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| death_place = ], ], Germany | death_place = ], Hesse, Germany
| residence = | residence =
| field = {{ubl|]|]}} | field = {{ubl|]|]}}
| work_institutions = Aerodynamic Research Institute | work_institutions = Aerodynamic Research Institute
| alma_mater = ] | alma_mater = ]
| doctoral_advisor = | doctoral_advisor =
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'''Konrad Ernst Otto Zuse''' ({{IPA-de|ˈkɔnʁaːt ˈtsuːzə|lang}}; 22 June 1910 – 18 December 1995) was a German ], ], inventor and businessman. His greatest achievement was the world's first programmable ]; the functional program-controlled ] ] became operational in May 1941. Thanks to this machine and its predecessors, Zuse has often been regarded as the inventor of the modern computer.<ref name=Rojas1>{{cite journal |last1=Rojas |first1=Raúl |date=1997 |title=Konrad Zuse's Legacy: The Architecture of the Z1 and Z3 |url=http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/Zuse_Z1_and_Z3.pdf |journal=IEEE Annals of the History of Computing |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=5-16 |doi= |access-date=12 May 2021}}</ref><ref name=Rojas2>{{cite web |url=http://www.inf.fu-berlin.de/~rojas/1997/Universal_Computer.pdf |title=How to make Zuse's Z3 a Universal Computer |last=Rojas |first=Raúl |date=5 September 1997 |website=mi.fu-berlin.de |publisher=Fachbereich Mathematik und Informatik |access-date=12 May 2021 |quote=... from an abstract theoretical perspective, the computing model of the Z3 is equivalent to the computing model of today's computers. From a practical perspective, and in the way the Z3 was really programmed, it was not equivalent to modern computers.}}</ref><ref> ''citeseerx.ist.psu.edu'' Raúl Rojas: , accessed 12 May 2021.</ref><ref>: "From various sides Konrad Zuse was awarded with the title 'Inventor of the computer'."</ref><ref name=Flippo>{{cite web |url=http://www.german-way.com/famous-konrad-zuse.html |title=Konrad Zuse: The first programmable, digital computer |last=Flippo |first=Hyde |date= |website=german-way.com |publisher=The German Way & More |access-date= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531063542/http://german-way.com/famous-konrad-zuse.html |archive-date=31 May 2013 |quote=The German civil engineer Konrad Zuse is considered the inventor of the first digital and programmable computers}}</ref><ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522022610/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/tech/features/article_1566782.php/Z-like-Zuse-German-inventor-of-the-computer |date=22 May 2013 }}: "he built the world's first computer in Berlin"</ref><ref name=Bellis>{{cite web |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/konrad-zuse-modern-computer-4078237 |title=Biography of Konrad Zuse, Inventor and Programmer of Early Computers |last=Bellis |first=Mary |date=15 May 2019 |orig-date=First published 2006 at inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa050298.htm |website=thoughtco.com |publisher=Dotdash Meredith |access-date=3 February 2021 |quote=Konrad Zuse earned the semiofficial title of 'inventor of the modern computer'}}</ref> '''Konrad Ernst Otto Zuse''' ({{IPA|de|ˈkɔnʁaːt ˈtsuːzə|lang}}; 22 June 1910 – 18 December 1995) was a German civil engineer, ], inventor and businessman. His greatest achievement was the world's first programmable computer; the functional program-controlled ] ] became operational in May 1941. Thanks to this machine and its predecessors, Zuse is regarded by some as the inventor and father of the modern computer.<ref name=Rojas1>{{cite journal |last1=Rojas |first1=Raúl |date=1997 |title=Konrad Zuse's Legacy: The Architecture of the Z1 and Z3 |url=http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/Zuse_Z1_and_Z3.pdf |journal=IEEE Annals of the History of Computing |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=5–16 |doi= 10.1109/85.586067|access-date=12 May 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426230133/http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/Zuse_Z1_and_Z3.pdf |archive-date=26 April 2021 |quote=Konrad Zuse is popularly recognized in Germany as the father of the computer, and his Z1, a programmable automaton built from 1936 to 1938, has been called the first computer in the world. Other nations reserve this honor for one of their own scientists, and there has been a long and often acrimonious debate on the issue of who is the true inventor of the computer.}}</ref><ref name=Flippo>{{cite web |url=http://www.german-way.com/famous-konrad-zuse.html |title=Konrad Zuse: The first programmable, digital computer |last=Flippo |first=Hyde |date= |website=german-way.com |publisher=The German Way & More |access-date= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531063542/http://german-way.com/famous-konrad-zuse.html |archive-date=31 May 2013 |quote=The German civil engineer Konrad Zuse is considered the inventor of the first digital and programmable computers}}</ref><ref name=von_Leszczynski>{{cite web |url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/tech/features/article_1566782.php/Z-like-Zuse-German-inventor-of-the-computer |title=Z like Zuse: German inventor of the computer |last=von Leszczynski |first=Ulrike |date=27 June 2010 |website=monstersandcritics.com |publisher=Deutsche Presse-Agentur |access-date=22 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522022610/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/tech/features/article_1566782.php/Z-like-Zuse-German-inventor-of-the-computer |archive-date=22 May 2013 |quote=There's strong evidence that built the world's first computer in Berlin.}}</ref><ref name=Bellis>{{cite web |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/konrad-zuse-modern-computer-4078237 |title=Biography of Konrad Zuse, Inventor and Programmer of Early Computers |last=Bellis |first=Mary |date=15 May 2019 |orig-date=First published 2006 at inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa050298.htm |website=thoughtco.com |publisher=Dotdash Meredith |access-date=3 February 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213003237/https://www.thoughtco.com/konrad-zuse-modern-computer-4078237 |archive-date=13 December 2020 |quote=Konrad Zuse earned the semiofficial title of 'inventor of the modern computer'}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001335.htm | title=Who is the Father of the Computer? }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bruderer |first=Herbert |title=Milestones in Analog and Digital Computing |publisher=Springer |year=2021 |isbn=978-3030409739 |edition=3rd |pages=13, 961}}</ref>


Zuse was noted for the S2 computing machine, considered the first ] computer. In 1941, he founded one of the earliest computer businesses, producing the ], which became the world's first commercial computer. From 1943<ref>Zuse, Konrad (1943), "Ansätze einer Theorie des allgemeinen Rechnens unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Aussagenkalküls und dessen Anwendung auf Relaisschaltungen" , unpublished manuscript, Zuse Papers 045/018.</ref> to 1945<ref>A book on the subject: {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210150041/http://www.zib.de/zuse/English_Version/Inhalt/Texte/Chrono/40er/Pdf/0233.pdf |date=10 February 2012 }}</ref> he designed ], the first ].<ref name="HZ2010-11-18"/> In 1969, Zuse suggested the concept of a ] in his book {{lang|de|Rechnender Raum}} ('']'').<ref name="Zuse_1967_RR"/><ref name="Zuse_1969_RR"/><ref name="MIT_1970_RR"/> Zuse was noted for the S2 computing machine, considered the first ] computer. In 1941, he founded one of the earliest computer businesses, producing the ], which became the world's first commercial computer.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bruderer |first=Herbert |title=Milestones in Analog and Digital Computing |publisher=Springer |year=2021 |isbn=978-3030409739 |edition=3rd |page=14}}</ref> From 1943<ref>Zuse, Konrad (1943), "Ansätze einer Theorie des allgemeinen Rechnens unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Aussagenkalküls und dessen Anwendung auf Relaisschaltungen" , unpublished manuscript, Zuse Papers 045/018.</ref> to 1945<ref>A book on the subject: {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210150041/http://www.zib.de/zuse/English_Version/Inhalt/Texte/Chrono/40er/Pdf/0233.pdf |date=10 February 2012 }}</ref> he designed ], the first ].<ref name="HZ2010-11-18"/> In 1969, Zuse suggested the concept of a ] in his book {{lang|de|Rechnender Raum}} ('']'').<ref name="Zuse_1967_RR"/><ref name="Zuse_1969_RR"/><ref name="MIT_1970_RR"/>


Much of his early work was financed by his family and commerce, but after 1939 he was given resources by the ].<ref name="books.google.com">, David Hambling. Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2006. {{ISBN|0-7867-1769-6}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7867-1769-9}}. Retrieved 14 March 2010.</ref> Due to ], Zuse's work went largely unnoticed in the ] and the ]. Possibly his first documented influence on a US company was ]'s option on his patents in 1946. Much of his early work was financed by his family and commerce, but after 1939 he was given resources by the ].<ref name="books.google.com">, David Hambling. Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2006. {{ISBN|0-7867-1769-6}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7867-1769-9}}. Retrieved 14 March 2010.</ref> Due to ], Zuse's work went largely unnoticed in the United Kingdom and United States. Possibly his first documented influence on a US company was ]'s option on his patents in 1946.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schmidhuber |first=Jürgen |date=19 August 2021 |title=1941: Konrad Zuse completes the first working general-purpose computer, based on his 1936 patent application |url=https://people.idsia.ch/~juergen/zuse-1941-first-general-computer.html |website=Universita della Svizzera Italiana}}</ref> The Z4 also served as the inspiration for the construction of the ], the first Swiss computer and one of the first in Europe.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bruderer |first=Herbert |title=Milestones in Analog and Digital Computing |publisher=Springer |year=2021 |isbn=978-3030409739 |edition=3rd |pages=1009, 1087}}</ref>


==Early life and education== ==Early life and education==
Konrad Zuse was born in ] on 22 June 1910.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news|title=Konrad Zuse: First on the digital track|author=Schofield, Jack|work=]|date=20 December 1995|page= 13}}</ref> In 1912, his family moved to ]n ] (now Braniewo in ]), where his father was a postal clerk. Zuse attended the ] in Braunsberg, and in 1923, the family moved to ], where he passed his ] in 1928, qualifying him to enter university.{{cn|date=May 2020}} Konrad Zuse was born in ] on 22 June 1910.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news|title=Konrad Zuse: First on the digital track|author=Schofield, Jack|work=]|date=20 December 1995|page= 13}}</ref> In 1912, his family moved to ]n ] (now Braniewo in ]), where his father was a postal clerk. Zuse attended the ] in Braunsberg, and in 1923, the family moved to ], where he passed his ] in 1928, qualifying him to enter university.{{cn|date=May 2020}}


