Ott Christoph Hilgenberg
Encyclopedia
Ott Christoph Hilgenberg (born 1896 in Grebenstein
near Kassel
; died 1976 in Berlin
) was a German
engineer
, scientist
and a humanist
. Directly after his Abitur
in the year 1914 Hilgenberg was drawn to the war service, but he was discharged after a knee injury. Afterwards he studied electrical mechanical engineering
at the Technical University of Berlin
and remained as an engineer
until 1924.
Ott Christoph Hilgenberg was the youngest of four children. He lost his father Hermann, director of the Hanau Granary, at the age of six. Directly after his matura
examinations, the First World War broke out. Hilgenberg was a soldier on the front lines until the war ended, leaving him with a permanent hearing loss, a shot through one knee having healed quite well.
He studied Electro-Mechanical Engineering at the Technische Hochschule Berlin (TH). After his diploma he was employed as an assistant to the same faculty up to 1924.
In the following four years in the USA, Hilgenberg found his true destination: Geophysics. As leader of a survey-section with geophysical instruments first in Texas and later in New Mexico, he worked closely with geologists and geophysicists to interpret the signals from the depth in the finding of oil-bearing strata. In doing so he encountered extraordinary difficulties because there did not exist assured means of distinction. These experiences were the main cause for him to begin experimenting with the behavior of rock and various materials when he came back to the TH Berlin in 1929. He was supported by several TH-Professors, who understood the importance of his research improving the methods to find natural resources.
Also in 1929 he got acquainted with Hanni Drewer, a young widow who would be his life-companion. She took care of him for 46 years. In 1932 their daughter Helge was born.
Inspired by Alfred Wegener
's theory of continental drift
, Hilgenberg worked intensely in the area of the Expanding Earth theory. Hilgenberg had started writing his publication "Vom wachsenden Erdball" ("The Expanding Globe") during Wegener's lifetime. It was meant as a continuation of Wegener’s work. When Wegener died unexpectedly in 1930, Hilgenberg posthumously dedicated "Vom wachsenden Erdball" to him. With four model globes, Hilgenberg was the first to show how all continental shelves would fit neatly together, if the Earth’s diameter were about half the size of today.
From 1934 up to 1938 Hilgenberg was appointed regular assistant to the TH Berlin Institute of Kinetics, two years of which he was in charge of basic lectures. By refusing to join the NSDAP (Nazi party), he relinquished any possibility of an academic career. His first thesis "Über Strömungsversuche mit Senken und Quellen, die das Wesen der Schwerkraft grundlegend erklären" ("Flow Experiments with Sinks and Sources, that Explain the Fundamental Nature of Gravity") was rejected by the faculty, mainly because the idea of luminiferous aether
and gravitation disagreed with Einstein’s special theory of relativity.
During World War II
, Hilgenberg worked at the library of the TH Berlin. In 1945 he kept watch over the buildings of the TH during the Battle of Berlin and received a bullet in his left arm. After the war he alone – with a truck – brought back from the Soviet Zone thousands of evacuated books belonging to the TH Berlin, now called Technical University (TU). Due to good contacts, he also succeeded in retrieving 10,000 technical books stored on ground occupied by the British army. Years later when offered to be honored with the new Bundesverdienstkreuz
for his engagement, he was not interested.
After 1947 he was employed as head librarian at the former State Library in the Eastern Sector of Berlin. He finished his thesis "Die Bruchstruktur der sialischen Erdkruste" ("The Fragmentation of Sial
ic Crust") and in 1948 promoted to Dr.Ing. (doctorate
) at the TH. Due to his living in West Berlin, his employment in East Berlin ended in 1950.
Up to the end of his life he was a free-lance scientist. He was granted his own office for his scientific work at the Berlin TU Institute of Geology and Paleontology. During his activity at the TH and later at the TU he was always supported by professors of Geology, Prof. H. Quiring and Prof. of Geology and Paleontology W. Zeil, a long-standing friend of Earth Expansion. Hilgenberg published numerous papers, in 1974 his principal work "Geotektonik,neuartig gesehen". He died of heart failure on 21 September 1976.
The original Hilgenberg globes no longer exist. Giancarlo Scalera reconstructed the model globes, which can be seen at the Museo Geofisico of Rocca di Papa near Rome, Italy.
Grebenstein
Grebenstein is a town in the district of Kassel, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 16 km northwest of Kassel on the German Framework Road. In 1762 it was the scene of a skirmish between British and French troops during the Seven Years War.-External links:...
near Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
; died 1976 in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
) was a German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
and a humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
. Directly after his Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
in the year 1914 Hilgenberg was drawn to the war service, but he was discharged after a knee injury. Afterwards he studied electrical mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
at the Technical University of Berlin
Technical University of Berlin
The Technische Universität Berlin is a research university located in Berlin, Germany. Translating the name into English is discouraged by the university, however paraphrasing as Berlin Institute of Technology is recommended by the university if necessary .The TU Berlin was founded...
and remained as an engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
until 1924.
