Karl Berger (electrical engineer)

Karl Berger (born November 30, 1898 in Balgach ; † December 1, 1993 in Küsnacht ) was a Swiss electrical engineer who achieved great importance as a lightning researcher.

Life

Karl Berger was born in Balgach in 1898 as the son of pastor Jakob Berger. After graduating from the canton school on Burggraben in St. Gallen , he studied electrical engineering at the ETH Zurich between 1917 and 1923 . In 1930 he graduated as Dr. sc. techn.

Karl Berger, who was married twice, died in 1993 one day after his 95th birthday in Küsnacht.

Professional background

Berger worked from 1936 to 1949 as a private lecturer and from 1949 to 1969 as associate professor for high voltage engineering at the ETH Zurich. In addition, he worked for the Swiss Electrotechnical Association (SEV) from 1926 to 1984 , where he was called the "father of Swiss lightning research" and from 1937 to 1970 he headed the research commission for high-voltage issues. In addition, from 1943 to 1972 he was entrusted with the construction and management of the lightning research station on Monte San Salvatore .

Act

Berger's research served to 1954 primarily to the lightning protection of power stations and transmission lines , only then he could with the support of the National Fund of fundamental research dedicated. He wrote numerous articles on lightning research.

Publications (selection)

• Lightning research and building lightning protection. In: SEV / VSE Bulletin . Vol. 65 (1974), No. 26, pp. 1899-1902.
• Ball lightning and lightning research. In: Natural Sciences. Vol. 60 (1973), pp. 485-492.
• Oscillographic measurements of the field profile near the lightning strike on Monte San Salvatore. In: SEV / VSE Bulletin. Volume 64 (1973), No. 3, pp. 120-136.
• Methods and results of lightning research on Monte San Salvatore near Lugano in the years 1963–1971. In: SEV / VSE Bulletin. Vol. 63 (1972), No. 24, pp. 1403-1422.
• Lightning research and personal lightning protection. In: ETZ (A). 1971, No. 9.
• The problem of personal lightning protection. In: SEV / VSE Bulletin. Vol. 62 (1971), No. 8, pp. 397-399.
• The basic principle of lightning protection. In: SEV / VSE Bulletin. Vol. 61 (1970), No. 6, pp. 272-274.
• Economical lightning protection for reinforced concrete structures. In: Schweizerische Bauzeitung. Volume 80 (1962), No. 12.

Honors

• 1963 honorary doctorate from the Technical University of Munich
• 1981 Honorary Doctorate from Uppsala University of Technology

Web links

• Thomas Fuchs: Berger, Karl. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .
• Literature by Karl Berger on FKH