Sir William Siemens

Wolfgang König; Ginger Künzel

doi:10.17104/9783406751479

Summary

William Siemens was one of the founding personalities of Siemens as a company. Born in Germany, he emigrated to England, where he earned a multitude of honors and respect. He led the Siemens business in England in addition to his activities as an independent engineer and entrepreneur. Among other areas, he worked on the global telegraphy system and metallurgical innovations as well as issues related to energy savings and protecting the environment. His name is associated with the Siemens-Martin process, the world’s most important process for steel production for an entire century. With this biography, Wolfgang König brings to life an era in which industrialization came of age and globalization began to change the face of the world. William Siemens and his brothers Werner and Carl formed a “league of siblings“ that created the global company, Siemens. William was, in particular, responsible for building up the English business. He was instrumental in the company’s commitment to transoceanic telegraphy, which was a major contributor to the globalization of the 19th century. Among the Siemens brothers, he stood out as an exception on many fronts: He was not an electrical engineer but rather a trained mechanical engineer; he emigrated from Germany and became an English citizen; and, in addition to his responsibilities within Siemens, he was also an independent inventor and entrepreneur. The biography by Wolfgang König paints a fascinating picture of a successful entrepreneur, inventor, and engineer who was at home in multiple disciplines as well as in two distinct national cultures. With this work, König also contributes to a cultural comparison between the two industrialized nations of Germany and England.

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Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2020
ISBN-Print: 978-3-406-75145-5
ISBN-Online: 978-3-406-75147-9
Publisher: C.H.BECK Literatur - Sachbuch - Wissenschaft, München
Language: English
Pages: 266
Product type: Edited Book

Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis No access Pages 1 - II
Introduction No access Pages 7 - 15
1. The Siemens family and Werner’s influence No access Pages 15 - 20
2. The mechanical engineer No access Pages 20 - 23
1. An inventor’s precarious existence No access Pages 23 - 30
2. Emigration, marriage, naturalization No access Pages 30 - 39
1. Werner’s communicator No access Pages 39 - 47
2. The Siemens companies No access Pages 47 - 51
3. Life plans in conflict No access Pages 51 - 55
4. Globalization via telegraph cable No access Pages 55 - 79
1. Family and lifestyle No access Pages 79 - 84
2. Technical and scientific associations No access Pages 84 - 103
3. 1. Scientific communities No access Pages 103 - 110
  2. Investors and business partners No access Pages 110 - 113
  3. The German Expat Community No access Pages 113 - 118
4. 1. The German Question No access Pages 118 - 125
  2. Science, religion, and society No access Pages 125 - 131
1. The regenerative principle No access Pages 131 - 141
2. Energy and the environment No access Pages 141 - 151
3. Electrical engineering No access Pages 151 - 157
4. Iron and steel No access Pages 157 - 169
Chapter 6 Scientific Studies of the Sun No access Pages 169 - 173
1. 1. Werner and William No access Pages 173 - 178
  2. Carl and William No access Pages 178 - 179
  3. Friedrich and William No access Pages 179 - 182
2. The engineer and scientist No access Pages 182 - 191
3. The entrepreneur No access Pages 191 - 195
Chapter 8 Legacy No access Pages 195 - 203
Between Striving for Innovation and a Family Firm – A Conclusion No access Pages 203 - 205
1. Note No access Pages 205 - 239
2. Wilhelm Siemens: List of Writings No access Pages 239 - 247
3. 1. Archives No access Pages 247 - 247
  2. Journals No access Pages 247 - 248
  3. Bibliography No access Pages 248 - 257
4. Illustration Credits No access Pages 257 - 259
5. Index of Names No access Pages 259 - 263
6. Index of Places and Subjects No access Pages 263 - 266
About the book No access Pages 266 - 266