Overview
Heinrich Kummer (1809-1880) possessed an extraordinary mind that bridged art and engineering. Initially a musical prodigy touring Europe as a child, he matured into a struggling bassoonist and pianist. But Kummer discovered far greater success by applying his technical aptitude to mechanics and computing.
As an inventor, Kummer designed one of the 19th century‘s most innovative adding machines. This portable calculator impressed leading mathematicians with its simplicity and precision. He also drafted plans for a revolutionary rotating bridge over Russia‘s Neva River, along with spring-powered automata and patented rifles. The musical virtuoso harbored talents which found fuller expression in technology.
Early Life Immersed in Music
Heinrich Kummer was born in 1809 in Dresden, the son of acclaimed bassoonist Gottlieb Kummer. With Gottlieb‘s strict tutelage, Heinrich swiftly mastered piano, flute and cello alongside the bassoon – even touring Germany aged just 6 as a child prodigy.
Performing alongside his father before royalty and crowds, the nimble-fingered Heinrich relished these early moments in the spotlight:
"My boy, was it not wondrous to stir the hearts of men with our sounds?" Gottlieb remarked after one concert. "This is our calling!"
By 1816 aged 7, Heinrich proved so talented that he joined his father playing duo concerts exclusively on bassoon before King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria himself. Their performance delighted Maximilian into awarding the pair a bounty of 300 gold ducats.
But could such precocious talents translate into an enduring solo career?
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1809 | Born in Dresden, Saxony |
| 1816 | Performs for King of Bavaria aged 7 |
| 1832 | Teaching music in Poland |
| 1834 | Joins Orchestra in St Petersburg, Russia |
| 1837 | Drafts rotating bridge design |
| 1846 | Presents adding device to Academy |
| 1848 | Departs Russia for Switzerland |
| 1851 | Returns to Dresden, Germany |
| 1880 | Dies aged 70 |
Struggles as Solo Musician
As the only son bearing his illustrious family name, Heinrich felt pressure to match his father‘s musicianship renown. But lacking Gottlieb‘s compositional talents or charismatic stage presence, Heinrich endured only fleeting acclaim touring Germany as a young solo bassoonist.
By 1832 aged 23, Heinrich insteaddrifted to Poland seeking stable work. Teaching musica to a noble family proved the prelude to joining St Petersburg‘s prestigious Imperial Theatre Orchestra in 1834. Despite attaining the lofty position of First Bassoonist, however, Heinrich still yearned for the adoration of his childhood concerts.
Russia would transform Heinrich‘s fortunes – just not on stage. Whilst there music was a job, but mechanics became his joy.
Adding Device Wins Acclaim
In 1846, Heinrich unveiled his calculating pride – the Kummer Adding Device – to the Russian Academy of Sciences. Submitting designs alongside a finished model, Heinrich waited anxiously as mathematician Mikhail Ostrogradsky inspected his contraption. But within minutes came a glowing adjudication:
"The construction resulted was incomparably simpler and more convenient in use compared to prior attempts."
Heinrich Kummer had created the most usable and portable adding device of its era. By miniaturizing components using watchmaking techniques, the machine occupied just a small wooden box. This allowed easy transportation between offices – solving earlier bulkier models.
The ease of inputting numbers also impressed observers, with a fast reliable output of totals. Kummer‘s Columned Cylinder Method underpinned such smooth functionality:
| Inventor | Device | Year | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas de Colmar | Arithmometer | 1820 | First mass-produced adding machine but bulky |
| Heinrich Kummer | Kummer Adding Device | 1846 | Portable size, columned cylinder method |
| Bruno Abakanowicz | Abakanowicz Machine | 1878 | Fast and reliable, based on Kummer adding machine |
Buoyed by this validation, Heinrich patented his design across America and Germany. Yet ever the restless pioneer, his inquisitive mind had already wandered to even bolder mechanical dreams.
The Brilliant Brimming Mind
Beyond adding machines, Heinrich Kummer flourished into a prolific inventor across eclectic fields:
Rotating Bridge – In 1837, he drafted advanced plans for a rotating bridge traversing Russia‘s wide Neva River. The revolutionary design allowed simultaneous road traffic above whilst ships passed underneath. Though never built, his technical prowess impressed the Tsar.
Automatons – Mimicking animals through clockwork mechanics became a passion. Heinrich painstaking created spring-powered fish that swam through air, and birds which flapped their wings in realistic flight.
Rifles – Heinrich developed the innovative System Kummer rifle after departing Russia in 1848. Attracting awards at fairs, he improved firing speed and accuracy. He even penned a book on hunting techniques and ballistics trajectories.
This diversity testifies to Heinrich‘s generous genius – one that far exceeded musical boundaries.
Final Years Teaching Music
Relocating across Europe whilst working intermittently on patents, Heinrich returned in 1851 to his hometown Dresden. There he earned income through music tuition whilst still crafting calculating prototypes.
Yet as friends attested, Heinrich latterly became a more muted figure who never rediscovered the carefree joy of childhood touring alongside his father. The drive to create endured, but the need to showcase his works publicly did not.
When Heinrich Kummer died quietly in 1880 however, small ripples of appreciation surfaced across Germany – though his legacy was niche. For this overlooked pioneer proved himself one of the most ingenious yet unrecognized mechanical polymaths of his century.
So whilst seldom a household name, hopefully Heinrich Kummer‘s remarkable calculating machines and eventful life shall win modern appreciation to match his talents.
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