Hermann Flessner

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Hermann C. Flessner (born December 31, 1930 in Hamburg ) is a German civil engineer and computer scientist . He worked as a university lecturer and scientist for applications of computer science in natural sciences and technology .

life and work

Hermann Flessner studied civil engineering at the University of Hanover from 1952 to 1957 . From 1958 to 1962 he worked as an engineer at Züblin in Duisburg. From 1962 he was a research assistant at the University of Hanover, where he received his Dr.-Ing. PhD. There Flessner built the computer-aided structural analysis at the chair for solid construction headed by Wolfgang Zerna with the help of the Zuse Z22 R. In 1966 he was appointed professor for IT in construction at the University of Hanover, and in 1968 he was appointed professor for applied computer science in engineering at the Ruhr University in Bochum . While working in Bochum, he was visiting associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge (USA) in 1969/1970 , where he developed “new tools for graphical input and output”.

Flessner's main focus in Bochum was the development of an interactive construction workstation (IKP) for computer-aided design ( CAD ). The work was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMFT) as part of the Federal Government's 2nd data processing program. The IKP was characterized in particular by the early use of freely placeable overlays on graphics tablets as menus for program control. CAD workstations based on the model of the IKP were set up by the engineering association for applied computer science Flessner und Partner GmbH & Co in various institutions. With such a workplace, a founding body was constructed for the North Sea research platform , which was 2.4 million German marks cheaper than the original design .

In 1978, Flessner was appointed to the University of Hamburg , where, until his retirement in 1994, he headed the work area Applications of Computer Science in Natural Science and Technology in the Department of Computer Science and was also Dean of the Department from 1980 to 1982. Since his retirement, Hermann Flessner has worked as a consulting engineer and inventor in various fields. For example, he has dealt intensively with questions relating to maglev technology. From 1992 to 2001 he was also visiting professor at the University of Szczecin .

Voluntary work

  • Founding member of the DAAD Freundeskreis eV founded in 1981 and chairman of the board from 1982 to 1991
  • Founding member of the Konrad-Zuse-Gesellschaft founded in 1988

Selected publications

  • Hermann Fleßner: A contribution to the determination of cross-sectional values with the help of electronic computing systems . The civil engineer 37 (1962), p. 146 and p. 327.
  • Hermann Fleßner: On the accuracy of calculation of dimensioning regulations according to various load-bearing methods . Concrete and reinforced concrete construction, 61st year (1966), issue 10.
  • Hermann Flessner, Peter Gorny, Heinz-Peter Haake, Werner Hansmann: Development and use of an interactive construction station (IKP) . In: Dirk Siefkes (Ed.), GI - 4th Annual Conference, Berlin, 9. – 12. October 1974 , Berlin / Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 1975, ISBN 978-3-662-39104-4 , pp. 659-669.
  • Hermann Flessner: Dangerous Dialogue - Hermann C. Flessner on Joseph Weizenbaum: The power of computers and the powerlessness of reason . Der Spiegel 32/1978, pp. 145-147.
  • Hermann Flessner: Requirements for the computer-supported workplace in an industrial environment. In: Manfred Paul (Ed.), GI - 19th Annual Conference, I, Computergestützter Arbeit, Munich, 18.-20. October 1989 , Berlin / Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 1989, ISBN 3-540-51821-5 , pp. 49-57.
  • Jürgen Alex, Hermann Flessner, Wilhelm Mons , Kurt Pauli, Horst Zuse : Konrad Zuse. The father of the computer . Fulda: Verlag Parzeller, 2000, ISBN 3-7900-0317-4 .
  • Hermann Flessner, Jürgen Noll, Hartmut Rehling: History and fate of the cigar box factory Gebr. Busch in Minden (Westphalia) . Books on Demand, 2nd edition 2015, ISBN 978-3-7347-6248-2 .
  • Hermann Flessner: First work with Zuse computers - Volume 1: Calculating, planning and designing. Books on Demand, 2016, ISBN 978-3-7412-3593-1 .
  • Hermann Flessner: First work with Zuse computers - Volume 2: Flexural strength of reinforced concrete beams. Books on Demand, 2016, ISBN 978-3-7412-2557-4 .

Awards

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Karl-Eugen Kurrer : The History of the Theory of Structures. Searching for Equilibrium . Ernst & Sohn , Berlin 2018, pp. 878f., ISBN 978-3-433-03229-9
  2. ^ Massachusetts Institute of Technology Bulletin - Report of the President for the Academic Year 1969-1970
  3. ^ Menu Special for Engineers, Computer Week, November 7, 1975
  4. ↑ The International Maglev Board: Prof. Dr. Hermann Flessner
  5. ↑ DAAD Circle of Friends anniversary leaflet 2006
  6. ↑ Konrad Zuse Society
personal data
SURNAME Flessner, Hermann
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Flessner, Hermann C.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German civil engineer and computer scientist
DATE OF BIRTH December 31, 1930
PLACE OF BIRTH Hamburg