Johann Joseph von Prechtl

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Johann Josef von Prechtl, around 1815
Johann Josef von Prechtl, lithograph by Adolf Dauthage , 1854
Bust in front of the Vienna University of Technology

Johann Joseph Prechtl , Knight of Prechtl since 1849 (born November 16, 1778 in Bischofsheim , † October 28, 1854 in Vienna ) was an Austrian technologist.

Life

Prechtl studied first at the University of Würzburg Law . From 1802 he worked for the Reichsrat in Vienna. At times he was tutor of the family of Count Johann Taaffe in Brno . During this time he made numerous physical and chemical experiments and wrote one of the first books on education with an anti-authoritarian approach. In 1805 he received a prize from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences for his treatise on the physics of fire .

At the age of 31 Prechtl was called to set up a secondary and navigation school in Trieste , which he also took over and held until 1810.

He then went back to Vienna, where, after extensive preparatory work, he founded the Vienna Polytechnic Institute (today Vienna University of Technology ) and was its director from 1815 to 1849. From Prechtl comes the z. Some of the constitution and organization still recognizable today.

In addition to his work at the Polytechnic, he dealt with bird flight, observing nature and trying to create the basics for flying. These treatises are among the earliest theoretical considerations of flight. However, he not only examined the shape of the wings, but also the entire anatomy of birds. During these experiments, both experimental and mathematical, he also came across the Jakob Degens flying machine .

Further research concerned public gas lighting. He carried out this research together with Johann Arzberger . Together with him, in 1816 he built one of the first larger technical gas generation plants for the production of coal gas from hard coal in Vienna.

Johann Josef von Prechtl died on October 28, 1854 at the age of 76 in Vienna and was buried in the Vienna Central Cemetery (43D-1) in an honorary grave .

Awards

Johann Joseph Ritter von Prechtl on the Austrian 25 Schilling silver coin from 1965 for the 150th anniversary of the Vienna University of Technology . The design comes from Hans Köttenstorfer .

Appreciation

In 1886 the Prechtlgasse in Vienna- Alsergrund (9th district) was named after him. In recognition of his great services, the faculty of the Vienna University of Technology donated the Johann Joseph Ritter von Prechtl Medal in 1950 . This highest distinction that the college of professors can bestow is given for significant achievements in the fields of engineering, natural sciences and architecture.

In 1965 a 25 Schilling silver coin was issued on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the TU Wien.

Works

  • About the mistakes of upbringing especially with regard to the social evils (1804, re-edited by Christian Hantschk, Vienna 1994)
  • Instructions for the appropriate setup of the apparatus for lighting with coal gas . Gerold, Vienna 1817.
  • Basic principles of chemistry in a technical context (1813–1815)
  • Editor of the "Technological Encyclopedia or Alphabetical Handbook of Technology, Technical Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering", Cotta-Verlag, Stuttgart 1830–1869, 20 volumes, 5 supplement volumes and 8 atlas volumes, a total of 33 volumes

literature

Web links

Commons : Johann Joseph von Prechtl  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Reinhard Keimel : Aircraft construction in Austria
  2. ↑ Complete list of schilling coins from 1947 to 2001 ( Memento of October 25, 2005 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF file, 3.9 MB)
personal data
SURNAME Prechtl, Johann Joseph von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Prechtl, Johann Joseph Ritter von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian technologist
DATE OF BIRTH November 16, 1778
PLACE OF BIRTH Bischofsheim
DATE OF DEATH October 28, 1854
Place of death Vienna