He enrolled in the ] and explored both engineering and architecture, but found them boring. Zuse then pursued ], graduating in 1935.<ref name="Guardian"/> He enrolled at Technische Hochschule Berlin (now ]) and explored both engineering and architecture, but found them boring. Zuse then pursued civil engineering, graduating in 1935.<ref name="Guardian"/>


==Career== ==Career==
After graduation, Zuse worked for the ], using his artistic skills in the design of advertisements.<ref name="HZ2010-11-18">Talk given by ] to the ] at the ] on 18 November 2010</ref> He started work as a design engineer at the ] aircraft factory in ]. This required the performance of many routine calculations by hand, leading him to theorize and plan a way of doing them by machine.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=J. A. N. |date=1995 |title=Konrad Zuse |url=https://history.computer.org/pioneers/zuse.html |access-date=14 April 2022 |website=IEEE Computer Society}}</ref> After graduation, Zuse worked for the ], using his artistic skills in the design of advertisements.<ref name="HZ2010-11-18">Talk given by ] to the ] at the ] on 18 November 2010</ref> He started work as a design engineer at the ] aircraft factory in ]. This required the performance of many routine calculations by hand, leading him to theorize and plan a way of doing them by machine.<ref name=LeeComputerorg>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=J. A. N. |date=1995 |title=Konrad Zuse |url=https://history.computer.org/pioneers/zuse.html |website=computer.org |publisher=IEEE Computer Society and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc |access-date=14 April 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204020840/https://history.computer.org/pioneers/zuse.html |archive-date=4 December 2022 }}</ref>


Beginning in 1935, he experimented in the construction of computers in his parents' flat on {{lang|de|italic=no|Wrangelstraße}} 38, moving with them into their new flat on {{lang|de|italic=no|Methfesselstraße}} 10, the street leading up the ], Berlin.<ref name="Spode_1994"/>{{rp|page=418}} Working in his parents' apartment in 1936, he produced his first attempt, the ], a ] binary mechanical calculator with limited programmability, reading instructions from a perforated 35&nbsp;mm film.<ref name="HZ2010-11-18"/> Beginning in 1935, he experimented in the construction of computers in his parents' flat on {{lang|de|italic=no|Wrangelstraße}} 38, moving with them into their new flat on {{lang|de|italic=no|Methfesselstraße}} 10, the street leading up the ], Berlin.<ref name="Spode_1994"/>{{rp|page=418}} Working in his parents' apartment in 1936, he produced his first attempt, the ], a ] binary mechanical calculator with limited programmability, reading instructions from a perforated 35&nbsp;mm film.<ref name="HZ2010-11-18"/>
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In 1941, he improved on the basic Z2 machine, and built the ]. On 12 May 1941 Zuse presented the Z3, built in his workshop, to the public.<ref name="Spode_1994"/>{{rp|page=425}}<ref name="Chod 2003 52">Kathrin Chod, Herbert Schwenk and Hainer Weißpflug, ''Berliner Bezirkslexikon: Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg'', Berlin: Haude & Spener / Edition Luisenstadt, 2003, p.&nbsp;52. {{ISBN|3-7759-0474-3}}.</ref> The Z3 was a ] 22-bit ] calculator featuring programmability with loops but without conditional jumps, with memory and a calculation unit based on telephone relays. The telephone relays used in his machines were largely collected from discarded stock. Despite the absence of conditional jumps, the Z3 was a ] computer. However, Turing-completeness was never considered by Zuse (who was unaware of Turing's work and had practical applications in mind) and only demonstrated in 1998 (see ]). In 1941, he improved on the basic Z2 machine, and built the ]. On 12 May 1941 Zuse presented the Z3, built in his workshop, to the public.<ref name="Spode_1994"/>{{rp|page=425}}<ref name="Chod 2003 52">Kathrin Chod, Herbert Schwenk and Hainer Weißpflug, ''Berliner Bezirkslexikon: Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg'', Berlin: Haude & Spener / Edition Luisenstadt, 2003, p.&nbsp;52. {{ISBN|3-7759-0474-3}}.</ref> The Z3 was a ] 22-bit ] calculator featuring programmability with loops but without conditional jumps, with memory and a calculation unit based on telephone relays. The telephone relays used in his machines were largely collected from discarded stock. Despite the absence of conditional jumps, the Z3 was a ] computer. However, Turing-completeness was never considered by Zuse (who was unaware of Turing's work and had practical applications in mind) and only demonstrated in 1998 (see ]).


The Z3, the first fully operational electromechanical computer, was partially financed by German government-supported DVL, which wanted their extensive calculations automated. A request by his co-worker ]—who had helped Zuse build the Z3 prototype in 1938<ref>St. Amant, Kirk; Still, Brian. Idea Group. 2007. {{ISBN|978-1-59140-999-1}}. Retrieved 14 March 2010.</ref>—for government funding for an electronic successor to the Z3 was denied as "strategically unimportant". The Z3, the first fully operational electromechanical computer, was partially financed by German government-supported DVL, which wanted their extensive calculations automated. A request by his co-worker ]—who had helped Zuse build the Z3 prototype in 1938<ref>St. Amant, Kirk; Still, Brian. Idea Group. 2007. {{ISBN|978-1-59140-999-1}}. Retrieved 14 March 2010.</ref>—for government funding for an electronic successor to the Z3 was denied as "strategically unimportant".


]]] ]]]
In 1937, Schreyer had advised Zuse to use ]s as switching elements; Zuse at this time considered it a crazy idea ({{lang|de|Schnapsidee}} in his own words). Zuse's workshop on {{lang|de|italic=no|Methfesselstraße}} 7 (with the Z3) was destroyed in an ] and the parental flat with Z1 and Z2 on 30 January the following year, whereas the successor ], which Zuse had begun constructing in 1942<ref name="Zuse_1993"/>{{rp|page=75}} in new premises in the {{lang|de|Industriehof}} on {{lang|de|italic=no|Oranienstraße}} 6, remained intact.<ref name="Spode_1994"/>{{rp|page=428}} In 1937, Schreyer had advised Zuse to use ]s as switching elements; Zuse at this time considered it a "crazy idea" ({{lang|de|Schnapsidee}} in his own words). Zuse's workshop on {{lang|de|italic=no|Methfesselstraße}} 7 (along with the Z3) was destroyed in an ] and the parental flat with Z1 and Z2 on 30 January the following year, whereas the successor ], which Zuse had begun constructing in 1942<ref name="Zuse_1993"/>{{rp|page=75}} in new premises in the {{lang|de|Industriehof}} on {{lang|de|italic=no|Oranienstraße}} 6, remained intact.<ref name="Spode_1994"/>{{rp|page=428}}


On 3 February 1945, aerial bombing caused devastating destruction in the ], the area around {{lang|de|italic=no|Oranienstraße}}, including neighbouring houses.<ref name="Selig_2011"/> This event effectively brought Zuse's research and development to a complete halt. The partially finished, telephone relay-based Z4 computer was then packed and moved from Berlin on 14 February, arriving in ] approximately two weeks later.<ref name="Spode_1994"/>{{rp|page=428}} On 3 February 1945, aerial bombing caused devastating destruction in the ], the area around {{lang|de|italic=no|Oranienstraße}}, including neighbouring houses.<ref name="Selig_2011"/> This event effectively brought Zuse's research and development to a complete halt. The partially finished, telephone relay-based Z4 computer was then packed and moved from Berlin on 14 February, arriving in ] approximately two weeks later.<ref name="Spode_1994"/>{{rp|page=428}}


These machines contributed to the Henschel Werke ] and ] guided missiles developed by the German military between 1941 and 1945, which were the precursors to the modern ].<ref name="Zuse_1993"/>{{rp|page=75}}<ref>, Roger Ford. Zenith Imprint, 2000. {{ISBN|0-7603-0847-0}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7603-0847-9}}. Retrieved 14 March 2010.</ref><ref>, Atypon Link. Retrieved 14 March 2010.</ref> The circuit design of the S1 was the predecessor of Zuse's ].<ref name="Zuse_1993"/>{{rp|page=75}} Zuse believed that these machines had been captured by occupying Soviet troops in 1945.<ref name="Zuse_1993"/>{{rp|page=75}} These machines contributed to the Henschel Werke ] and ] guided missiles developed by the German military between 1941 and 1945, which were the precursors to the modern ].<ref name="Zuse_1993"/>{{rp|page=75}}<ref>, Roger Ford. Zenith Imprint, 2000. {{ISBN|0-7603-0847-0}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7603-0847-9}}. Retrieved 14 March 2010.</ref><ref>, Atypon Link. Retrieved 14 March 2010.</ref> The circuit design of the S1 was the predecessor of Zuse's ].<ref name="Zuse_1993"/>{{rp|page=75}} Zuse believed that these machines had been captured by occupying ] in 1945.<ref name="Zuse_1993"/>{{rp|page=75}}


While working on his Z4 computer, Zuse realised that programming in ] was too complicated. He started working on a PhD thesis,<ref>Konrad Zuse: {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512112136/http://herbscorner.lepete.de/upload/plankalkuel.%28pdf%29 |date=12 May 2015 }}. PhD thesis, 1945</ref> containing groundbreaking research years ahead of its time,{{Editorializing|date=November 2019}} mainly the first high-level programming language, {{lang|de|italic=no|]}} ("Plan Calculus") and, as an elaborate example program, the first real computer chess engine.<ref name=knuthpardo>Knuth & Pardo: The early development of programming languages. In Nicholas Metropolis (Ed): ''History of Computing in the Twentieth Century'', p. 203.</ref> While working on his Z4 computer, Zuse realised that programming in ] was too complicated. He started working on a PhD thesis,<ref>Konrad Zuse: {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512112136/http://herbscorner.lepete.de/upload/plankalkuel.%28pdf%29 |date=12 May 2015 }}. PhD thesis, 1945</ref> containing groundbreaking research years ahead of its time,{{Editorializing|date=November 2019}} mainly the first high-level programming language, {{lang|de|italic=no|]}} ("Plan Calculus") and, as an elaborate example program, the first real computer chess engine.<ref name=knuthpardo>Knuth & Pardo: The early development of programming languages. In Nicholas Metropolis (Ed): ''History of Computing in the Twentieth Century'', p. 203.</ref>


===1945–1995=== ===1945–1995===
After the 1945 Luisenstadt bombing, he fled from Berlin to the rural ].{{cn|date=May 2020}} In the extreme deprivation of ] Zuse was unable to build computers. After the 1945 Luisenstadt bombing, he fled from Berlin to the rural ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Konrad Zuse im Schloss zu Hopferau |url=https://www.hopferau.de/konrad-zuse.html |access-date=28 October 2023 |website=www.hopferau.de}}</ref> In the extreme deprivation of ] Zuse was unable to build computers.


