Otto Krause
Encyclopedia
Otto Krause was an Argentine engineer and educator.
to Leopoldina and Carl August Krause, both German Argentine immigrants arrived in 1851. Tending his farm with implements he brought from Germany
, Carl Krause instilled an interest in machinery to his five children, though the family eventually relocated to Buenos Aires
in 1870. Otto subsequently finished his secondary school studies at the prestigious Buenos Aires National College
, a public college preparatory school.
He enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires
School of Exact Sciences in 1874, though he enlisted in the Argentine Navy
as an engineer's assistant later that year. He returned to civilian life in 1878 and obtained a degree in civil engineering
, earning a post in the Buenos Aires Teachers' School. Krause then began a career in the Argentine railways
, working in the planning department of the Buenos Aires Western Railway
in 1879 and later contributing to the lines' extension into then-remote Tucumán
and Salta Province
s.
Returning to Buenos Aires in 1882, Krause held technical positions at the 11th of September Station
, then the site of a large railyard. He continued to teach the discipline, and in 1887 was commissioned to select material in Europe
for the new rail line and facilities to serve the recently-founded city of La Plata
. The experience earned a post of technical director of the new mail train established by president Miguel Juárez Celman in 1888, and he became a tenured full professor at the University of Buenos Aires in 1891.
Addressing the rapidly-growing country's lack of formal technical school
s, he established Argentina's first on March 15, 1897, and two years later, President Julio Roca re-chartered the institution as the National Industrial School, entitling it to public funds. Krause divided his time between the management of the school and diverse public posts, including that of President of the Municipal Tax Court and inspector of mines in the far-western San Juan Province
. He continued to teach at his alma mater, as well, and in 1906 was named Dean of the School of Exact Sciences at the university. His ongoing efforts on behalf of technical schools to the 1909 inaugural of a new, important building for the National Industrial School in Buenos Aires' San Telmo
area (just south of downtown), as well as the establishment of affiliates in La Plata, Rosario
, Santa Fe
and his hometown, Chivilcoy, among others.
Krause helped plan irrigation
works for the Río Negro valley in semi-arid Patagonia
before retiring in 1911. He returned in advisory capacity to the University of Buenos Aires in 1919, but died the following February at age 63; the National Industrial School was subsequently renamed the Otto Krause Technical School
.
Life and times
Krause was born in the Pampas town of ChivilcoyChivilcoy
Chivilcoy is a city in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, the head town of the Chivilcoy Partido. It has 60,762 inhabitants according to the ....
to Leopoldina and Carl August Krause, both German Argentine immigrants arrived in 1851. Tending his farm with implements he brought from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Carl Krause instilled an interest in machinery to his five children, though the family eventually relocated to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in 1870. Otto subsequently finished his secondary school studies at the prestigious Buenos Aires National College
Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires
Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires is a public high school in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the tradition of the European gymnasium it provides a free education that includes classical languages such as Latin and Greek. The school is one of the most prestigious in Argentina...
, a public college preparatory school.
He enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
School of Exact Sciences in 1874, though he enlisted in the Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
as an engineer's assistant later that year. He returned to civilian life in 1878 and obtained a degree in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
, earning a post in the Buenos Aires Teachers' School. Krause then began a career in the Argentine railways
Rail transport in Argentina
The Argentine railway network comprised of track at the end of the Second World War and was, in its time, one of the most extensive and prosperous in South America. However, with the increase in highway construction, there followed a sharp decline in railway profitability, leading to the break-up...
, working in the planning department of the Buenos Aires Western Railway
Buenos Aires Western Railway
The Buenos Aires Western Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina...
in 1879 and later contributing to the lines' extension into then-remote Tucumán
Tucumán Province
Tucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and...
and Salta Province
Salta Province
Salta is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the east clockwise Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and Catamarca. It also surrounds Jujuy...
s.
Returning to Buenos Aires in 1882, Krause held technical positions at the 11th of September Station
Estación Once
Once railway station is a large railway terminus in central Buenos Aires, Argentina.The station, inaugurated on December 20, 1882, is located in the barrio of Balvanera immediately north of Plaza Miserere, a large public square...
, then the site of a large railyard. He continued to teach the discipline, and in 1887 was commissioned to select material in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for the new rail line and facilities to serve the recently-founded city of La Plata
La Plata
La Plata is the capital city of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and of La Plata partido. According to the , the city proper has a population of 574,369 and its metropolitan area has 694,253 inhabitants....
. The experience earned a post of technical director of the new mail train established by president Miguel Juárez Celman in 1888, and he became a tenured full professor at the University of Buenos Aires in 1891.
Addressing the rapidly-growing country's lack of formal technical school
Technical school
Technical school is a general term used for two-year college which provide mostly employment-preparation skills for trained labor, such as welding, culinary arts and office management.-Associations supporting technical schools:...
s, he established Argentina's first on March 15, 1897, and two years later, President Julio Roca re-chartered the institution as the National Industrial School, entitling it to public funds. Krause divided his time between the management of the school and diverse public posts, including that of President of the Municipal Tax Court and inspector of mines in the far-western San Juan Province
San Juan Province (Argentina)
San Juan is a province of Argentina, located in the western part of the country. Neighbouring provinces are, moving clockwise from the north, La Rioja, San Luis and Mendoza. It borders with Chile at the west....
. He continued to teach at his alma mater, as well, and in 1906 was named Dean of the School of Exact Sciences at the university. His ongoing efforts on behalf of technical schools to the 1909 inaugural of a new, important building for the National Industrial School in Buenos Aires' San Telmo
San Telmo
San Telmo is the oldest barrio of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is a well-preserved area of the Argentine metropolis and is characterized by its colonial buildings. Cafes, tango parlors and antique shops line the cobblestone streets, which are often filled with artists and dancers.San Telmo's...
area (just south of downtown), as well as the establishment of affiliates in La Plata, Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
, Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina
Santa Fe is the capital city of province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It sits in northeastern Argentina, near the junction of the Paraná and Salado rivers. It lies opposite the city of Paraná, to which it is linked by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel. The city is also connected by canal with the...
and his hometown, Chivilcoy, among others.
Krause helped plan irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
works for the Río Negro valley in semi-arid Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
before retiring in 1911. He returned in advisory capacity to the University of Buenos Aires in 1919, but died the following February at age 63; the National Industrial School was subsequently renamed the Otto Krause Technical School
Otto Krause Technical School
The Escuela Técnica Otto Krause is an educational institution located at the intersection of Paseo Colón Avenue and Chile Street, in the San Telmo section of Buenos Aires, Argentina...
.