Emil Kolben

Emil Kolben (November 1 1862 in Strančice - September 3 1943 in Terezín) was an engineer and entrepreneur from Bohemia in the (Czech Republic). The large engineering company ČKD bears his name. He died in the concentration camp Theresienstadt.

Kolben was born into a German speaking Jewish family of a small shopkeeper in village Strančice near Prague. He had 9 siblings; since age of 15 he needed to take complete care about himself. After secondary education in Prague Kolben studied at the German Technical University in Prague. After finishing the university he obtained two year's stipend (named after František Josef Gerstner) that allowed him to study abroad. In 1887 he travelled to Zürich, Paris and London and finally settled for five years in the United States.

In the USA he first worked as an engineer for Edison Machine Company in Schenectady, then as an assistant of Thomas Edison in Orange, New Jersey and finally as the chief-engineer in Edison's laboratories. In 1889 he met Nikola Tesla who convinced him of a future for alternate current. This resulted in conflicts with Edison.

In 1892 Kolben returned to Europe and for two years worked in Switzerland for company Oerlikon as the chief-designer.

In 1896 he returned to Bohemia and, in the same year, set up a company named "Kolben a spol." in Vysočany, an industrial district of Prague. A 60kW alternator was the first system constructed. With secured financial investment from a bank the company became a stock holding company in 1888. In 1899 it was renamed to "Elektrotechnická a. s.". In 1911 Kolben invited Edison to visit Prague.

The company produced large electrotechnis systems as hydro-electric power stations, locomotives and machines. Used technologies and equipment were much above standards of the time - for example instead of using a centralized power source and mechanical transmitters the machines were fitted with electrical engines.

In 1921 the company merged with another engineering company "Českomoravská strojírna" into "Českomoravská-Kolben a. s.". In 1927 it merged with "A. s. strojírny" (formerly "Breitfeld & Daněk") into "Českomoravská-Kolben-Daněk", the ČKD. Kolben had served as the director until 1939. The company produced a wide array of electrotechnic and engineering systems and also complete industrial plants. ČKD employed up to 15,000 people.

Kolben also founded two other companies: "Pražská továrna na káble" in Prague-Hostivař (power cables) and "Pražská elektroinstalační společnost" in Prague-Hloubětín (wiring systems). He had published dozens of articles, mostly about electrotechnic and engineering.

Immediately after the occupation of Czechoslovakia by the Nazis (1939) Kolben was recalled from his position as the director (March 16) and later imprisoned in the concentration camp Theresienstadt. He died there abandoned and exhausted. Almost all members of his family were imprisoned; 26 of them were killed by the Germans. His grandson Jindřich (b. 1926) had survived.

ČKD was heavily damaged during the last days of World War II. Later, it employed up to 50,000 people and was known mainly for locomotives and trams. Mismanagement and technological backwardness accumulated during previous decades and resulted in bankruptcy in 1998 and massive reduction of production.

References

* Miroslav Hlaváč: "Tvůrci českého zázraku" ("Creators of the Czech miracle"), 2000, ISBN 80-86363-00-7
* Martin Kvítek: "Průkopníci vědy a techniky v českých zemích" ("Pioneers of science and technology in Czech lands"), 2003, ISBN 80-7200-813-7
* Marcela Efmertová: "Elektrotechnika v českých zemích a v Československu do pol. 20. st." ("Electrotechnics in the Czech lands and Czechoslovakia until the middle of 20th century"), 1999, ISBN 80-85983-99-0
* Geršlová, J.: "Elektroindustrie in den böhmischen Ländern: Emil Kolben und die Entwicklung der Firma ČKD Prag." In: "Business History (Teichova,A.- Matis, H.- Resch,A. – Hrsg.). Wissenschaftliche Entwicklungstrends und Studien aus Zentraleuropa". Wien 1999, p. 197 – 203. ISBN 3-214-08328-7
* Jaroslava Hofmannová: "Emil Kolben a založení Kolbenky" ("Emil Kolben and establishment of the “Kolbenka” works") /97:3:169/, journal "History of Sciences and Technology" (DVT), Prague [http://dvt.hyperlink.cz/index_e.htm]

Exhibition, Film, Radio

* "The Kolben Family Story" Prague, The Jewish Museum: Robert Guttmann Gallery, Prague 1, U Staré školy 3. From February 15 until April 15, 2007, open daily 9 a.m. – 4.30 p.m. except Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Exhibition curator: Dr. Arno Pařík
* Lampa Film Production, Prague, intends to make a film about Emil Kolben, contact: V. Hamáčková, Jewish Museum
* [http://www.radio.cz/de/ausgabe/88686 Familie Kolben: Eine Industriellenfamilie im Strudel der Zeit - 24-02-2007 - Radio Prag ] at www.radio.cz "Familie Kolben: Eine Industriellenfamilie im Strudel der Zeit" (German, by Andreas Wiedemann)

External links

* [http://zivotopisyonline.cz/emil-kolben.php Short biography] cs icon
* [http://www.strancice.cz/kolben.htm Biography of Kolben and his grandson Jindřich] cs icon