Zuse founded one of the earliest computer companies: the {{lang|de|italic=no|Zuse-Ingenieurbüro Hopferau}}. Capital was raised in 1946 through ] and an IBM option on Zuse's patents.{{cn|date=May 2020}} Zuse founded one of the earliest computer companies: the {{lang|de|italic=no|Zuse-Ingenieurbüro Hopferau}}. Capital was raised in 1946 through ] and an IBM option on Zuse's patents.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schmidhuber |first=Jürgen |date=19 August 2021 |title=1941: Konrad Zuse completes the first working general-purpose computer, based on his 1936 patent application |url=https://people.idsia.ch/~juergen/zuse-1941-first-general-computer.html |website=Universita della Svizzera Italiana}}</ref>


In 1947, according to the memoirs of the German computer pioneer ] from the ], there was a meeting between ] and Konrad Zuse in ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mathcomp.leeds.ac.uk/turing2012/Images/Turing_Zuse.pdf|title=Did Alan Turing interrogate Konrad Zuse in Göttingen in 1947?|author=Bruderer, Herbert |access-date= 7 February 2013}}</ref> The encounter had the form of a ]. Participants were ], Turing, Porter from England and a few German researchers like Zuse, Walther, and Billing. (For more details see Herbert Bruderer, {{lang|de|Konrad Zuse und die Schweiz}}). In 1947, according to the memoirs of the German computer pioneer ] from the ], there was a meeting between ] and Konrad Zuse in ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mathcomp.leeds.ac.uk/turing2012/Images/Turing_Zuse.pdf|title=Did Alan Turing interrogate Konrad Zuse in Göttingen in 1947?|author=Bruderer, Herbert|access-date=7 February 2013|archive-date=21 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521211106/http://www.mathcomp.leeds.ac.uk/turing2012/Images/Turing_Zuse.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The encounter had the form of a ]. Participants were ], Turing, Porter from England and a few German researchers like Zuse, Walther, and Billing. (For more details see Herbert Bruderer, {{lang|de|Konrad Zuse und die Schweiz}}).
It was not until 1949 that Zuse was able to resume work on the Z4. He would show the computer to the mathematician ] of the ] ({{lang|de|Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich}}) who then ordered one in 1950. In November 1949, Zuse KG was founded and that Z4 was delivered to ETH Zurich in July 1950, and proved very reliable.<ref name="HZ2010-11-18" /> It was not until 1949 that Zuse was able to resume work on the Z4. He would show the computer to the mathematician ] of the ETH Zurich. The two men settled a deal to lend the Z4 to the ETH.<ref name="Lippe_2007">{{Cite web |title=Kapitel 14 Die ersten programmierbaren Rechner |author-last=Lippe |author-first=Wolfram M. |date=13 April 2010 |orig-date=2007 |language=de |url=http://cs.uni-muenster.de/Professoren/Lippe/lehre/skripte/geschichte/pdf/Kap14.pdf |access-date=21 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719110029/http://cs.uni-muenster.de/Professoren/Lippe/lehre/skripte/geschichte/pdf/Kap14.pdf |archive-date=19 July 2011
|quote= was not a little surprised when he found the Z4, which was already a bit battered from the outside, set up in a horse stable. Nevertheless, he dictated to Zuse a simple differential equation that Zuse could immediately program, demonstrate on the machine and solve. After that he concluded a contract with Zuse: the Z4 should be loaned to the ETH after a thorough overhaul and cleaning.}}</ref>


]
In 1949, Zuse founded another company, Zuse KG, in ]; in 1957 the company's head office moved to ]. The ] was finished and delivered to the ], ] in September 1950. At that time, it was the only working computer in continental Europe, and the second computer in the world to be sold, beaten only by the ], which never worked properly after it was delivered. Other computers, all numbered with a leading Z, up to Z43,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://epemag.com/zuse/part7e.htm |title=Part 7 (continued): The Zuse KG |access-date=4 July 2011 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511021714/http://epemag.com/zuse/part7e.htm |archive-date=11 May 2009 }} Horst Zuse, EPE Online, archived on 11 May 2009 from {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228103304/http://www.epemag.com/zuse/part7e.htm |date=28 December 2008 }}</ref> were built by Zuse and his company. Notable are the ], which was sold to the optics industry and to universities, and the ], the first computer with a memory based on magnetic storage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epemag.com/zuse/ |title=The Life and Work of Konrad Zuse |access-date=18 April 2010 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629003415/http://www.epemag.com/zuse/ |archive-date=29 June 2009 }} Horst Zuse, EPE Online, archived on 29 June 2009 from {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418164050/http://www.epemag.com/zuse/ |date=18 April 2010 }}</ref> In November 1949, Zuse founded another company, Zuse KG, in ]; in 1957, the company's head office moved to ]. The ] was finished and delivered to the ETH Zurich in July 1950, where it proved very reliable.<ref name="HZ2010-11-18" /> At that time, it was the only working digital computer in Central Europe,<ref>Bruderer (2021), p. 1098</ref> and the second computer in the world to be sold or loaned, beaten only by the ], which never worked properly after it was delivered. Other computers, all numbered with a leading Z, up to Z43,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://epemag.com/zuse/part7e.htm |title=Part 7 (continued): The Zuse KG |access-date=4 July 2011 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511021714/http://epemag.com/zuse/part7e.htm |archive-date=11 May 2009 }} Horst Zuse, EPE Online, archived on 11 May 2009 from {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228103304/http://www.epemag.com/zuse/part7e.htm |date=28 December 2008 }}</ref> were built by Zuse and his company. Notable are the ], which was sold to the optics industry and to universities, and the ], the first computer with a memory based on magnetic storage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epemag.com/zuse/ |title=The Life and Work of Konrad Zuse |access-date=18 April 2010 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629003415/http://www.epemag.com/zuse/ |archive-date=29 June 2009 }} Horst Zuse, EPE Online, archived on 29 June 2009 from {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418164050/http://www.epemag.com/zuse/ |date=18 April 2010 }}</ref>


Unable to do any hardware development, he continued working on {{lang|de|italic=no|Plankalkül}}, eventually publishing some brief excerpts of his thesis in 1948 and 1959; the work in its entirety, however, remained unpublished until 1972.<ref name="knuthpardo"/> The PhD thesis was submitted at ], but rejected for formal reasons, because Zuse forgot to pay the 400 mark university enrollment fee. The rejection did not bother him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.get-it.tu-berlin.de/menue/werdegaenge/ursula_walk/|title=get-it: Ursula Walk|website=www.get-it.tu-berlin.de}}</ref> Unable to do any hardware development, he continued working on {{lang|de|italic=no|Plankalkül}}, eventually publishing some brief excerpts of his thesis in 1948 and 1959; the work in its entirety, however, remained unpublished until 1972.<ref name="knuthpardo"/> The PhD thesis was submitted at ], but it was rejected because Zuse forgot to pay the ]&nbsp;400 university enrollment fee. The rejection did not bother him.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.get-it.tu-berlin.de/menue/werdegaenge/ursula_walk/ |title=Ursula Walk, geb. 1925 |website=www.get-it.tu-berlin.de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116041955/https://www.get-it.tu-berlin.de/menue/werdegaenge/ursula_walk/ |archive-date=16 November 2018 }}</ref>


{{lang|de|italic=no|Plankalkül}} slightly influenced the design of ]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rojas|first1=Raúl|first2=Ulf|last2=Hashagen| date=2002 |title=The First Computers: History and Architectures|page=292 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nDWPW9uwZPAC&q=algol-68+konrad+zuse&pg=PA292 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=978-0-262-68137-7 |access-date=25 October 2013 }}</ref> but was itself implemented only in 1975 in a dissertation by Joachim Hohmann.<ref>Joachim Hohmann: ''Der Plankalkül im Vergleich mit algorithmischen Sprachen''. Reihe Informatik und Operations Research, S. Toeche-Mittler Verlag, Darmstadt 1979, {{ISBN|3-87820-028-5}}.</ref> ], one of the inventors of ], wrote: "The very first attempt to devise an ]ic language was undertaken in 1948 by K. Zuse. His notation was quite general, but the proposal never attained the consideration it deserved." Further implementations followed in 1998 and then in 2000 by a team from the ]. ] suggested a ]: What might have happened had the bombing not taken place, and had the PhD thesis accordingly been published as planned?<ref name=knuthpardo/> {{lang|de|italic=no|Plankalkül}} slightly influenced the design of ]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rojas|first1=Raúl|first2=Ulf|last2=Hashagen| date=2002 |title=The First Computers: History and Architectures|page=292 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nDWPW9uwZPAC&q=algol-68+konrad+zuse&pg=PA292 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=978-0-262-68137-7 |access-date=25 October 2013 }}</ref> but was itself implemented only in 1975 in a dissertation by Joachim Hohmann.<ref>Joachim Hohmann: ''Der Plankalkül im Vergleich mit algorithmischen Sprachen''. Reihe Informatik und Operations Research, S. Toeche-Mittler Verlag, Darmstadt 1979, {{ISBN|3-87820-028-5}}.</ref> ], one of the inventors of ], wrote: "The very first attempt to devise an ]ic language was undertaken in 1948 by K. Zuse. His notation was quite general, but the proposal never attained the consideration it deserved." Further implementations followed in 1998 and then in 2000 by a team from the ]. ] suggested a ]: What might have happened had the bombing not taken place, and had the PhD thesis accordingly been published as planned?<ref name=knuthpardo/>
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{{anchor|Helixturm}}Between 1989 and 1995, Zuse conceptualized and created a purely mechanical, extensible, modular tower automaton he named "helix tower" ({{lang|de|"Helixturm"}}). The structure is based on a gear drive that employs rotary motion (e.g. provided by a crank) to assemble modular components from a storage space, elevating a tube-shaped tower; the process is reversible, and inverting the input direction will deconstruct the tower and store the components. In 2009, the {{lang|de|italic=no|]}} restored Zuse's original 1:30 functional model that can be extended to a height of 2.7&nbsp;m.<ref name="DM_2015"/> Zuse intended the full construction to reach a height of 120&nbsp;m, and envisioned it for use with wind power generators and radio transmission installations.<ref name="Eibisch_2009"/><ref name="Bock-Eibisch_2010"/><ref name="Böttiger_2011"/><ref name="Eibisch_2016"/> {{anchor|Helixturm}}Between 1989 and 1995, Zuse conceptualized and created a purely mechanical, extensible, modular tower automaton he named "helix tower" ({{lang|de|"Helixturm"}}). The structure is based on a gear drive that employs rotary motion (e.g. provided by a crank) to assemble modular components from a storage space, elevating a tube-shaped tower; the process is reversible, and inverting the input direction will deconstruct the tower and store the components. In 2009, the {{lang|de|italic=no|]}} restored Zuse's original 1:30 functional model that can be extended to a height of 2.7&nbsp;m.<ref name="DM_2015"/> Zuse intended the full construction to reach a height of 120&nbsp;m, and envisioned it for use with wind power generators and radio transmission installations.<ref name="Eibisch_2009"/><ref name="Bock-Eibisch_2010"/><ref name="Böttiger_2011"/><ref name="Eibisch_2016"/>


