Konrad Zuse(1910-1995)
- Actor
After graduating from school, Zuse began studying mechanical engineering. In 1935 he completed his studies at the Berlin-Charlottenburg Technical University. He then found a job at Henschel Flugzeugwerke in Dessau. At this time he was already involved in the construction of calculating machines. During his professional career, Konrad Zuse developed the idea of machines with free programmability. He quit his job for this dream. In 1936 Zuse began to realize his project. Two years later, in 1938, he completed the design of the Z1, the first fully mechanical computer. But the machine didn't work exactly, not because of the design plans, but because of defective components. In 1940, John von Neumann took up Zuse's construction and gave it the theoretical foundations. The world's first Z1 computer is now in the German Museum in Munich, where it can be viewed by the public.
In 1940, Zuse developed a second machine called Z2 with an electronic calculator made up of telephone relays. In 1941 he introduced the electromechanical Z3, the first program-controlled digital computer. Zuse also used relays here, which took over the function of the calculator and the memory. The Z3 was the first computing machine in the world that was freely programmable and worked on the basis of the binary system. It is considered to be the first functional computer in the world. In 1945, the "Zuse Apparatebau" company, founded in 1941, was destroyed by bombs. The Z3 was also among the rubble. The successor model Z4 was already in the Allgäu at that time. In 1945/46 Zuse worked on the first high-level programming language called "Plankalkül". Zuse planned to build computers that would not only solve arithmetic tasks but also solve combination tasks. In 1949 he founded his company "Zuse KG" in Neunkirchen.
There the Z4 was repaired and handed over to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. It was Europe's only functioning computer at the time. Zuse continued to research and develop in his company, which later set up a location in Bad Hersfeld. In 1955, with the Z11, he achieved a model that was technically ready for series production. This model was particularly popular in the optics industry and at universities. With further development, the Z22 model was created in 1957, which was the first to work with a magnetic memory. By 1967, Zuse had produced a total of 251 computers. Economic difficulties forced the inventor to sell to the global company Siemens AG in 1967; This also marked the end of the Zuse company name, which then completely disappeared from the market. Konrad Zuse received numerous awards for his achievements in the field of computer development. After selling his company, the former engineer and inventor devoted himself to his hobby: painting.
In 1940, Zuse developed a second machine called Z2 with an electronic calculator made up of telephone relays. In 1941 he introduced the electromechanical Z3, the first program-controlled digital computer. Zuse also used relays here, which took over the function of the calculator and the memory. The Z3 was the first computing machine in the world that was freely programmable and worked on the basis of the binary system. It is considered to be the first functional computer in the world. In 1945, the "Zuse Apparatebau" company, founded in 1941, was destroyed by bombs. The Z3 was also among the rubble. The successor model Z4 was already in the Allgäu at that time. In 1945/46 Zuse worked on the first high-level programming language called "Plankalkül". Zuse planned to build computers that would not only solve arithmetic tasks but also solve combination tasks. In 1949 he founded his company "Zuse KG" in Neunkirchen.
There the Z4 was repaired and handed over to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. It was Europe's only functioning computer at the time. Zuse continued to research and develop in his company, which later set up a location in Bad Hersfeld. In 1955, with the Z11, he achieved a model that was technically ready for series production. This model was particularly popular in the optics industry and at universities. With further development, the Z22 model was created in 1957, which was the first to work with a magnetic memory. By 1967, Zuse had produced a total of 251 computers. Economic difficulties forced the inventor to sell to the global company Siemens AG in 1967; This also marked the end of the Zuse company name, which then completely disappeared from the market. Konrad Zuse received numerous awards for his achievements in the field of computer development. After selling his company, the former engineer and inventor devoted himself to his hobby: painting.