Otto Fuchs (aviation pioneer)

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Reinhold Otto Fuchs (born March 7, 1897 in Frankenthal (Palatinate) ; † November 8, 1987 in Dachau ) was an aviation pioneer and long-standing training and science manager in German aviation. He was also a self-taught painter. In this regard, he is referred to in the relevant specialist literature as "Otto Fuchs (Etzenhausen)", in contrast to " Otto Fuchs (nude Fuchs) ".

Live and act

Otto Fuchs finished high school as a one-year-old volunteer and participated in the First World War as a war volunteer from 1914 to 1918, initially in the field artillery and from 1916 in the air force . There he served in Feldfliegerabteilung (A) 292, then in Jagdstaffel 30 and 77b and finally as leader of Jagdstaffel 35b.

From 1919 to 1920 he studied philosophy and literature in Freiburg and Heidelberg, then agriculture in Bonn and from 1924 aviation technology at the TH Darmstadt . Here he was a member of Akaflieg and as a pilot of the D-9 Konsul he achieved the long-haul flight price at the Rhön glider competition in 1924 with 12 km. The motor tow for gliders is said to go back to him. Fuchs interrupted his studies from 1927 to 1930 to work at the secret German test center for aircraft in Lipetsk (Russia) as technical director. He completed his studies in Darmstadt in 1933 with the main diploma examination.

After a serious aviation accident in 1931, Fuchs initially feared he would no longer be able to fly. During this time he processed his war experiences in the autobiographical novel "Wir Flieger - War Memories of an Unknown", which was published in 1933 in a greatly abridged form.

In 1933 Fuchs joined the German Aviation Research Institute (DVL) in Berlin-Adlershof to set up a department for young engineers, which he headed until 1945. From 1934 to 1935, his colleague Mathias Bös looked after the student aviation groups at universities ( aeronautical specialist groups ) and at engineering schools ( aeronautical working groups ). Fuchs was also involved in the conception of the Aviation Engineering School (IfL) founded in 1937 . Due to his superior general human abilities, he was able to successfully ward off the usual attacks of the state and Nazi organizations in his area. In 1944, Fuchs became a deputy member of the DVL Board of Directors.

After the war, Fuchs was able to prevent the DVL from being dissolved. He was provisionally appointed a full member of the Board of Management in 1949 and confirmed in this position in 1951. After clarifying the legal and financial situation of the German Aerospace Research Institute Oberpfaffenhofen (FFO), he was also appointed to the board here. When the German Research Institute for Glider Flight (DFS) resumed its work in 1954, Fuchs was appointed to the Emergency Board and he took over the management of the Institute for Glider Flight. After the merger of DVL, FFO and the Aviation Research Institute Munich (FFM) - an important step on the way to the creation of today's German Aerospace Center (DLR) - Otto Fuchs retired in 1966.

In 1945 he moved to Dachau (Etzenhausen district) with his wife, the painter Emi Fuchs-Hussong. Many of his landscapes were created there. Otto Fuchs was a member of the Dachau Artists' Association . There are paintings by him. a. owned by the city of Dachau, in the Dachau picture gallery or municipal gallery in the Lenbachhaus in Munich.

Artistic work

On numerous trips at home and abroad he has painted landscapes in particular, which are presented in oil or watercolor, are characterized by subtle colors and a dreamy mood.

Works (selection)

  • Etzenhausen in the hoarfrost, watercolor 49 × 63
  • Dachau landscape, watercolor 32 × 48
  • A November day at St. Laurentius in Etzenhausen, watercolor 42.3 × 65

Fonts

  • General considerations on the problem of young engineers. In: FFM report no. 3 of the aeronautical research institute Oberpfaffenhofen. 1956, pp. 9-10

literature

  • H. Blenk: Otto Fuchs 65 years. In: Zeitschrift für Flugwissenschaft. Volume 10. 1962.
  • H. Zacher: Otto Fuchs . In: DGLR-Jahrbuch 1987 of the German Aerospace Society. Volume 2. Bonn 1987, pp. 976-984.
  • A. Wilhelm Neuberger: The engineering school for aviation technology. BoD, Norderstedt 2005, ISBN 3-8334-3051-6 .
  • Bruckmann's Lexicon of Munich Painters. Munich painter in the 19th and 20th centuries Century. Fifth volume. Munich 1993, pp. 258-259.
  • O. Fuchs: Wir Flieger - War memories of a stranger , Verlag KF Koehler, Leipzig 1933

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b H. Blenk: Otto Fuchs 65 years. In: Zeitschrift für Flugwissenschaften. 10, 1962.
  2. ^ Bruckmann's Lexicon. 1993, p. 259.
personal data
SURNAME Fuchs, Otto
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Fuchs, Reinhold Otto (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German aviation pioneer and long-standing training and science manager in German aviation
DATE OF BIRTH March 7, 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH Frankenthal (Palatinate)
DATE OF DEATH November 8, 1987
Place of death Dachau