Ott Christoph Hilgenberg was the youngest of four children. He lost his father Hermann, director of the Hanau Granary, at the age of six. Directly after his matura
Matura
Matura or a similar term is the common name for the high-school leaving exam or "maturity exam" in various countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia,...
examinations, the First World War broke out. Hilgenberg was a soldier on the front lines until the war ended, leaving him with a permanent hearing loss, a shot through one knee having healed quite well.
He studied Electro-Mechanical Engineering at the Technische Hochschule Berlin (TH). After his diploma he was employed as an assistant to the same faculty up to 1924.
In the following four years in the USA, Hilgenberg found his true destination: Geophysics. As leader of a survey-section with geophysical instruments first in Texas and later in New Mexico, he worked closely with geologists and geophysicists to interpret the signals from the depth in the finding of oil-bearing strata. In doing so he encountered extraordinary difficulties because there did not exist assured means of distinction. These experiences were the main cause for him to begin experimenting with the behavior of rock and various materials when he came back to the TH Berlin in 1929. He was supported by several TH-Professors, who understood the importance of his research improving the methods to find natural resources.
Also in 1929 he got acquainted with Hanni Drewer, a young widow who would be his life-companion. She took care of him for 46 years. In 1932 their daughter Helge was born.
Inspired by Alfred Wegener
Alfred Wegener
Alfred Lothar Wegener was a German scientist, geophysicist, and meteorologist.He is most notable for his theory of continental drift , proposed in 1912, which hypothesized that the continents were slowly drifting around the Earth...
's theory of continental drift
Continental drift
Continental drift is the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other. The hypothesis that continents 'drift' was first put forward by Abraham Ortelius in 1596 and was fully developed by Alfred Wegener in 1912...
, Hilgenberg worked intensely in the area of the Expanding Earth theory. Hilgenberg had started writing his publication "Vom wachsenden Erdball" ("The Expanding Globe") during Wegener's lifetime. It was meant as a continuation of Wegener’s work. When Wegener died unexpectedly in 1930, Hilgenberg posthumously dedicated "Vom wachsenden Erdball" to him. With four model globes, Hilgenberg was the first to show how all continental shelves would fit neatly together, if the Earth’s diameter were about half the size of today.
From 1934 up to 1938 Hilgenberg was appointed regular assistant to the TH Berlin Institute of Kinetics, two years of which he was in charge of basic lectures. By refusing to join the NSDAP (Nazi party), he relinquished any possibility of an academic career. His first thesis "Über Strömungsversuche mit Senken und Quellen, die das Wesen der Schwerkraft grundlegend erklären" ("Flow Experiments with Sinks and Sources, that Explain the Fundamental Nature of Gravity") was rejected by the faculty, mainly because the idea of luminiferous aether
Luminiferous aether
In the late 19th century, luminiferous aether or ether, meaning light-bearing aether, was the term used to describe a medium for the propagation of light....
and gravitation disagreed with Einstein’s special theory of relativity.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Hilgenberg worked at the library of the TH Berlin. In 1945 he kept watch over the buildings of the TH during the Battle of Berlin and received a bullet in his left arm. After the war he alone – with a truck – brought back from the Soviet Zone thousands of evacuated books belonging to the TH Berlin, now called Technical University (TU). Due to good contacts, he also succeeded in retrieving 10,000 technical books stored on ground occupied by the British army. Years later when offered to be honored with the new Bundesverdienstkreuz
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
for his engagement, he was not interested.
After 1947 he was employed as head librarian at the former State Library in the Eastern Sector of Berlin. He finished his thesis "Die Bruchstruktur der sialischen Erdkruste" ("The Fragmentation of Sial
Sial
In geology, the sial is the upper layer of the Earth's crust made of rocks rich in silicates and aluminium minerals. It is sometimes equated with the continental crust because it is absent in the wide oceanic basins, but "sial" is a geochemical term rather than a plate tectonic term.Geologists...
ic Crust") and in 1948 promoted to Dr.Ing. (doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
) at the TH. Due to his living in West Berlin, his employment in East Berlin ended in 1950.
Up to the end of his life he was a free-lance scientist. He was granted his own office for his scientific work at the Berlin TU Institute of Geology and Paleontology. During his activity at the TH and later at the TU he was always supported by professors of Geology, Prof. H. Quiring and Prof. of Geology and Paleontology W. Zeil, a long-standing friend of Earth Expansion. Hilgenberg published numerous papers, in 1974 his principal work "Geotektonik,neuartig gesehen". He died of heart failure on 21 September 1976.
The original Hilgenberg globes no longer exist. Giancarlo Scalera reconstructed the model globes, which can be seen at the Museo Geofisico of Rocca di Papa near Rome, Italy.