Johann Paul Bischoff may not be a household name like Jobs, Gates or Zuckerberg, but his tireless efforts in documenting the earliest inventions in the history of computation mean that even centuries later, we can still appreciate the pioneering work of those who laid the foundations for the devices we rely on today.
As a civil clerk by profession, Bischoff demonstrated meticulous attention to detail while keeping thorough administrative records for over 50 years. It was this diligence he applied to his greatest passion project late in life – compiling the most exhaustive written account to date of early calculating machines and tools.
The result was Bischoff’s seminal two-volume manuscript titled "Attempt at a History of Calculating Machines" – over 16 years of painstaking research starting in 1788 cataloging everything known up until then about computing technology and the great minds behind innovations like Pascal‘s calculator, Leibniz‘s stepped reckoner, and Poleni‘s pinwheel machine.
While Bischoff‘s original manuscripts were sadly destroyed in World War II, for over 130 years they represented an invaluable reference for inventors and historians, safeguarding critical details around pioneering achievements in computing. In this article, we‘ll explore Bischoff‘s life along with the contents and historical importance of the crucial record he left behind.
Overview of Johann Paul Bischoff and His Seminal Manuscript
- Lived from 1736 – 1811 in Germany
- Career as civil clerk and adviser in Ansbach for 50+ years
- Meticulous worker who kept thorough records and paid great attention to detail
- Between ages 52 and 68, spent over 16 years exhaustively researching history of calculating machines
- In 1804, completed over 500-page manuscript titled "Attempt at a History of Calculating Machines"
- Most comprehensive account of computing history since Leupold‘s 1727 publication
- Detailed pioneering inventions by Pascal, Leibniz, Poleni, Lepine and many others
- Original manuscripts housed in Berlin university library until destruction in WWII
- Work provided invaluable reference for inventors and historians for over 130 years
- Played pivotal role in preserving seminal details of computing‘s early history
Now let‘s look deeper at Bischoff‘s background, his epic research project into calculation tools, and why this manuscript was so historically important.
Early Life in Germany in a Thriving Household
On February 20, 1736, Johann Paul Bischoff was born in Sonneberg, Thuringia, Germany. He grew up in a bustling household as the second oldest of eleven children born to Johann Jacob Bischoff and Anna Margaretha Dreßel, who married in 1729.
While little else is known about his upbringing and education, having ten siblings likely contributed to Bischoff’s orderly and diligent nature from an early age. Even just coordinating daily meals would have required meticulous planning!
A Well-Regarded Career as a Civil Clerk and Architect
After completing his schooling, Bischoff embarked on a long career as a civil clerk and adviser on matters of war, land and property management at the court of Margrave Karl Alexander of Brandenburg-Ansbach in Ansbach, Bavaria.
As shown in the above timeline of his professional life, Bischoff was regarded as an incredibly thorough keeper of records who worked diligently over the span of nearly 50 years.
Several buildings designed by Bischoff during his tenure still stand in Ansbach today, including his home constructed in 1799 and a large dairy farm built between 1795 to 1796.
Colleagues praised Bischoff for his meticulous attention to detail and immaculate record-keeping – traits that no doubt served him well in cataloging the evolution of calculating technology later in life.
Over 16 Years of Exhaustive Effort Documenting Computing History
While Bischoff found success in his professional career, his most lasting contribution to history came through a passionate side project he began late in life cataloging the dawn of computing technology.
Bookending a 75 Year Gap in Recording Invention Achievements
In 1727, German professor Jacob Leupold had published Theatrum Arithmetico-Geometricum – a broad account of the various devices used for calculation at that time, covering inventions like Napier’s bones, slides rules, and some early calculating machines.
It was an ambitious work, but as technology continued advancing rapidly, a new reference was sorely needed 75 years later cataloging the state of play.
In 1804, Bischoff finished what would serve as the next seminal volume documenting computing history – his Attempt at a History of Calculating Machines.
Spanning over 500 pages across two volumes, this manuscript represented a monumental effort to pick up where Leupold left off and record the significant advancements made in computing technology since 1727.
Meticulous Attention to Detail Applied to Documenting Innovation
Bischoff‘s natural tendencies towards diligence and precision served his research well over the 16+ years compiling this manual. He painstakingly noted details not just on the form of calculating devices, but also the unique mechanisms, specialized components, and pioneering engineers who introduced new capabilities.
