Gunther Burstyn: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 00:44, 26 November 2020
Gunther Adolf Burstyn (6 July 1879 in Bad Aussee, Steiermark - 15 April 1945 in Korneuburg, Lower Austria) was an inventor, technician, and officer of the Austro-Hungarian Army.
Personnal life
His father Adolf Burstyn came from a Jewish family of Lviv, but converted to the catholic christian faith[1] along with his spouse Juliane, born Hoffman[2]. Burstyn was christened "Günther," but in later life chose to omit the umlaut and use the name "Gunther".[3].
Invention of the tank
In 1911, he produced and patented the first design of a cross-country fighting vehicle with swiveling gun turret (a tank), based on an American agricultural tractor.[4] He called his tank the Motorgeschütz (literally "motor-gun"). His draft design, more advanced than some of the tank designs of World War I, was rejected both by Austria-Hungary and by the German Empire and no prototype was ever produced. He later sought to patent his design, but was told that it might infringe existing patents, so he dropped all plans
World War II
At the beginning of World War II, Burstyn supported the NSDAP and should have been classified as an honorary Aryan, since otherwise his work for the Wehrmacht would not have been possible. On March 31, 1941, Burstyn was able to personally present his tank innovations to Adolf Hitler. Burstyn was awarded the War Merit Cross, 1st and 2nd class, with Swords.[5]
At the end of war (April, 1945) he committed suicide because he feared Soviet captivity.
See also
References
- ^ https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/history/burstyn-motorgeschutz.htm
- ^ Daniela Angetter, Ewald Angetter: Gunther Burstyn (1879–1945). Sein „Panzer“ – eine bahnbrechende Erfindung zur falschen Zeit am falschen Ort. (=Österreichisches biographisches Lexikon. Schriftenreihe Band 11) Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien 2008, ISBN 978-3-7001-6530-9
- ^ Angwetter, D.& E.;Gunther Burstyn. Verlag Der Österreichischen Akademie Der Wissenschaften, 2008.
- ^ See:
- Malnig, Helmut W. (2009) "Der erste Kampfpanzer der Welt: Gunther Burstyn und sein "Motorgeschütz" " [The world's first battle tank: Gunther Burstyn and his "motorized gun"], Truppendienst, 309 (3) [in German]. Available at: Austrian Federal Army: Truppendienst
- Austrian patent no. 53,248 (filed: 1911 March 1 ; issued: 1912 April 25).
- German patent no. 252,815 (issued: 1912 February 28).
- (Anon.) (1922) "Who invented the tank?" Army Ordnance, 4: 36.
- ^ "Burstyn, Günther". Austria-forum (in German). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
External links
- http://www.doppeladler.com/kuk/burstyn.htm. Biography (in German)
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