Friedrich Kurth

Friedrich Kurth (born May 4, 1911 in Tanndorf ; † May 15, 1988 in Belgrade ) was a German civil engineer and professor of steel construction and conveyor technology . He was also the founding director of the Institute for Statics and Steel Construction, Dean and Rector of the Technical University of Magdeburg, and Vice-Rector for Research / Forecasting and Scientific Development.

Live and act

Karl Friedrich Kurth was born in Tanndorf, Grimma district, the son of a construction company. In 1931 he passed the Abitur at the German High School Rochlitz in Saxony . Professionally, he followed in his father's footsteps and went to the Technical University of Dresden to study civil engineering from 1931 to 1935, where he graduated as a qualified engineer (Dipl.-Ing.). After completing his studies, he took up a position in the Technical Office for Statics and Steel Construction Professor Kurt Beyer in Dresden until 1938. He qualified in seminars on technical mechanics by Professors Kurt Beyer , Erich Trefftz and Constantin Weber . In 1937 he became a member of the NSDAP . With a dissertation on rotary joints of surface mining equipment, he was in 1938 Doctor of Engineering (Dr.-Ing.) PhD .

From 1939 to 1946 he worked in industry at Dortmund Union Brückenbau AG . He then worked in his father's construction company in Tanndorf until 1950.

In 1950 he went to the technical college for heavy engineering in Roßwein in Saxony as a lecturer and taught statics and steel construction . Here he wrote his first textbook under the title "Steel Construction", which developed into a standard work for steel construction training at universities and technical schools.

In 1955 he was appointed professor with a teaching position at the Magdeburg University of Heavy Engineering, which was founded in 1953 . Kurth determined essential stages in their continuous development on the way to the technical university and later to the technical university. From 1955 he was in charge of the Institute for Technical Mechanics . In 1961 he became a professor and was involved in the establishment and management of an institute for statics and steel construction and a specialization in conveyor technology.

From 1956 to 1958 he held the position of dean of the faculty for mathematics, natural sciences and basic technical sciences . He was then from 1958 to 1960 Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering .

From 1962 to 1966 Kurth held the office of Rector of the Technical University of Magdeburg , succeeding Ernst-Joachim Gießmann . From 1966 to 1970 he immediately joined the role of Vice-Rector for Research / Forecasting and Scientific Development. His successor in the office of rector was Manfred Beckert .

With his research he succeeded in a synthesis of mechanical engineering and civil engineering as well as the development of the teaching and research area "steel construction of conveyor technology". These results are reflected in his book series "Fördertechnik" in 5 volumes, with which he has achieved national and international recognition.

After reaching the age limit in 1976, Kurth retired . However, he continued to work as a building surveyor and as a visiting professor and lecturer at universities in Germany and abroad. Kurth died in Yugoslavia in 1988 on a scientific lecture tour.

Memberships and honors (selection)

• long-time chairman of the Intelligence Club in Magdeburg
• Member of the Presidential Council of the GDR Cultural Association
• 1959 Honored Technician of the People
• 1964 Patriotic Order of Merit in bronze
• 1969 Johannes R. Becher Medal in silver
• 1970 Pestalozzi medal in silver
• 1976 Alexander Humboldt Medal in gold
• Honorary doctorate to Dr. techn. hc by the Graz University of Technology

Publications (selection)

• Stahlbau, Vol. 1: Calculation and dimensioning of the elements of steel structures. Fachbuchverlag, Leipzig 1955, 2nd edition 1957, 3rd edition 1960, Verlag Technik, Berlin 4th edition 1962, 5th edition 1965, 6th edition 1967, 7th edition 1969, 8th edition 1974.
• Stahlbau, Vol. 2: Steel structures of the cranes and large opencast mining equipment. Fachbuchverlag, Leipzig 1958
• Martin Scheffler, G. Jiři Pajer, Friedrich Kurth: Fundamentals of conveyor technology - introduction, components and machine sets, fundamentals of steel construction. Verlag Technik, Berlin 3rd edition 1968, 4th edition 1971, 5th edition 1975, 6th edition 1982, 7th edition 1987
• G. Jiři Pajer, Manfred Pfeifer, Friedrich Kurth, J. Hojdar: Large open- cast mining equipment and universal excavators. Verlag Technik, Berlin 1971, 2nd edition 1979, ISBN 978-3-341-00452-4
• G. Pajer, H. Kuhnt et al. F. Kurth: Continuous conveyor. Verlag Technik, Berlin 2nd edition 1974, 3rd edition 1977, 4th edition 1983, 5th edition 1988

literature

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. techn. hc Karl Friedrich Kurth (born 1911) - Memoirs. Scientific journal of the Technical University of Magdeburg, 27 (1983) issue 3. [1]
• Johannes Altenbach: Kurth, Karl Friedrich, Prof. Dr.-Ing., Dr. techn. Eh ›mbl› biographies
• Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg: 50 years of training in conveyor technology , 2016. [2]
• Kurth, Friedrich. Federal Foundation for Work-Up, p. 452 [3]
• Johannes Altenbach, Karl-Friedrich Garz: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Friedrich Kurth 65 years. In: Scientific journal of the Technical University of Magdeburg, 20 (1976) issue 1.
• Jürgen Dannehl: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. techn. hc Karl Friedrich Kurth - founder of the Magdeburg conveyor technology training. In: Conveyor Technology Colloquium, 1996.
• Carmen Schäfer: On the history of the Magdeburg University of Heavy Mechanical Engineering from 1953 to 1961 with special consideration of the development of the faculties and their institutes. Final thesis, Magdeburg 1993. [4]
• Mechanical and plant engineering in the Magdeburg region at the beginning of the 21st century. Future based on tradition. Delta-D publishing house, Axel Kühling, Magdeburg 2014, ISBN 978-3-935831-51-2 .
• Peter Neumann (Hrsg.): Magdeburg's automation technology in transition - from industrial to research location. Authors: Christian Diedrich , Rolf Höltge, Ulrich Jumar , Achim Kienle, Reinhold Krampitz, Günter Müller, Peter Neumann, Konrad Pusch, Helga Rokosch, Barbara Schmidt, Ulrich Schmucker, Gerhard Unger, Günter Wolf. Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg ; Institute for Automation and Communication Magdeburg (ifak), Magdeburg 2018, production: Grafisches Centrum Cuno GmbH & Co. KG, Calbe (Saale), ISBN 978-3-944722-75-7 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Friedrich Kurth: The state of tension in spatially supported ring carriers with the interposition of balls. Noske Verlag, Borna 1938, also: Dissertation, TH Dresden 1938.