Heinrich Konen
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Matthias Konen was a German
physicist who specialized in spectroscopy
. He was a founder and organizer of the Emergency Association of German Science, and he was a member of the "Senate" of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, the Reich Physical and Technical Institute, and the Reich Chemical and Technical Institute. When he was forced out of academia in 1933 due to his opposition to National Socialism, he became an advisor in the industrial sector, especially the Troisdorf Works. After World War II, Konen became rector of Bonn University and then headed the Culture Ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia.
there, as well as a part-time teacher at the Bonn Gymnasium (secondary school).
Konen was an ausserordentlicher Professor (extraordinarius professor) of theoretical physics at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
from 1905 to 1912, and from 1919 to 1920 he was an ordentlicher Professor (ordinarius professor) there. In 1920, due to his relationship with Friedrich Schmidt-Ott
, Konen was involved in the founding and organization of the Notgemeinschaft der Deutschen Wissenschaft (NG, Emergency Association of German Science) and he became a longstanding member of its main committee. In 1920, he also succeeded Heinrich Kayser
as ordentlicher Professor at the Bonn University. From 1927 to 1929, he additionally was president of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
(German Physical Society). Konen’s opposition to National Socialism resulted in his forced retirement from academia in 1933, the year Adolf Hitler
came to power in Germany. Also until 1933, he was on the supervisory board of the Kaiser-Wilhelm Gesellschaft (KWG, Kaiser Wilhelm Society), an influential member of the board of trustees of the Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt (PTR, Reich Physical and Technical Institute – today, the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
), on the board of trustees of the Chemisch-Technische Reichsanstalt (CTR, Reich Chemical and Technical Institute), and on the board of the Deutsches Museum
(German Museum) in Munich. When Konen left academia, he became an advisor in industry, especially for Troisdorfer Werke (Dynamit Nobel AG
, a chemical and weapons company whose headquarters was based in Troisdorf
).
At Bonn University, Konen was the Doktorvater” (thesis advisor) to Wolfgang Finkelnburg
, who received his doctorate in 1928. Finkelnburg would go on to play a major role in the campaign against and political victory over the deutsche Physik
movement, as the organizer of the Münchner Religionsgespräche, known as the “Munich Synod.”
After 1945, Konen became rector of Bonn University and then headed the Culture Ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia
. In 1949, after formation of the Deutsche Bundesrepublik, Konen used his position in the Culture Ministry to re-found the Notgemeinschaft der Deutschen Wissenschaft, which had become inactive in 1945.
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...
physicist who specialized in spectroscopy
Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy. Historically, spectroscopy originated through the study of visible light dispersed according to its wavelength, e.g., by a prism. Later the concept was expanded greatly to comprise any interaction with radiative...
. He was a founder and organizer of the Emergency Association of German Science, and he was a member of the "Senate" of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, the Reich Physical and Technical Institute, and the Reich Chemical and Technical Institute. When he was forced out of academia in 1933 due to his opposition to National Socialism, he became an advisor in the industrial sector, especially the Troisdorf Works. After World War II, Konen became rector of Bonn University and then headed the Culture Ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Education
From 1893 to 1898, Konen studied at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn (Bonn University). He was awarded his doctorate there in 1897.Career
From 1899, Konen was a teaching assistant at Bonn University. From 1902, he was a PrivatdozentPrivatdozent
Privatdozent or Private lecturer is a title conferred in some European university systems, especially in German-speaking countries, for someone who pursues an academic career and holds all formal qualifications to become a tenured university professor...
there, as well as a part-time teacher at the Bonn Gymnasium (secondary school).
Konen was an ausserordentlicher Professor (extraordinarius professor) of theoretical physics at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
University of Münster
The University of Münster is a public university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The WWU is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, a society of Germany's leading research universities...
from 1905 to 1912, and from 1919 to 1920 he was an ordentlicher Professor (ordinarius professor) there. In 1920, due to his relationship with Friedrich Schmidt-Ott
Friedrich Schmidt-Ott
Friedrich Schmidt-Ott was a German lawyer, scientific organizer, and science policymaker...