Between 1987 and 1989, Zuse recreated the Z1, suffering a heart attack midway through the project. It cost 800,000&nbsp;] (approximately $500,000) and required four individuals (including Zuse) to assemble it. Funding for this ] project was provided by ] and a consortium of five companies.{{cn|date=May 2020}} Between 1987 and 1989, Zuse recreated the Z1, suffering a heart attack midway through the project. It cost 800,000&nbsp;] (approximately $500,000) and required four individuals (including Zuse) to assemble it. Funding for this ] project was provided by ] and a consortium of five companies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rojas |first=Paul |date=August 2015 |title=Reconstruction of the Z1 Computer |url=https://dcmlr.inf.fu-berlin.de/rojas/index.html%3Fp=567.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015074346/https://dcmlr.inf.fu-berlin.de/rojas/index.html%3Fp=567.html |archive-date=15 October 2023 |website=Paul Rojas, Professor of Artificial Intelligence}}</ref>


==Personal life== ==Personal life==
], Hessen]] ], Hesse]]
Konrad Zuse married Gisela Brandes in January 1945, employing a carriage, himself dressed in tailcoat and top hat and with Gisela in a wedding veil, for Zuse attached importance to a "noble ceremony". Their son ], the first of five children, was born in November 1945. Konrad Zuse married Gisela Brandes in January 1945, employing a carriage, himself dressed in tailcoat and top hat and with Gisela in a wedding veil, for Zuse attached importance to a "noble ceremony". Their son ], the first of five children, was born in November 1945.


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Zuse died on 18 December 1995 in ], Hesse (near ]) from heart failure.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-konrad-zuse-1526795.html|title=OBITUARY : Konrad Zuse|author=Martin Campbell-Kelly|date=21 December 1995|work=]}}</ref> Zuse died on 18 December 1995 in ], Hesse (near ]) from heart failure.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-konrad-zuse-1526795.html|title=OBITUARY : Konrad Zuse|author=Martin Campbell-Kelly|date=21 December 1995|work=]}}</ref>


==Awards and honours==
]
] storage inside a Z31 (which was first displayed in 1963)]] ] storage inside a Z31 (which was first displayed in 1963)]]

==Awards and honours==
Zuse received several awards for his work: Zuse received several awards for his work:
* '']'' in 1964 (together with ] and ])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Zuse.html|title=Konrad Zuse|website=ei.cs.vt.edu}}</ref> * '']'' in 1964 (together with ] and ])<ref name=LeeVTedu>{{cite web |url=http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Zuse.html |title=Konrad Zuse |last=Lee |first=J. A. N. |date=30 September 2004 |website=ei.cs.vt.edu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215061037/https://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Zuse.html |archive-date=15 December 2022 }}</ref>
* '']'' in 1965 (together with ]) * '']'' in 1965 (together with ])
* ] in 1969.<ref name="Editor 2015"/> * ] in 1969.<ref name="Editor 2015"/>
* '']'' in 1972 – ''Great Cross of Merit'' * '']'' in 1972 – ''Great Cross of Merit''
* ''] Fellow Award'' in 1999 "for his invention of the first program-controlled, electromechanical, digital computer and the first high-level programming language, ]."<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120703013338/http://www.computerhistory.org/fellowawards/hall/bios/Konrad,Zuse/ |date=3 July 2012 }} Computer History Museum</ref> * ''] Fellow Award'' in 1999 "for his invention of the first program-controlled, electromechanical, digital computer and the first high-level programming language, ]."<ref name=CHM1999>{{cite web |url=https://computerhistory.org/profile/konrad-zuse/ |title=Konrad Zuse: 1999 Fellow |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=computerhistory.org |publisher=Computer History Museum |access-date= |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120703013338/http://www.computerhistory.org/fellowawards/hall/bios/Konrad,Zuse/ |archive-date=3 July 2012 |quote=}}</ref>


The ] is named in his honour. The ] is named in his honour.
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The ] of the ], and the Konrad Zuse Medal of the Zentralverband des Deutschen Baugewerbes (Central Association of German Construction), are both named after Zuse. The ] of the ], and the Konrad Zuse Medal of the Zentralverband des Deutschen Baugewerbes (Central Association of German Construction), are both named after Zuse.


A replica of the Z3, as well as the original Z4, is in the ] in ]. The ] in ] has an exhibition devoted to Zuse, displaying twelve of his machines, including a replica of the ] and several of Zuse's paintings. A replica of the Z3, as well as the original Z4, is in the ] in Munich. The {{lang|de|]}} in ] has an exhibition devoted to Zuse, displaying twelve of his machines, including a replica of the ] and several of Zuse's paintings.


The 100th anniversary of his birth was celebrated by exhibitions, lectures and workshops.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.horst-zuse.homepage.t-online.de/horst-zuse-zuse-jahr-2010-html/english/index.html|title=Zuse-Jahr 2010|first=Irene|last=Zwernemann-Blech|website=www.horst-zuse.homepage.t-online.de}}</ref><ref> Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin, 19 April 2010 {{in lang|de}}</ref> The 100th anniversary of his birth was celebrated by exhibitions, lectures and workshops.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.horst-zuse.homepage.t-online.de/horst-zuse-zuse-jahr-2010-html/english/index.html|title=Zuse-Jahr 2010|first=Irene|last=Zwernemann-Blech|website=www.horst-zuse.homepage.t-online.de}}</ref><ref> Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin, 19 April 2010 {{in lang|de}}</ref>


==See also== == See also ==

{{cols}}
* {{anl|John Vincent Atanasoff}}
* ]
* {{anl|List of German inventors and discoverers}}
* ]
* {{anl|Reverse Polish notation}}
* ]
* {{anl|Self-replicating machine}}
* ]
* {{anl|Z5 (computer)}}
* ]
* {{anl|Z23 (computer)}}
* ]
* {{anl|Z25 (computer)}}
* ] (RPN)
* ] (Montagestraße SRS 72, Helixturm)
{{colend}}


