
  • Two silver medals for his achievements in the field of balloon photography in Paris
  • Silver medal at the photo exhibition in Milan
  • Honorary member of the Association of German Model Flying Clubs (January 1915)

estate

Some of the aerial photographs that Härtel took during his balloon flights and aircraft flights before the First World War are in the Ernst Wandersleb collection in the archive of the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography in Leipzig.

literature

  • Wilhelm Köhler (Ed.): In the airship. Experiences and adventures. With contributions by Graf Bernstorff, Dr. Funcke, Captain Härtel, Dr. Jänecke, Rudolf Martin, Friedr. Pajeken, Dr. Pohlmann, Erwin Rosen, Dr. Wiese et al. With 96 illustrations in the text and 1 fold-out illustration supplement , Minden in Westphalia, Wilhelm Köhler, 1910.
  • Heinz Peter Brogiato: Above the roofs of Leipzig. Aerial photos 1909–1935 , Lehmstedt 2012.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Motor , IPC Specialist & Professional Press Limited, 1916, p. 127. In the literature, 23 and 25 October 1915 are also found as the date of death and Bad Nauheim as the place of death.
  2. ↑ It remains unclear whether he died in Bad Nauheim or Leipzig.
  3. ↑ https://ifl.wissensbank.com
personal data
SURNAME Hartel, Edgar
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German officer, photographer and author
DATE OF BIRTH around 1871
DATE OF DEATH October 27, 1915
Place of death Leipzig