Wilfried Struve
Encyclopedia
Wilfried George Struve was a German scientist. He started his career as a fifth-generation astronomer, a direct successor in the famous family line of Friedrich Georg Wilhelm
, Otto Wilhelm
, Hermann
, Georg Hermann Struve
. He fought for Germany in the World War II
and after the war changed his field from astronomy to acoustics.
Wilfried Struve was born in 1914 in Wilhelmshafen, Germany as the first son of George Struve and Marie von Mokk. He studied astronomy at the University of Heidelberg and after the death of his father in 1933 moved to Berlin University. Between 1934 and 1937, he worked as a voluntary at the Berlin-Babelsberg Observatory, which was established by his grandfather Hermann
and further developed by his father, and mainly operated the 1.2-meter reflecting telescope which was planned to be built by Hermann. In 1939, shortly after the death of his mother, Wilfried defended his PhD thesis on spectroscopical study of the double star
alpha Aurigae (Capella)
. In the beginning of the World War II, Wilfried was enlisted to the infantry at Frankfurt-on-Oder and first fought in Poland, France and Baltic coast of Germany. Later, he obtained a position of an official at the meteorological unit of the Luftwaffe
. End of the war found him at the Baltic coast of Germany, from where he walked to Berlin to reunite with his family. After the war, he settled in Karlsruhe
and changed his scientific field from astronomy to acoustics and became consultant to a large company. He died in Karlsruhe
in 1992 at the age of 78.
Struve had a younger brother Reinhard (1919–1943), who also fought in the World War II. He was captured after the Battle of Stalingrad
and died in a Soviet prison camp. Wilfried married in 1941 and had two sons; one was studying mathematics and another worked as a teacher with handicapped children.
Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve
Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve was a Danish-Baltic German astronomer from a famous dynasty.-Life:...
, Otto Wilhelm
Otto Wilhelm von Struve
Otto Wilhelm von Struve was a Russian astronomer. In Russian, his name is normally given as Otto Vasil'evich Struve...
, Hermann
Hermann Struve
Karl Hermann Struve was a Russian astronomer. In Russian, his name is sometimes given as German Ottovich Struve or German Ottonovich Struve ....
, Georg Hermann Struve
Georg Hermann Struve
Georg Otto Hermann Struve was a German astronomer from the Struve family and the son of Hermann Struve.Georg was born in 1886 in Tsarskoye Selo – a former Russian residence of the imperial family and visiting nobility, located south from the center of St. Petersburg. In 1895, his family...
. He fought for Germany in the 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...
and after the war changed his field from astronomy to acoustics.
Wilfried Struve was born in 1914 in Wilhelmshafen, Germany as the first son of George Struve and Marie von Mokk. He studied astronomy at the University of Heidelberg and after the death of his father in 1933 moved to Berlin University. Between 1934 and 1937, he worked as a voluntary at the Berlin-Babelsberg Observatory, which was established by his grandfather Hermann
Hermann Struve
Karl Hermann Struve was a Russian astronomer. In Russian, his name is sometimes given as German Ottovich Struve or German Ottonovich Struve ....
and further developed by his father, and mainly operated the 1.2-meter reflecting telescope which was planned to be built by Hermann. In 1939, shortly after the death of his mother, Wilfried defended his PhD thesis on spectroscopical study of the double star
Double star
In observational astronomy, a double star is a pair of stars that appear close to each other in the sky as seen from Earth when viewed through an optical telescope. This can happen either because the pair forms a binary star, i.e...
alpha Aurigae (Capella)
Capella (star)
Capella is the brightest star in the constellation Auriga, the sixth brightest star in the night sky and the third brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus and Vega. Although it appears to be a single star to the naked eye, it is actually a star system of four stars in...
. In the beginning of the World War II, Wilfried was enlisted to the infantry at Frankfurt-on-Oder and first fought in Poland, France and Baltic coast of Germany. Later, he obtained a position of an official at the meteorological unit of the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. End of the war found him at the Baltic coast of Germany, from where he walked to Berlin to reunite with his family. After the war, he settled in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
and changed his scientific field from astronomy to acoustics and became consultant to a large company. He died in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
in 1992 at the age of 78.
Struve had a younger brother Reinhard (1919–1943), who also fought in the World War II. He was captured after the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
and died in a Soviet prison camp. Wilfried married in 1941 and had two sons; one was studying mathematics and another worked as a teacher with handicapped children.