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist|refs= {{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Zuse_1967_RR">{{cite journal |title=Rechnender Raum |language=de |author-last=Zuse |author-first=Konrad |author-link=Konrad Zuse |location=Bad Hersfeld, Germany |date=1967 |journal=Elektronische Datenverarbeitung |volume=8 |pages=336–344 |url=ftp://ftp.idsia.ch/pub/juergen/zuse67scan.pdf |access-date=2022-08-02 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618062108/ftp://ftp.idsia.ch/pub/juergen/zuse67scan.pdf |archive-date=2020-06-18}} (9 pages)</ref> <ref name="Zuse_1967_RR">{{cite journal |title=Rechnender Raum |language=de |author-last=Zuse |author-first=Konrad |author-link=Konrad Zuse |location=Bad Hersfeld, Germany |date=1967 |journal=Elektronische Datenverarbeitung |volume=8 |pages=336–344 |url=ftp://ftp.idsia.ch/pub/juergen/zuse67scan.pdf |access-date=2 August 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618062108/ftp://ftp.idsia.ch/pub/juergen/zuse67scan.pdf |archive-date=18 June 2020}} (9 pages)</ref>
<ref name="Zuse_1969_RR">{{cite book |author-last=Zuse |author-first=Konrad |author-link=Konrad Zuse |date=1969 |title=Rechnender Raum |language=de |trans-title=Calculating Space |publication-place=Braunschweig, Germany |publisher=] |series=Schriften zur Datenverarbeitung |volume=1 |isbn=3-528-09609-8}} (70+4 pages)</ref> <ref name="Zuse_1969_RR">{{cite book |author-last=Zuse |author-first=Konrad |author-link=Konrad Zuse |date=1969 |title=Rechnender Raum |language=de |trans-title=Calculating Space |publication-place=Braunschweig, Germany |publisher=] |series=Schriften zur Datenverarbeitung |volume=1 |isbn=3-528-09609-8}} (70+4 pages)</ref>
<ref name="MIT_1970_RR">{{cite web |title=Calculating Space - Translation of: Rechnender Raum |series=MIT Technical Translation |id=AZT-70-164-GEMIT (Project MAC) |author-last=Zuse |author-first=Konrad |author-link=Konrad Zuse |translator=Aztec School of Languages, Inc. |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA |date=February 1970 |publisher=] |url=ftp://ftp.idsia.ch/pub/juergen/zuserechnenderraum.pdf |access-date=2020-03-25 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325103231/ftp://ftp.idsia.ch/pub/juergen/zuserechnenderraum.pdf |archive-date=2020-03-25}} (98 pages); {{cite book |chapter=Konrad Zuse's Rechnender Raum (Calculating Space) |language=en |title=A Computable Universe: Understanding & Exploring Nature as Computation |publisher=] |author-last=Zuse |author-first=Konrad |author-link=Konrad Zuse |editor-first1=Adrian |editor-last1=German |editor-first2=Hector |editor-last2=Zenil |edition=re-edition in ] with permission of ] and Zuse's family |date=2012 |chapter-url=http://www.mathrix.org/zenil/ZuseCalculatingSpace-GermanZenil.pdf |access-date=2022-08-02 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521084904/http://www.mathrix.org/zenil/ZuseCalculatingSpace-GermanZenil.pdf |archive-date=2022-05-21}} (69 pages)</ref> <ref name="MIT_1970_RR">{{cite web |title=Calculating Space - Translation of: Rechnender Raum |series=MIT Technical Translation |id=AZT-70-164-GEMIT (Project MAC) |author-last=Zuse |author-first=Konrad |author-link=Konrad Zuse |translator=Aztec School of Languages, Inc. |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA |date=February 1970 |publisher=] |url=ftp://ftp.idsia.ch/pub/juergen/zuserechnenderraum.pdf |access-date=25 March 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325103231/ftp://ftp.idsia.ch/pub/juergen/zuserechnenderraum.pdf |archive-date=25 March 2020}} (98 pages); {{cite book |chapter=Konrad Zuse's Rechnender Raum (Calculating Space) |language=en |title=A Computable Universe: Understanding & Exploring Nature as Computation |publisher=] |author-last=Zuse |author-first=Konrad |author-link=Konrad Zuse |editor-first1=Adrian |editor-last1=German |editor-first2=Hector |editor-last2=Zenil |edition=re-edition in ] with permission of ] and Zuse's family |date=2012 |chapter-url=http://www.mathrix.org/zenil/ZuseCalculatingSpace-GermanZenil.pdf |access-date=2 August 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521084904/http://www.mathrix.org/zenil/ZuseCalculatingSpace-GermanZenil.pdf |archive-date=21 May 2022}} (69 pages)</ref>
<ref name="DM_2015">{{cite web |title=Automata and punched card machines: Helix tower |publisher=] |date=2015 |url=https://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/exhibitions/communication/computers/automata/ |access-date=2019-02-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506132905/http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/exhibitions/communication/computers/automata/ |archive-date=2021-05-06}}</ref> <ref name="DM_2015">{{cite web |title=Automata and punched card machines: Helix tower |publisher=] |date=2015 |url=https://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/exhibitions/communication/computers/automata/ |access-date=13 February 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506132905/http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/exhibitions/communication/computers/automata/ |archive-date=6 May 2021}}</ref>
<ref name="Eibisch_2009">{{cite book |title=Der Helixturm von Konrad Zuse - Analyse, Dokumentation und Instandsetzung eines höhenverstellbaren Turmmodells, 1989 bis 1995, im Deutschen Museum in München |language=de |author-first=Nora |author-last=Eibisch |date=2009 |type=Thesis |publisher=Lehrstuhl für Restaurierung, Kunsttechnologie und Konservierungswissenschaft, Technische Universität München (TUM) |publication-place=Munich, Germany |url=https://mediatum.ub.tum.de/doc/1597303/m5w9urp8te3mw8fs7srye8ndy.Eibisch_Helixturm_Dipl-Arb-TUM_2009.pdf |access-date=2022-08-02 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220802204043/https://mediatum.ub.tum.de/doc/1597303/m5w9urp8te3mw8fs7srye8ndy.Eibisch_Helixturm_Dipl-Arb-TUM_2009.pdf |archive-date=2022-08-02}} (10+105 pages, 50+28+9 pages appendices, 2 DVDs)</ref> <ref name="Eibisch_2009">{{cite book |title=Der Helixturm von Konrad Zuse Analyse, Dokumentation und Instandsetzung eines höhenverstellbaren Turmmodells, 1989 bis 1995, im Deutschen Museum in München |language=de |author-first=Nora |author-last=Eibisch |date=2009 |type=Thesis |publisher=Lehrstuhl für Restaurierung, Kunsttechnologie und Konservierungswissenschaft, Technische Universität München (TUM) |publication-place=Munich, Germany |url=https://mediatum.ub.tum.de/doc/1597303/m5w9urp8te3mw8fs7srye8ndy.Eibisch_Helixturm_Dipl-Arb-TUM_2009.pdf |access-date=2 August 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220802204043/https://mediatum.ub.tum.de/doc/1597303/m5w9urp8te3mw8fs7srye8ndy.Eibisch_Helixturm_Dipl-Arb-TUM_2009.pdf |archive-date=2 August 2022}} (10+105 pages, 50+28+9 pages appendices, 2 DVDs)</ref>
<ref name="Bock-Eibisch_2010">{{cite conference |author-last1=Bock |author-first1=Thomas |author-link1=:de:Thomas Bock (Architekt) |author-last2=Eibisch |author-first2=Nora |date=2010 |title=The helix tower by Konrad Zuse: Automated con- and deconstruction |conference=27th International Symposion on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC) |location=Bratislava |url=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Thomas-Bock-7/publication/320405140_The_Helix-Tower_by_Konrad_Zuse_Automated_Con-_and_Deconstruction/links/5a12fcfc4585158aa3e1cb23/The-Helix-Tower-by-Konrad-Zuse-Automated-Con-and-Deconstruction.pdf<!-- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266466169 --> |access-date=2022-08-02 |url-status=live |archive-url= |archive-date=}}</ref> <ref name="Bock-Eibisch_2010">{{cite conference |author-last1=Bock |author-first1=Thomas |author-link1=:de:Thomas Bock (Architekt) |author-last2=Eibisch |author-first2=Nora |date=2010 |title=The helix tower by Konrad Zuse: Automated con- and deconstruction |conference=27th International Symposion on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC) |location=Bratislava |url=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Thomas-Bock-7/publication/320405140_The_Helix-Tower_by_Konrad_Zuse_Automated_Con-_and_Deconstruction/links/5a12fcfc4585158aa3e1cb23/The-Helix-Tower-by-Konrad-Zuse-Automated-Con-and-Deconstruction.pdf<!-- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266466169 --> |access-date=2 August 2022 |archive-url= |archive-date=}}</ref>
<ref name="Spode_1994">{{cite book |title=Der Computer – eine Erfindung aus Kreuzberg, Methfesselstraße 10/Oranienstraße 6 |language=de |author-first=Hasso |author-last=Spode |author-link=Hasso Spode |series=Geschichtslandschaft Berlin: Orte und Ereignisse (5 volumes) |editor-first1=Helmut |editor-last1=Engel |editor-first2=Stefi |editor-last2=Jersch-Wenzel |editor-first3=Wilhelm |editor-last3=Treue |volume=5: Kreuzberg |location=Berlin, Germany |publisher=Nicolai |date=1994 |pages=418–429 |isbn=3-87584-474-2}}</ref> <ref name="Spode_1994">{{cite book |title=Der Computer – eine Erfindung aus Kreuzberg, Methfesselstraße 10/Oranienstraße 6 |language=de |author-first=Hasso |author-last=Spode |author-link=Hasso Spode |series=Geschichtslandschaft Berlin: Orte und Ereignisse (5 volumes) |editor-first1=Helmut |editor-last1=Engel |editor-first2=Stefi |editor-last2=Jersch-Wenzel |editor-first3=Wilhelm |editor-last3=Treue |volume=5: Kreuzberg |location=Berlin, Germany |publisher=Nicolai |date=1994 |pages=418–429 |isbn=3-87584-474-2}}</ref>
<ref name="Selig_2011">{{cite web |title=Bomber über Kreuzberg |language=de |author-first=Bernd |author-last=Selig |work=Kreuzberger Chronik |date=October 2011 |issue=131 |publisher=Außenseiter Verlag |location=Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany |url=http://www.kreuzberger-chronik.de/chroniken/2011/oktober/geschichten.html |access-date=2022-08-03 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803203927/https://www.kreuzberger-chronik.de/chroniken/2011/oktober/geschichten.html |archive-date=2022-08-03}}</ref> <ref name="Selig_2011">{{cite web |title=Bomber über Kreuzberg |language=de |author-first=Bernd |author-last=Selig |work=Kreuzberger Chronik |date=October 2011 |issue=131 |publisher=Außenseiter Verlag |location=Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany |url=http://www.kreuzberger-chronik.de/chroniken/2011/oktober/geschichten.html |access-date=3 August 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803203927/https://www.kreuzberger-chronik.de/chroniken/2011/oktober/geschichten.html |archive-date=3 August 2022}}</ref>
<ref name="Zuse_1984">{{cite book |title=Der Computer – Mein Lebenswerk |language=de |trans-title=The Computer, My Life's Work |author-first=Konrad |author-last=Zuse |author-link=Konrad Zuse |date=1984 |edition=1 |publisher=] |location=Berlin, Germany |isbn=3-540-56292-3 |page=X}}</ref> <ref name="Zuse_1984">{{cite book |title=Der Computer – Mein Lebenswerk |language=de |trans-title=The Computer, My Life's Work |author-first=Konrad |author-last=Zuse |author-link=Konrad Zuse |date=1984 |edition=1 |publisher=] |location=Berlin, Germany |isbn=3-540-56292-3 |page=X}}</ref>
<ref name="Zuse_1993">{{cite book |title=The Computer, My Life |author-first=Konrad |author-last=Zuse |author-link=Konrad Zuse |editor-last=Wössner |editor-first=Hans |date=1993 |publisher=] |publication-place=Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany |isbn=978-3-540-56453-9<!-- {{ISBN|0-387-56453-5}} --> |pages=12–13, 75 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ro5JOskbChAC&q=konrad+zuse,+z4&pg=PA75 |quote-pages=12–13 |quote=The only problem was that the progressive spirit at our school did not always correspond to my parents' ideas. This was particularly true for religious instruction, which now and again seemed even to us pupils to be rather too enlightened. After the 'Abitur' my parents wanted to go to communion with me; it was a terrible disappointment to them when I wouldn't go. They had lived under the illusion that I was a good student when it came to religion, too, which wasn't the case. I remember a poem presented by a student, which made a great impression on me. The essence of the poem read, "Basically, you are always alone". I have forgotten the name of the poet, but have often experienced the truth of these words in later life.}}</ref> <ref name="Zuse_1993">{{cite book |title=The Computer, My Life |author-first=Konrad |author-last=Zuse |author-link=Konrad Zuse |editor-last=Wössner |editor-first=Hans |date=1993 |publisher=] |publication-place=Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany |isbn=978-3-540-56453-9<!-- {{ISBN|0-387-56453-5}} --> |pages=12–13, 75 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ro5JOskbChAC&q=konrad+zuse,+z4&pg=PA75 |quote-pages=12–13 |quote=The only problem was that the progressive spirit at our school did not always correspond to my parents' ideas. This was particularly true for religious instruction, which now and again seemed even to us pupils to be rather too enlightened. After the 'Abitur' my parents wanted to go to communion with me; it was a terrible disappointment to them when I wouldn't go. They had lived under the illusion that I was a good student when it came to religion, too, which wasn't the case. I remember a poem presented by a student, which made a great impression on me. The essence of the poem read, "Basically, you are always alone". I have forgotten the name of the poet, but have often experienced the truth of these words in later life.}}</ref>
<ref name="Eibisch_2016">{{cite book |title=Selbstreproduzierende Maschinen: Konrad Zuses Montagestraße SRS 72 und ihr Kontext |language=de |location=Mountain View, California, USA |publication-place=Wiesbaden, Germany |author-first=Nora |author-last=Eibisch |publisher=] / ] |series=Research |date=2016 |type=Thesis |isbn=978-3-658-12941-5 |doi=10.1007/978-3-658-12942-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nluhCwAAQBAJ}} (272+4 pages)</ref> <ref name="Eibisch_2016">{{cite book |title=Selbstreproduzierende Maschinen: Konrad Zuses Montagestraße SRS 72 und ihr Kontext |language=de |location=Mountain View, California, USA |publication-place=Wiesbaden, Germany |author-first=Nora |author-last=Eibisch |publisher=] / ] |series=Research |date=2016 |type=Thesis |isbn=978-3-658-12941-5 |doi=10.1007/978-3-658-12942-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nluhCwAAQBAJ}} (272+4 pages)</ref>
<ref name="Böttiger_2011">{{cite book |title=Konrad Zuse: Erfinder, Unternehmer, Philosoph und Künstler |language=de |chapter=Der Philosoph - Die technische Keimzelle |author-first=Helmut |author-last=Böttiger |author-link=:de:Helmut Böttiger (Autor, 1940) |editor-first=Adolf |editor-last=Rabenseifner |date=2011-10-26 |edition=1 |isbn=978-3-86568-743-2 |publisher=] |location=Petersberg, Germany |pages=69–75 }} (128 pages)</ref> <ref name="Böttiger_2011">{{cite book |title=Konrad Zuse: Erfinder, Unternehmer, Philosoph und Künstler |language=de |chapter=Der Philosoph - Die technische Keimzelle |author-first=Helmut |author-last=Böttiger |author-link=:de:Helmut Böttiger (Autor, 1940) |editor-first=Adolf |editor-last=Rabenseifner |date=26 October 2011 |edition=1 |isbn=978-3-86568-743-2 |publisher=] |location=Petersberg, Germany |pages=69–75 }} (128 pages)</ref>
}} }}


