Curt Herzstark bio
hen I will begin in German. I was born in Vienna on the 26th of January in 1902, a child of the parent Samuel Jakob Herzstark and Marie Herzstark. The marriage was a civil marriage, because my father was born a Jew, and my mother was a true Christian. But they were both free spirits. My father left Judaism but he had no affiliation and remained wit... See more
Curt Herzstark • An Interview with Curt Herzstark
And then the first World War started, and the difficulties began. Unfortunately after the war began, the production of calculating machines was no longer possible. Many of the personnel had to enlist and the factory had to produce military equipment, specifically Schrapnel ignitors. This type of work requires precision. The ignitor is suspended int... See more
Curt Herzstark • An Interview with Curt Herzstark
Herzstark starts building precision machines for the Nazis in 1938
HERZSTARK: Yes, we had our basic four function machines. This machine, our machine, could automatically multiply and divide. But we did not produce large numbers of machines because we did not have the capital. We also had electric machines of which we produced about 10-12 in a month. Then we had the Astra to sell and then, of course, the Multisumm... See more
Curt Herzstark • An Interview with Curt Herzstark
so interesting to think of the calculator as replacing human labor —> nice way to connect this all to our present moment.
The following was the result: one of the customers of the Glogowski company was a banker by the name of Gustav Perger and he often visited the company. He became familiar with my father, of whom he had a very good opinion, and he suggested that they set up a factory for the production of calculating machines together. In fact he had an ulterior mot... See more
Curt Herzstark • An Interview with Curt Herzstark
origins of Herzstark’s dad running the Austrian Calculating Machines Manufacturing Company
Now comes... the CURTA comes in for the first time, no? I knew how in principle to build a machine for the hand in 1938. Naturally the moment that Hitler came all of this was put aside. First, we were not allowed to build any more calculating machines. Secondly, I said to myself, this is a living for me perhaps if I emigrate or something. Aside fro... See more
Curt Herzstark • An Interview with Curt Herzstark
But in '43 two people from our factory were arrested and one was decapitated. They had listened to English radio stations and transcribed the broadcasts on a typewriter and passed it on. This was discovered because of the typed copy. The typewriter was identified and the owner, he was one of our mechanics, his name was Zur, he was beheaded. The sec... See more
Curt Herzstark • An Interview with Curt Herzstark
jesus
I was born on July 26, 1902 in Vienna. I, Curt Herzstark, am the oldest.
Curt Herzstark • An Interview with Curt Herzstark
Already in 1926-27 while I was in sales, people said again and again, "Yes, that is nice, but isn't there anything smaller?" This was a time when there was a lot of advertising of the calculating machine. Everyone who was a technician, carried his slide rule. But for calculating, the equivalent didn't exist. People again and again said, "Does somet... See more
Curt Herzstark • An Interview with Curt Herzstark
his approach to designing the calculator - look at everything backwards .
this whole story exists by looking backwards - we look back in time to find him and his story.
broadly, ideas around time and progress seem to be perking up again and again