Siegfried Popper
Encyclopedia
Siegfried Popper was an eminent naval architect in late-nineteenth- and early twentieth-century middle Europe.
after a three-year study at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
.
on 1 December 1869 as a draughtsman. He began working on ship design in 1887, when he prepared plans for a light cruiser
. He rose to the rank of Generalingenieur (Engineering Admiral), a rank which was created for him and which was conferred on 30 April 1904. He was responsible for the design of all the ships of the navy built until his retirement on 1 April 1907. He was granted an Honorary Doctorate by Vienna University in 1916 and returned it, about 1930, when the University introduced "Numera Clausa". Kaiser Wilhelm II offered him a chair in Naval Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin
at Charlottenburg
, but Siegfried declined this offer. By the time he retired Popper was in poor health. He was hard of hearing and his vision was poor.
After retiring from the Navy he worked as a consultant for Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino
(S.T.T.), at that time the only fabricator of large warships in the monarchy.
into German
. Because of his deafness he was run down by a tram in Prague and died several days later, on 19 April 1933.
Biography
Popper was born in Prague to Joachim Popper, a fine goods dealer (Galanteriewarenhandler) and Anna Schulhof. He attended the Nikolander Realschule (Technical School) before attending the Technical University in Prague for one year. He gained a degree in mechanical engineeringMechanical 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...
after a three-year study at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology is a German academic research and education institution with university status resulting from a merger of the university and the research center of the city of Karlsruhe. The university, also known as Fridericiana, was founded in 1825...
.
Naval career
Popper spent three years at various engineering works in Prague before joining the Austro-Hungarian NavyAustro-Hungarian Navy
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine....
on 1 December 1869 as a draughtsman. He began working on ship design in 1887, when he prepared plans for a light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
. He rose to the rank of Generalingenieur (Engineering Admiral), a rank which was created for him and which was conferred on 30 April 1904. He was responsible for the design of all the ships of the navy built until his retirement on 1 April 1907. He was granted an Honorary Doctorate by Vienna University in 1916 and returned it, about 1930, when the University introduced "Numera Clausa". Kaiser Wilhelm II offered him a chair in Naval Architecture 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...
at Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, named after Queen consort Sophia Charlotte...
, but Siegfried declined this offer. By the time he retired Popper was in poor health. He was hard of hearing and his vision was poor.
After retiring from the Navy he worked as a consultant for Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino
Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino
Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino was a private shipbuilding company based in Trieste from the mid-19th to early 20th century, and the most important naval shipbuilding firm of the Austro-Hungarian Empire....
(S.T.T.), at that time the only fabricator of large warships in the monarchy.
Retirement and death
After retirement Popper devoted much of his time to translating Hebrew literatureHebrew literature
Hebrew literature consists of ancient, medieval, and modern writings in the Hebrew language. It is one of the primary forms of Jewish literature, though there have been cases of literature written in Hebrew by non-Jews...
into German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. Because of his deafness he was run down by a tram in Prague and died several days later, on 19 April 1933.