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* Paul Janositz: Informatik und Konrad Zuse: "Der Pionier des Computerbaus in Europa – Das verkannte Genie aus Adlershof." In: ''Der Tagesspiegel'' Nr. 19127, Berlin, 9. März 2006, Beilage Seite B3. * Paul Janositz: Informatik und Konrad Zuse: "Der Pionier des Computerbaus in Europa – Das verkannte Genie aus Adlershof." In: ''Der Tagesspiegel'' Nr. 19127, Berlin, 9. März 2006, Beilage Seite B3.
* Jürgen Alex: ''Zum Einfluß elementarer Sätze der mathematischen Logik bei Alfred Tarski auf die drei Computerkonzepte des Konrad Zuse''. TU Chemnitz 2006. * Jürgen Alex: ''Zum Einfluß elementarer Sätze der mathematischen Logik bei Alfred Tarski auf die drei Computerkonzepte des Konrad Zuse''. TU Chemnitz 2006.
* {{cite book |author-first=Jürgen |author-last=Alex |title=Zur Entstehung des Computers - Von Alfred Tarski zu Konrad Zuse - Tertium non datur |publisher=] |location=Düsseldorf, Germany |date=2007 |isbn=978-3-18-150051-4 |issn=0082-2361}} * {{cite book |author-first=Jürgen |author-last=Alex |title=Zur Entstehung des Computers Von Alfred Tarski zu Konrad Zuse Tertium non datur |publisher=] |location=Düsseldorf, Germany |date=2007 |isbn=978-3-18-150051-4 |issn=0082-2361}}
* Herbert Bruderer: Oldenbourg Verlag, München 2012, XXVI, 224 Seiten, {{ISBN|978-3-486-71366-4}} * Herbert Bruderer: Oldenbourg Verlag, München 2012, XXVI, 224 Seiten, {{ISBN|978-3-486-71366-4}}


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* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418164050/http://www.epemag.com/zuse/ |date=18 April 2010 |title=The Life and Work of Konrad Zuse }} – By ] (Konrad Zuse's son); an extensive and well-written historical account
* {{MacTutor Biography|id=Zuse}}
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* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418164050/http://www.epemag.com/zuse/ |date=18 April 2010 |title=The Life and Work of Konrad Zuse }} – By ] (Konrad Zuse's son); an extensive and well-written historical account
* {{MacTutor Biography|id=Zuse}}


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Latest revision as of 12:49, 6 November 2024

German computer scientist and engineer (1910–1995) "Zuse" redirects here. For Konrad Zuse's son, see Horst Zuse. For the institute, see Zuse Institute Berlin. "Helixturm" redirects here. For the lighthouse in Cologne, see Heliosturm.

Konrad Zuse
Konrad Zuse in 1992
BornKonrad Ernst Otto Zuse
(1910-06-22)22 June 1910
Berlin, Prussia, German Empire
Died18 December 1995(1995-12-18) (aged 85)
Hünfeld, Hesse, Germany
Alma materTechnische Universität Berlin
Known for
Awards
Scientific career
Fields
InstitutionsAerodynamic Research Institute
Signature

Konrad Ernst Otto Zuse (German: [ˈkɔnʁaːt ˈtsuːzə]; 22 June 1910 – 18 December 1995) was a German civil engineer, pioneering computer scientist, inventor and businessman. His greatest achievement was the world's first programmable computer; the functional program-controlled Turing-complete Z3 became operational in May 1941. Thanks to this machine and its predecessors, Zuse is regarded by some as the inventor and father of the modern computer.

Zuse was noted for the S2 computing machine, considered the first process control computer. In 1941, he founded one of the earliest computer businesses, producing the Z4, which became the world's first commercial computer. From 1943 to 1945 he designed Plankalkül, the first high-level programming language. In 1969, Zuse suggested the concept of a computation-based universe in his book Rechnender Raum (Calculating Space).

Much of his early work was financed by his family and commerce, but after 1939 he was given resources by the government of Nazi Germany. Due to World War II, Zuse's work went largely unnoticed in the United Kingdom and United States. Possibly his first documented influence on a US company was IBM's option on his patents in 1946. The Z4 also served as the inspiration for the construction of the ERMETH, the first Swiss computer and one of the first in Europe.

Early life and education

Konrad Zuse was born in Berlin on 22 June 1910. In 1912, his family moved to East Prussian Braunsberg (now Braniewo in Poland), where his father was a postal clerk. Zuse attended the Collegium Hosianum in Braunsberg, and in 1923, the family moved to Hoyerswerda, where he passed his Abitur in 1928, qualifying him to enter university.

He enrolled at Technische Hochschule Berlin (now Technische Universität Berlin) and explored both engineering and architecture, but found them boring. Zuse then pursued civil engineering, graduating in 1935.

Career

After graduation, Zuse worked for the Ford Motor Company, using his artistic skills in the design of advertisements. He started work as a design engineer at the Henschel aircraft factory in Schönefeld near Berlin. This required the performance of many routine calculations by hand, leading him to theorize and plan a way of doing them by machine.

Beginning in 1935, he experimented in the construction of computers in his parents' flat on Wrangelstraße 38, moving with them into their new flat on Methfesselstraße 10, the street leading up the Kreuzberg, Berlin. Working in his parents' apartment in 1936, he produced his first attempt, the Z1, a floating-point binary mechanical calculator with limited programmability, reading instructions from a perforated 35 mm film.

Zuse Z1 replica in the German Museum of Technology in Berlin

In 1937, Zuse submitted two patents that anticipated a von Neumann architecture. In 1938, he finished the Z1 which contained some 30,000 metal parts and never worked well due to insufficient mechanical precision. On 30 January 1944, the Z1 and its original blueprints were destroyed with his parents' flat and many neighbouring buildings by a British air raid in World War II.

Zuse completed his work entirely independently of other leading computer scientists and mathematicians of his day. Between 1936 and 1945, he was in near-total intellectual isolation.

1939–1945

Plaque commemorating Zuse's work, attached to the ruin of Methfesselstraße 7, Berlin

In 1939, Zuse was called to military service, where he was given the resources to ultimately build the Z2. In September 1940 Zuse presented the Z2, covering several rooms in the parental flat, to experts of the Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (DVL; German Research Institute for Aviation). The Z2 was a revised version of the Z1 using telephone relays.

In 1940, the German government began funding him and his company through the Aerodynamische Versuchsanstalt (AVA, Aerodynamic Research Institute, forerunner of the DLR), which used his work for the production of glide bombs. Zuse built the S1 and S2 computing machines, which were special purpose devices which computed aerodynamic corrections to the wings of radio-controlled flying bombs. The S2 featured an integrated analog-to-digital converter under program control, making it the first process-controlled computer.

In 1941 Zuse started a company, Zuse Apparatebau (Zuse Apparatus Construction), to manufacture his machines, renting a workshop on the opposite side in Methfesselstraße 7 and stretching through the block to Belle-Alliance Straße 29 (renamed and renumbered as Mehringdamm 84 in 1947).

In 1941, he improved on the basic Z2 machine, and built the Z3. On 12 May 1941 Zuse presented the Z3, built in his workshop, to the public. The Z3 was a binary 22-bit floating-point calculator featuring programmability with loops but without conditional jumps, with memory and a calculation unit based on telephone relays. The telephone relays used in his machines were largely collected from discarded stock. Despite the absence of conditional jumps, the Z3 was a Turing complete computer. However, Turing-completeness was never considered by Zuse (who was unaware of Turing's work and had practical applications in mind) and only demonstrated in 1998 (see History of computing hardware).

The Z3, the first fully operational electromechanical computer, was partially financed by German government-supported DVL, which wanted their extensive calculations automated. A request by his co-worker Helmut Schreyer—who had helped Zuse build the Z3 prototype in 1938—for government funding for an electronic successor to the Z3 was denied as "strategically unimportant".

Statue of Zuse in Bad Hersfeld

In 1937, Schreyer had advised Zuse to use vacuum tubes as switching elements; Zuse at this time considered it a "crazy idea" (Schnapsidee in his own words). Zuse's workshop on Methfesselstraße 7 (along with the Z3) was destroyed in an Allied Air raid in late 1943 and the parental flat with Z1 and Z2 on 30 January the following year, whereas the successor Z4, which Zuse had begun constructing in 1942 in new premises in the Industriehof on Oranienstraße 6, remained intact.

