Emil piston
Emil Kolben (born November 1, 1862 in Strančice , Prague-East district , † July 3, 1943 in the Theresienstadt ghetto ) was a Bohemian entrepreneur in electrical engineering.
Life
Kolben's parents were German-speaking Jewish shop owners. He studied at the German Karl Ferdinand University in Prague. He received a scholarship that enabled him to study abroad for two years. In 1887 he went to Zurich, Paris, London and finally stayed in the USA for five years.
He first worked as an engineer at the Edison Machine Company in Schenectady, then as an assistant to Thomas Edison in Orange as chief engineer at Edison's laboratories . In 1889 he met Nikola Tesla , who convinced him about alternating current - which Edison disliked.
In 1892 he went to Switzerland, where he was chief developer at Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon .
In 1896 he returned to Bohemia and founded his company Kolben a spol (renamed Elektrotechnická as in 1899) in the Prague district of Vysočany . His first product was a 60 kW converter . He later built locomotives and other products.
From 1921 to 1927 he merged with other companies, resulting in ČKD , of which he was director. The German occupation of the Bohemian Lands in March 1939 forced the Kolben family to give up their property and their functions in the family business. Emil Kolben, his sister Lilly, his son Hanns and his son Jindrich were brought to the Theresienstadt ghetto in June 1943, where Emil Kolben died.
The poet Hans Werner Kolben was his grandson.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Pistons, Emil |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Bohemian entrepreneur in electrical engineering |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 1, 1862 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Strančice , Prague East District |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 3, 1943 |
| Place of death | Theresienstadt concentration camp |