Author Topic: A Jew invented the smallest mechanical computer in the KZ (Read 1804 times)

Ulli · « **on:** January 08, 2009, 04:28:23 PM »

Mr. Curt Herzstark was a mechanic who worked on a totally new math-machine in Austria before WW2. As the Nazis occupied Austria, they put him in the KZ Buchenwald and gave him the equipment to perfect his machine.

They told him if he would be succesfull they would let him live and Arianize him. This machine should be a special gift for Adolf Hitler after the final victory.

He survived the war and the KZ.

After the war, he went to Luxemburg and offered the duke his invention. The duke, a hobby mathematician was very impressed and built specially for this machine a great factory.

The machine is able to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

The name of the machine is Curta.

Here is a picture of it. I have no idea how it works. It looks very unusual.

It was very expensive for this time. In 1950 it costs ca. 500 DM. For the relation a gem costs in this time 0,03 DM.

Source1: http://einestages.spiegel.de/external/ShowTopicAlbumBackground/a3327/l7/l0/F.html#featuredEntry

Source2: http://www.curta.de/kr31/index.htm

Ulli · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2009, 04:39:50 PM »

He became a honourable citizen of Luxemburg, because he saved lots of people in Buchenwald, because he told the Nazis, that he needs the services of them for his work.

Ulli · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2009, 04:48:28 PM »

This is Mr. Herzstark (right) and his engineer from Luxemburg.

mord · « **Reply #3 on:** January 08, 2009, 04:54:57 PM »

does he still invent things?

Ulli · « **Reply #4 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:05:48 PM »

Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 04:54:57 PM

does he still invent things?

No, he died in 1988.

mord · « **Reply #5 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:16:18 PM »

Quote from: Pheasant on January 08, 2009, 05:05:48 PM

Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 04:54:57 PM
does he still invent things?

No, he died in 1988.

Oh too bad he could have invented good things

Ulli · « **Reply #6 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:28:17 PM »

Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 05:16:18 PM

Quote from: Pheasant on January 08, 2009, 05:05:48 PM
Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 04:54:57 PM
does he still invent things?

No, he died in 1988.
Oh too bad he could have invented good things

In academic circles he is today quite famous.

The Charles Babbage Institute of the university of Minnesota did research on him and his work.

mord · « **Reply #7 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:29:54 PM »

Quote from: Pheasant on January 08, 2009, 05:28:17 PM

Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 05:16:18 PM
Quote from: Pheasant on January 08, 2009, 05:05:48 PM
Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 04:54:57 PM
does he still invent things?

No, he died in 1988.
Oh too bad he could have invented good things

In academic circles he is today quite famous.

The Charles Babbage Institute of the university of Minnesota did research on him and his work.

he sounds interesting about charles Babage http://www.thocp.net/biographies/babbage_charles.html

the institute
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Babbage_Institute

Ulli · « **Reply #8 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:34:14 PM »

Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 05:29:54 PM

Quote from: Pheasant on January 08, 2009, 05:28:17 PM
Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 05:16:18 PM
Quote from: Pheasant on January 08, 2009, 05:05:48 PM
Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 04:54:57 PM
does he still invent things?

No, he died in 1988.
Oh too bad he could have invented good things

In academic circles he is today quite famous.

The Charles Babbage Institute of the university of Minnesota did research on him and his work.
he sounds interesting about charles Babage http://www.thocp.net/biographies/babbage_charles.htm

Mord, the page seems to be removed.

mord · « **Reply #9 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:35:21 PM »

Quote from: Pheasant on January 08, 2009, 05:34:14 PM

Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 05:29:54 PM
Quote from: Pheasant on January 08, 2009, 05:28:17 PM
Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 05:16:18 PM
Quote from: Pheasant on January 08, 2009, 05:05:48 PM
Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 04:54:57 PM
does he still invent things?

No, he died in 1988.
Oh too bad he could have invented good things

In academic circles he is today quite famous.

The Charles Babbage Institute of the university of Minnesota did research on him and his work.
he sounds interesting about charles Babage http://www.thocp.net/biographies/babbage_charles.htm

Mord, the page seems to be removed.

hold on it worked now it doesn't

mord · « **Reply #10 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:37:10 PM »

now it works

Ulli · « **Reply #11 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:39:55 PM »

Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 05:37:10 PM

now it works

The problem is you have forgotten the l of html

http://www.thocp.net/biographies/babbage_charles.html

mord · « **Reply #12 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:42:22 PM »

Quote from: Pheasant on January 08, 2009, 05:39:55 PM

Quote from: mord on January 08, 2009, 05:37:10 PM
now it works

The problem is you have forgotten the l of html

http://www.thocp.net/biographies/babbage_charles.html

yes i see

Ulli · « **Reply #13 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:45:18 PM »

Look Mord here is a simulator of the machine:

http://www.curta.de/kr34/curta_simulator.htm

mord · « **Reply #14 on:** January 08, 2009, 05:48:37 PM »

Quote from: Pheasant on January 08, 2009, 05:45:18 PM

Look Mord here is a simulator of the machine:

http://www.curta.de/kr34/curta_simulator.htm

I like that machine

Abben · « **Reply #15 on:** January 08, 2009, 06:13:33 PM »

that machine does sound very interesting thanks for the posting!

Ulli · « **Reply #16 on:** January 08, 2009, 06:21:39 PM »

Quote from: Abben on January 08, 2009, 06:13:33 PM

that machine does sound very interesting thanks for the posting!

Thank you. I posted it, because the story is like the machine very unusual.

I have never seen something like that before.

Ulli · « **Reply #17 on:** January 08, 2009, 09:03:04 PM »

Look you can buy it on ebay. It is very expensive.

http://cgi.ebay.de/Black-Curta-II-Calculator-mint-condition_W0QQitemZ280299842495QQihZ018QQcategoryZ414QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

q_q_ · « **Reply #18 on:** January 08, 2009, 09:06:24 PM »

hah.. in the UK a high end computer around 1993 was 2000UKP, that's like $4000
So yeah it may look expensive..

I wonder if that calculator is worth more now - in monetary terms - than it was then, taking inflation into account.

Ulli · « **Reply #19 on:** January 08, 2009, 09:13:39 PM »

Quote from: q_q_ on January 08, 2009, 09:06:24 PM

hah.. in the UK a high end computer around 1993 was 2000UKP, that's like $4000
So yeah it may look expensive..

I wonder if that calculator is worth more now - in monetary terms - than it was then, taking inflation into account.

It was very expensive.

Look here you will find more informations in English about it: http://www.curta.org/