No stone was left unturned as Bischoff strove to create the most exhaustive record possible of innovation in computing and calculation up until 1804.
Pascal, Leibniz, Poleni and More
In addition to describing advancements in mechanical gears, clockwork mechanisms and instrumentation – Bischoff dutifully documented the landmarks in computing introduced by specific inventors during that 75-year gap.
These included critical innovations by pioneers like:
- Blaise Pascal – His pioneering mechanical calculator known as the "Pascaline" built in 1642 with the ability to add and subtract
- Gottfried Leibniz – The "Staffelwalze", or Leibniz wheelcalculator machine from 1694 featuring a movable carriage and famous stepped drum gear
- Giovanni Poleni – His pinwheel calculator from 1709, which introduced repetitive adding via rotation of Cubs on central axes
- Jean Lepine – Various improved clockwork calculating clocks created between 1700 and 1720
- Jakob Leupold – Advancements on gears, motion works and measuring devices
- Higgs Boistissandeau – An elongated pinwheel machine with more complex carrying mechanism
- Anton Braun – Circular and rectangular variants of the Staffelwalze machine leaked in 1727
- Johannes Muller – Calculating clock with multiple register displays created in 1774
And over a dozen more inventors contributed innovations profiled in Bischoff‘s manuscript.
As seen in this small excerpt above, his writings contained extensive technical specifics on both the mechanisms and their creators.
Preserving Early Computing History as an Invaluable Reference
While Bischoff‘s ambitious tome represented the product of over a decade and a half of fanatical research into the dawn of computing hardware – the lasting value of his work stemmed from the preservation of details that may have otherwise been lost to time.
In an era before mass publication and digital archiving, this painstakingly compiled volume housing so many seminal inventions became an invaluable reference for engineers and historians for 130+ years after its completion.
In fact, it was the only significant account of early computing updated since Leupold‘s publication 75 years prior. This made Bischoff‘s manuscript incredibly precious for understanding the rapid progress in computing during that gap.
Without his epic efforts, many pioneering advancements and breakthroughs could have faded from memory or prominence as technology continued rapidly advancing. But thanks to Bischoff‘s diligence, the genesis of computing hardware and those who paved the way are still remembered and appreciated today.
Balancing Career and Family Life
While dedicating so much time to his clerkship and later the exhaustive documentation around calculating machines, Johann Paul Bischoff also maintained an active personal life away from professional pursuits.
On July 11, 1758 he married Anna Barbara Bauersachs, who he remained with until his death over 50 years later. Remarkably their family grew to include seven children – made up of three sons and four daughters born between 1758 and 1777.
Compared to the bustling household of eleven children that Bischoff grew up in, just seven children probably seemed like a breeze!
Historical records show that he wrote affectionately about his wife, children, and later even grandchildren – suggesting a close and caring family life outside his professional work.
Each day he would complete his duties as a civil clerk before returning home to his wife and children. One can imagine the diligent Bischoff kept just as meticulous notes on family birthdays as he did in documenting mechanical calculating inventions!
The Tragic Fate of the Meticulously Researched Manuscripts
Following Johann Paul Bischoff‘s death on April 14, 1811 at age 75, his seminal Attempt at a History of Calculating Machines was housed appropriately in the library of the Technical University of Berlin. For over a century, engineers, mathematicians and historians viewed it as an indispensable guide to early achievements in the field.
However devastatingly, much of this library was destroyed by fires resulting from air raids during World War II. It is assumed any remnants of Bischoff’s manuscripts were claimed by Russian armed forces occupying Berlin at the end of the war – but this has never been substantiated.
So tragically, despite over 16 years of Bischoff’s life dedicated to preserving the genesis of computing hardware, virtually none of the original 500 pages of notes, sketches, tables and drawings have survived to the present day. Only poor quality photographs remain documenting a portion of the intricately detailed content.
Nonetheless, Bischoff succeeded in his ambitious attempt to compile the most exhaustive “history of calculating machines” up until 1804 for the world to reference – and for that he deserves tremendous credit even if his own manuscript did not ultimately survive the test of time.
The fact that his work influenced computing history for 130+ years also demonstrates the lasting impact of his efforts to meticulously record such crucial details around pioneering inventions that could have easily been forgotten.
Bischoff’s name may not grace history books like the computing pioneers he profiled so diligently, but this humble clerk played such an integral role in cataloging their achievements for future generations. For that he deserves our gratitude and admiration even centuries later!