On 3 February 1945, aerial bombing caused devastating destruction in the Luisenstadt, the area around Oranienstraße, including neighbouring houses. This event effectively brought Zuse's research and development to a complete halt. The partially finished, telephone relay-based Z4 computer was then packed and moved from Berlin on 14 February, arriving in Göttingen approximately two weeks later.

These machines contributed to the Henschel Werke Hs 293 and Hs 294 guided missiles developed by the German military between 1941 and 1945, which were the precursors to the modern cruise missile. The circuit design of the S1 was the predecessor of Zuse's Z11. Zuse believed that these machines had been captured by occupying Soviet troops in 1945.

While working on his Z4 computer, Zuse realised that programming in machine code was too complicated. He started working on a PhD thesis, containing groundbreaking research years ahead of its time, mainly the first high-level programming language, Plankalkül ("Plan Calculus") and, as an elaborate example program, the first real computer chess engine.

1945–1995

After the 1945 Luisenstadt bombing, he fled from Berlin to the rural Allgäu. In the extreme deprivation of post-war Germany Zuse was unable to build computers.

Zuse founded one of the earliest computer companies: the Zuse-Ingenieurbüro Hopferau. Capital was raised in 1946 through ETH Zurich and an IBM option on Zuse's patents.

In 1947, according to the memoirs of the German computer pioneer Heinz Billing from the Max Planck Institute for Physics, there was a meeting between Alan Turing and Konrad Zuse in Göttingen. The encounter had the form of a colloquium. Participants were Womersley, Turing, Porter from England and a few German researchers like Zuse, Walther, and Billing. (For more details see Herbert Bruderer, Konrad Zuse und die Schweiz).

It was not until 1949 that Zuse was able to resume work on the Z4. He would show the computer to the mathematician Eduard Stiefel of the ETH Zurich. The two men settled a deal to lend the Z4 to the ETH.

Zuse's workshop at Neukirchen, 2010

In November 1949, Zuse founded another company, Zuse KG, in Haunetal-Neukirchen; in 1957, the company's head office moved to Bad Hersfeld. The Z4 was finished and delivered to the ETH Zurich in July 1950, where it proved very reliable. At that time, it was the only working digital computer in Central Europe, and the second computer in the world to be sold or loaned, beaten only by the BINAC, which never worked properly after it was delivered. Other computers, all numbered with a leading Z, up to Z43, were built by Zuse and his company. Notable are the Z11, which was sold to the optics industry and to universities, and the Z22, the first computer with a memory based on magnetic storage.

Unable to do any hardware development, he continued working on Plankalkül, eventually publishing some brief excerpts of his thesis in 1948 and 1959; the work in its entirety, however, remained unpublished until 1972. The PhD thesis was submitted at University of Augsburg, but it was rejected because Zuse forgot to pay the DM 400 university enrollment fee. The rejection did not bother him.

Plankalkül slightly influenced the design of ALGOL 58 but was itself implemented only in 1975 in a dissertation by Joachim Hohmann. Heinz Rutishauser, one of the inventors of ALGOL, wrote: "The very first attempt to devise an algorithmic language was undertaken in 1948 by K. Zuse. His notation was quite general, but the proposal never attained the consideration it deserved." Further implementations followed in 1998 and then in 2000 by a team from the Free University of Berlin. Donald Knuth suggested a thought experiment: What might have happened had the bombing not taken place, and had the PhD thesis accordingly been published as planned?

Z64 Graphomat plotter
Z64 Graphomat plotter

In 1956, Zuse began to work on a high precision, large format plotter. It was demonstrated at the 1961 Hanover Fair, and became well known also outside of the technical world thanks to Frieder Nake's pioneering computer art work. Other plotters designed by Zuse include the ZUSE Z90 and ZUSE Z9004.

An elementary process in Zuse's Calculating Space: Two digital particles A und B form a new digital particle C.

In 1967, Zuse suggested that the universe itself is running on a cellular automaton or similar computational structure (digital physics); in 1969, he published the book Rechnender Raum (translated into English as Calculating Space).

Between 1989 and 1995, Zuse conceptualized and created a purely mechanical, extensible, modular tower automaton he named "helix tower" ("Helixturm"). The structure is based on a gear drive that employs rotary motion (e.g. provided by a crank) to assemble modular components from a storage space, elevating a tube-shaped tower; the process is reversible, and inverting the input direction will deconstruct the tower and store the components. In 2009, the Deutsches Museum restored Zuse's original 1:30 functional model that can be extended to a height of 2.7 m. Zuse intended the full construction to reach a height of 120 m, and envisioned it for use with wind power generators and radio transmission installations.

Between 1987 and 1989, Zuse recreated the Z1, suffering a heart attack midway through the project. It cost 800,000 DM (approximately $500,000) and required four individuals (including Zuse) to assemble it. Funding for this retrocomputing project was provided by Siemens and a consortium of five companies.

Personal life

Zuse Memorial in Hünfeld, Hesse

Konrad Zuse married Gisela Brandes in January 1945, employing a carriage, himself dressed in tailcoat and top hat and with Gisela in a wedding veil, for Zuse attached importance to a "noble ceremony". Their son Horst, the first of five children, was born in November 1945.

While Zuse never became a member of the Nazi Party, he is not known to have expressed any doubts or qualms about working for the Nazi war effort. Much later, he suggested that in modern times, the best scientists and engineers usually have to choose between either doing their work for more or less questionable business and military interests in a Faustian bargain, or not pursuing their line of work at all.

After Zuse retired, he focused on his hobby of painting. He signed his paintings as "Kuno See".

Zuse was an atheist.

Zuse died on 18 December 1995 in Hünfeld, Hesse (near Fulda) from heart failure.

Awards and honours

Magnetic drum storage inside a Z31 (which was first displayed in 1963)

Zuse received several awards for his work:

The Zuse Institute Berlin is named in his honour.

The Konrad Zuse Medal of the Gesellschaft für Informatik, and the Konrad Zuse Medal of the Zentralverband des Deutschen Baugewerbes (Central Association of German Construction), are both named after Zuse.

A replica of the Z3, as well as the original Z4, is in the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The Deutsches Technikmuseum in Berlin has an exhibition devoted to Zuse, displaying twelve of his machines, including a replica of the Z1 and several of Zuse's paintings.

The 100th anniversary of his birth was celebrated by exhibitions, lectures and workshops.