, Konen was involved in the founding and organization of the Notgemeinschaft der Deutschen Wissenschaft (NG, Emergency Association of German Science) and he became a longstanding member of its main committee. In 1920, he also succeeded Heinrich Kayser
Heinrich Kayser
Heinrich Gustav Johannes Kayser was a German physicist.He was born at Bingen am Rhein. Kayser's early work was concerned with the characteristics of acoustic waves. He discovered the occurrence of helium in the Earth's atmosphere. Together with Carl Runge, he examined the spectra of chemical...
as ordentlicher Professor at the Bonn University. From 1927 to 1929, he additionally was president of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
The Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft is the world's largest organization of physicists. The DPG's worldwide membership is cited as 60,000, as of 2011...
(German Physical Society). Konen’s opposition to National Socialism resulted in his forced retirement from academia in 1933, the year Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
came to power in Germany. Also until 1933, he was on the supervisory board of the Kaiser-Wilhelm Gesellschaft (KWG, Kaiser Wilhelm Society), an influential member of the board of trustees of the Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt (PTR, Reich Physical and Technical Institute – today, the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt is based in Braunschweig and Berlin. It is the national institute for natural and engineering sciences and the highest technical authority for metrology and physical safety engineering in Germany....
), on the board of trustees of the Chemisch-Technische Reichsanstalt (CTR, Reich Chemical and Technical Institute), and on the board of the Deutsches Museum
Deutsches Museum
The Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany, is the world's largest museum of technology and science, with approximately 1.5 million visitors per year and about 28,000 exhibited objects from 50 fields of science and technology. The museum was founded on June 28, 1903, at a meeting of the Association...
(German Museum) in Munich. When Konen left academia, he became an advisor in industry, especially for Troisdorfer Werke (Dynamit Nobel AG
Dynamit Nobel AG
Dynamite Nobel AG is a German chemical and weapons company whose headquarters was based in Troisdorf. It was founded in 1865 by Alfred Nobel.-Creation:...
, a chemical and weapons company whose headquarters was based in Troisdorf
Troisdorf
Troisdorf is a town in the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis , in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Troisdorf is located approx. 22 kilometers south of Cologne and 13 kilometers north east of Bonn.-Division of the town:...
).
At Bonn University, Konen was the Doktorvater” (thesis advisor) to Wolfgang Finkelnburg
Wolfgang Finkelnburg
Wolfgang Karl Ernst Finkelnburg was a German physicist who made contributions to spectroscopy, atomic physics, the structure of matter, and high-temperature arc discharges...
, who received his doctorate in 1928. Finkelnburg would go on to play a major role in the campaign against and political victory over the deutsche Physik
Deutsche Physik
Deutsche Physik or Aryan Physics was a nationalist movement in the German physics community in the early 1930s against the work of Albert Einstein, labeled "Jewish Physics"...
movement, as the organizer of the Münchner Religionsgespräche, known as the “Munich Synod.”
After 1945, Konen became rector of Bonn University and then headed the Culture Ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
. In 1949, after formation of the Deutsche Bundesrepublik, Konen used his position in the Culture Ministry to re-found the Notgemeinschaft der Deutschen Wissenschaft, which had become inactive in 1945.
Books by Konen
- Heinrich Konen Einführung in die theoretische Optik (Teubner, 1907)
- Heinrich Konen Reisebilder von einer Studienreise durch Sternwarten und Laboratorien der Vereinigten Staaten (Bachem, 1912)
- Heinrich Konen Das leuchten der gase und dampfe mit besonderer berucksichtigung der gesetzmassigkeiten in Spektren (Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn, 1913)
- Heinrich Mathias Konen Das Leuchten der Gase und Dämpfe (F. Vieweg & Sohn, 1913)
- Heinrich Konen, editor Geometrische Optik. Optische Konstante. Optische Instrumente, Handbuch der Physik - Geiger/Scheel - Volume 18 (Springer, 1927)
- H. Kayser and H. Konen Handbuch der Spectroscopie - Eight Volumes (Hirzel, 1930)
- Heinrich Konen Physikalische Plaudereien, Gegenwartsprobleme und ihre technische Bedeutung (Verlag der Buchgemeinde, 1937 & 1941)