Heinrich Hertz: A Biography
Heinrich Rudolf Hertz was born in Hamburg, Germany to Gustav F. Hertz and Anna Elisabeth Pfefferkorn on February 22, 1857. With 3 younger brothers and 1 younger sister he was the oldest of 5 children. Hertz started school at the age of 6 and attended Richard Lange private school where he became the top of his class. During his attendance in private school he also enrolled in lessons for geometrical drawing where he excelled in painting and sketching. At age 15 Hertz left Richard Lange private school to attend Johanneum Gymnasium where he studied Greek and Arabic.
In 1875 Hertz left for Frankfurt, Germany where he began studying engineering. He spent one year participating in practical experience in a construction bureau. The following year he joined the military and became a part of the railroad regiment in Berlin. Hertz left the military in 1877 and moved to Munich in the hopes of continuing his studies in engineering. Hertz enrolled in the University of Munich where he studied mathematics. During his stay at the university he studied under P. G. von Jolly and F. W. von Beetz, alternating between the two during his laboratory experience. After a year in Munich, Hertz traveled to Berlin
Early Life & Education
Heinrich Hertz
hometown Hamburg, Germany
Parents Gustav F. Hertz & Anna Elisabeth Pfefferkorn
Born February 22, 1857
died January 1, 1894
where he worked under Hermann von Hemholtz with the interest of partaking in original research. Hertz research involved finding a solution to the Philosophical Faculty problem, which centered around electrical inertia. In 1879 he successfully solved the problem and won the Philosophical Faculty prize.
In January 1880, Hertz finished his dissertation on electromagnetic induction in rotating conductors and graduated from the university. For the next three years he worked as an assistant for Hemholtz at the Berlin Physical Institute. During this time Hertz became very diverse in his work and published several papers with subjects ranging from electricity to electromagnetic induction to cathode rays. It was during the late 1880s that Hertz began his work with electricity. Slowly he began to further build up his reputation in the scientific community and in 1883 Hertz moved to the University of Kiel where he served as a lecturer. In 1886 Hertz married Elisabeth Doll, and had two daughters Johanna and Mathilde. After a series of experiments Hertz successfully confirmed Maxwell’s theory by detecting the presence of electromagnetic waves. In 1887 he published a paper titled On Electromagnetic Effects Produced by Electrical Disturbances in Insulators. In 1889 Hertz transferred over to the University of Bonn where he served as a physics professor while still partaking in his research. It was during the early 1890s that Hertz began to feel ill after having his teeth surgically removed. Soon after the procedure his health quickly deteriorated until on January 1, 1894 he passed away due to blood poisoning.
His discoveries would pave the way for scientists everywhere, and lead to further advancement in technology.