See also

References

  1. ^ editor, ÖGV. (2015). Wilhelm Exner Medal. Austrian Trade Association. ÖGV. Austria.
  2. ^ Eibisch, Nora (2016). Written at Mountain View, California, USA. Selbstreproduzierende Maschinen: Konrad Zuses Montagestraße SRS 72 und ihr Kontext (Thesis). Research (in German). Wiesbaden, Germany: Springer Vieweg / Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH. doi:10.1007/978-3-658-12942-2. ISBN 978-3-658-12941-5. (272+4 pages)
  3. ^ Eibisch, Nora (2009). Der Helixturm von Konrad Zuse – Analyse, Dokumentation und Instandsetzung eines höhenverstellbaren Turmmodells, 1989 bis 1995, im Deutschen Museum in München (PDF) (Thesis) (in German). Munich, Germany: Lehrstuhl für Restaurierung, Kunsttechnologie und Konservierungswissenschaft, Technische Universität München (TUM). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022. (10+105 pages, 50+28+9 pages appendices, 2 DVDs)
  4. ^ Bock, Thomas ; Eibisch, Nora (2010). The helix tower by Konrad Zuse: Automated con- and deconstruction (PDF). 27th International Symposion on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC). Bratislava. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  5. Rojas, Raúl (1997). "Konrad Zuse's Legacy: The Architecture of the Z1 and Z3" (PDF). IEEE Annals of the History of Computing. 19 (2): 5–16. doi:10.1109/85.586067. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 April 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021. Konrad Zuse is popularly recognized in Germany as the father of the computer, and his Z1, a programmable automaton built from 1936 to 1938, has been called the first computer in the world. Other nations reserve this honor for one of their own scientists, and there has been a long and often acrimonious debate on the issue of who is the true inventor of the computer.
  6. Flippo, Hyde. "Konrad Zuse: The first programmable, digital computer". german-way.com. The German Way & More. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. The German civil engineer Konrad Zuse is considered the inventor of the first digital and programmable computers
  7. von Leszczynski, Ulrike (27 June 2010). "Z like Zuse: German inventor of the computer". monstersandcritics.com. Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Archived from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013. There's strong evidence that built the world's first computer in Berlin.
  8. Bellis, Mary (15 May 2019) . "Biography of Konrad Zuse, Inventor and Programmer of Early Computers". thoughtco.com. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021. Konrad Zuse earned the semiofficial title of 'inventor of the modern computer'
  9. "Who is the Father of the Computer?".
  10. Bruderer, Herbert (2021). Milestones in Analog and Digital Computing (3rd ed.). Springer. pp. 13, 961. ISBN 978-3030409739.
  11. Bruderer, Herbert (2021). Milestones in Analog and Digital Computing (3rd ed.). Springer. p. 14. ISBN 978-3030409739.
  12. Zuse, Konrad (1943), "Ansätze einer Theorie des allgemeinen Rechnens unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Aussagenkalküls und dessen Anwendung auf Relaisschaltungen" , unpublished manuscript, Zuse Papers 045/018.
  13. A book on the subject: (full text of the 1945 manuscript) Archived 10 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Talk given by Horst Zuse to the Computer Conservation Society at the Science Museum (London) on 18 November 2010
  15. ^ Zuse, Konrad (1967). "Rechnender Raum" (PDF). Elektronische Datenverarbeitung (in German). 8. Bad Hersfeld, Germany: 336–344. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2022. (9 pages)
  16. ^ Zuse, Konrad (1969). Rechnender Raum [Calculating Space]. Schriften zur Datenverarbeitung (in German). Vol. 1. Braunschweig, Germany: Friedrich Vieweg & Sohn. ISBN 3-528-09609-8. (70+4 pages)
  17. ^ Zuse, Konrad (February 1970). "Calculating Space - Translation of: Rechnender Raum" (PDF). MIT Technical Translation. Translated by Aztec School of Languages, Inc. Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. AZT-70-164-GEMIT (Project MAC). Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020. (98 pages); Zuse, Konrad (2012). "Konrad Zuse's Rechnender Raum (Calculating Space)" (PDF). In German, Adrian; Zenil, Hector (eds.). A Computable Universe: Understanding & Exploring Nature as Computation (re-edition in LaTeX with permission of MIT and Zuse's family ed.). World Scientific. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022. (69 pages)
  18. ^ "Weapons Grade: How Modern Warfare Gave Birth To Our High-Tech World", David Hambling. Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2006. ISBN 0-7867-1769-6, ISBN 978-0-7867-1769-9. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  19. Schmidhuber, Jürgen (19 August 2021). "1941: Konrad Zuse completes the first working general-purpose computer, based on his 1936 patent application". Universita della Svizzera Italiana.
  20. Bruderer, Herbert (2021). Milestones in Analog and Digital Computing (3rd ed.). Springer. pp. 1009, 1087. ISBN 978-3030409739.
  21. ^ Schofield, Jack (20 December 1995). "Konrad Zuse: First on the digital track". The Guardian. p. 13.
  22. Lee, J. A. N. (1995). "Konrad Zuse". computer.org. IEEE Computer Society and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  23. ^ Spode, Hasso (1994). Engel, Helmut; Jersch-Wenzel, Stefi; Treue, Wilhelm (eds.). Der Computer – eine Erfindung aus Kreuzberg, Methfesselstraße 10/Oranienstraße 6. Geschichtslandschaft Berlin: Orte und Ereignisse (5 volumes) (in German). Vol. 5: Kreuzberg. Berlin, Germany: Nicolai. pp. 418–429. ISBN 3-87584-474-2.
  24. "Konrad Zuse" Archived 29 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Gap System. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  25. "Mathematicians during the Third Reich and World War II", Technical University of Munich. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  26. ^ Zuse, Konrad (1993). Wössner, Hans (ed.). The Computer, My Life. Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany: Springer-Verlag. pp. 12–13, 75. ISBN 978-3-540-56453-9. pp. 12–13: The only problem was that the progressive spirit at our school did not always correspond to my parents' ideas. This was particularly true for religious instruction, which now and again seemed even to us pupils to be rather too enlightened. After the 'Abitur' my parents wanted to go to communion with me; it was a terrible disappointment to them when I wouldn't go. They had lived under the illusion that I was a good student when it came to religion, too, which wasn't the case. I remember a poem presented by a student, which made a great impression on me. The essence of the poem read, "Basically, you are always alone". I have forgotten the name of the poet, but have often experienced the truth of these words in later life.
  27. Lippe, Wolfram-M. "Kapitel 14: Die ersten programmierbaren Rechner" [Chapter 14: The First Programmable Computer]. Die Geschichte der Rechenautomaten [The History of Computing Machines]. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 May 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  28. Kathrin Chod, Herbert Schwenk and Hainer Weißpflug, Berliner Bezirkslexikon: Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Berlin: Haude & Spener / Edition Luisenstadt, 2003, p. 52. ISBN 3-7759-0474-3.
  29. St. Amant, Kirk; Still, Brian. Handbook of research on open source software Idea Group. 2007. ISBN 978-1-59140-999-1. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  30. Selig, Bernd (October 2011). "Bomber über Kreuzberg". Kreuzberger Chronik (in German). Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany: Außenseiter Verlag. Archived from the original on 3 August 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  31. "Germany's Secret Weapons in World War II", Roger Ford. Zenith Imprint, 2000. ISBN 0-7603-0847-0, ISBN 978-0-7603-0847-9. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  32. "The S1 and S2 Computing Machines — Konrad Zuse´s Work for the German Military 1941–1945", Atypon Link. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  33. Konrad Zuse: Der Plankalkül Archived 12 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine. PhD thesis, 1945
  34. ^ Knuth & Pardo: The early development of programming languages. In Nicholas Metropolis (Ed): History of Computing in the Twentieth Century, p. 203.
  35. "Konrad Zuse im Schloss zu Hopferau". www.hopferau.de. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  36. Schmidhuber, Jürgen (19 August 2021). "1941: Konrad Zuse completes the first working general-purpose computer, based on his 1936 patent application". Universita della Svizzera Italiana.
  37. Bruderer, Herbert. "Did Alan Turing interrogate Konrad Zuse in Göttingen in 1947?" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  38. Lippe, Wolfram M. (13 April 2010) . "Kapitel 14 – Die ersten programmierbaren Rechner" (PDF) (in German). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2010. was not a little surprised when he found the Z4, which was already a bit battered from the outside, set up in a horse stable. Nevertheless, he dictated to Zuse a simple differential equation that Zuse could immediately program, demonstrate on the machine and solve. After that he concluded a contract with Zuse: the Z4 should be loaned to the ETH after a thorough overhaul and cleaning.
  39. Bruderer (2021), p. 1098
  40. "Part 7 (continued): The Zuse KG". Archived from the original on 11 May 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) Horst Zuse, EPE Online, archived on 11 May 2009 from the original Archived 28 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  41. "The Life and Work of Konrad Zuse". Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) Horst Zuse, EPE Online, archived on 29 June 2009 from the original Archived 18 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  42. "Ursula Walk, geb. 1925". www.get-it.tu-berlin.de. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018.
  43. Rojas, Raúl; Hashagen, Ulf (2002). The First Computers: History and Architectures. MIT Press. p. 292. ISBN 978-0-262-68137-7. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  44. Joachim Hohmann: Der Plankalkül im Vergleich mit algorithmischen Sprachen. Reihe Informatik und Operations Research, S. Toeche-Mittler Verlag, Darmstadt 1979, ISBN 3-87820-028-5.
  45. ^ "Graphomat Z64 (in German)". www.zuse.de.
  46. "Pioneer Work: Frieder Nake". www.heikewerner.com.
  47. Rechnender Raum (PDF), Elektronische Datenverarbeitung, 8: 336–344, 1967.
  48. "Automata and punched card machines: Helix tower". Deutsches Museum. 2015. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  49. Böttiger, Helmut (26 October 2011). "Der Philosoph - Die technische Keimzelle". In Rabenseifner, Adolf (ed.). Konrad Zuse: Erfinder, Unternehmer, Philosoph und Künstler (in German) (1 ed.). Petersberg, Germany: Michael Imhof Verlag. pp. 69–75 . ISBN 978-3-86568-743-2. (128 pages)
  50. Rojas, Paul (August 2015). "Reconstruction of the Z1 Computer". Paul Rojas, Professor of Artificial Intelligence. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023.
  51. Zuse, Konrad (1984). Der Computer – Mein Lebenswerk [The Computer, My Life's Work] (in German) (1 ed.). Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag. p. X. ISBN 3-540-56292-3.
  52. "Konrad Zuse – Biography, History and Inventions". History Computer. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  53. Jane Smiley (2010). The Man Who Invented the Computer: The Biography of John Atanasoff, Digital Pioneer. Random House Digital, Inc. ISBN 978-0-385-52713-2. Like Alan Turing, Zuse was educated in a system that focused on a child's emotional and philosophical life as well as his intellectual life, and at the end of school, like Turing, Zuse found himself to be something of an outsider—to the disappointment of his very conventional parents, he no longer believed in God or religion.
  54. Martin Campbell-Kelly (21 December 1995). "OBITUARY : Konrad Zuse". The Independent.
  55. Lee, J. A. N. (30 September 2004). "Konrad Zuse". ei.cs.vt.edu. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022.
  56. "Konrad Zuse: 1999 Fellow". computerhistory.org. Computer History Museum. Archived from the original on 3 July 2012.
  57. Zwernemann-Blech, Irene. "Zuse-Jahr 2010". www.horst-zuse.homepage.t-online.de.
  58. Zuse-Jahr 2010 – zum 100. Geburtstag des Computerpioniers Konrad Zuse Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin, 19 April 2010 (in German)

Further reading

  • Zuse, Konrad. Direction-bound engraving tool with program control. U.S. Patent 3163936
  • U.S. Patents 3234819; 3306128; 3408483; 3356852; 3316442
  • Jürgen Alex, Hermann Flessner, Wilhelm Mons, Horst Zuse: Konrad Zuse: Der Vater des Computers. Parzeller, Fulda 2000, ISBN 3-7900-0317-4
  • Raul Rojas (ed.): Die Rechenmaschinen von Konrad Zuse. Springer, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-540-63461-4.
  • Wilhelm Füßl (ed.): 100 Jahre Konrad Zuse. Einblicke in den Nachlass, München 2010, ISBN 978-3-940396-14-3.
  • Jürgen Alex: "Wege und Irrwege des Konrad Zuse." In: Spektrum der Wissenschaft (German edition of Scientific American) 1/1997, ISSN 0170-2971.
  • Hadwig Dorsch: Der erste Computer. Konrad Zuses Z1 – Berlin 1936. Beginn und Entwicklung einer technischen Revolution. Mit Beiträgen von Konrad Zuse und Otto Lührs. Museum für Verkehr und Technik, Berlin 1989.
  • Clemens Kieser: "'Ich bin zu faul zum Rechnen': Konrad Zuses Computer Z22 im Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie Karlsruhe." In: Denkmalpflege in Baden-Württemberg, 4/34/2005, Esslingen am Neckar, S. 180–184, ISSN 0342-0027.
  • Mario G. Losano (ed.), Zuse. L'elaboratore nasce in Europa. Un secolo di calcolo automatico, Etas Libri, Milano 1975, pp. XVIII–184.
  • Arno Peters: Was ist und wie verwirklicht sich Computer-Sozialismus: Gespräche mit Konrad Zuse. Verlag Neues Leben, Berlin 2000, ISBN 3-355-01510-5.
  • Paul Janositz: Informatik und Konrad Zuse: "Der Pionier des Computerbaus in Europa – Das verkannte Genie aus Adlershof." In: Der Tagesspiegel Nr. 19127, Berlin, 9. März 2006, Beilage Seite B3.
  • Jürgen Alex: Zum Einfluß elementarer Sätze der mathematischen Logik bei Alfred Tarski auf die drei Computerkonzepte des Konrad Zuse. TU Chemnitz 2006.
  • Alex, Jürgen (2007). Zur Entstehung des Computers – Von Alfred Tarski zu Konrad Zuse – Tertium non datur. Düsseldorf, Germany: VDI-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-18-150051-4. ISSN 0082-2361.
  • Herbert Bruderer: Konrad Zuse und die Schweiz. Wer hat den Computer erfunden? Charles Babbage, Alan Turing und John von Neumann Oldenbourg Verlag, München 2012, XXVI, 224 Seiten, ISBN 978-3-486-71366-4

External links

Computer hardware designed by Konrad Zuse
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