Page 14

HAMBURG:
ilngenteur I'cIwUe
      by hans j. thiede
  Editor's N~ote: Techn ii cal education in postwar Germany can-
not be compared directly u'ith that in /lmerica. This article is
written by a Cernian engi'neering student in Hamburg, and hc
describes the methods and opportunities available to the techni-
cal student in Germany twho is interested in obtaining an engi-
neering education.
  Hamburg being an industrial center as well as a seaport
always required a great staff of engineers. The situation
has changed after the war however, and about five per
cent of all engineers and technicians living in Hamburg
are unemployed now. Compared with figures from other
parts of Western Germany, it does not seem too much as
we have a considerably higher percentage in Bavaria for
instance (ten per cent).
  Since there is no technical department at Hamburg
University, education in engineering is restricted to tech-
nical schools; i.e., the "Ingenieur-Schule", the "Bau-
schule", and the "Wagenbein-Schule".
  To start with is the "Ingenieur-Schule," or Engineer
School as you would say. There are four departments at
this school:
  1) Machine-building
  2) Ship-building
  3) Electrical Engineering
  4) Telegraphy and telephony
Each department includes five terms or half-years, and
at the end of the fifth term there is an examination by
a committee consisting of representatives of the govern-
ment and concerned industries. All students having passed
this exam get a certificate and are entitled to call them-
M"ain buii'0dng which was bombed during the war. Recon-
struction can' be seen on the right wing and fifth floor.
14
(photos by Kutrt von Deessen)
          The engine shed of the Ingenieur Schule.
selves "engineer".
  In order to pick out the most efficient of the applicants,
all would-be-students have to submit themselves to an
examination in mathematics, physics, chemistry, mechani-
cal drawing, and have to write an essay on a given subject
of general interest. The school has to do some sort of
selection because applications are plenty, even though
industry never absorbs as many engineers as the school
turns out every half-year.
  As to the method of learning, we do not have courses
from which we are more or less at liberty to choose. We
have to take all lessons which are offered to your class.
That seems very much on high school lines, but you have
to remember that there is a lot of knowledge to acquire
in five terms. You take at least eight terms at your Uni-
versities. This might justify our method to a certain
degree, but since we are in close touch with universities,
progress is being made to introduce lecturing at Engineer
Schools.
  As to the subjects in machine building, there are lessons
in mathematics, (including differential and integral cal-
culus), mechanical drawing, statics, kinematics, hydro-
statics, dynamics, electrical engineering, machine parts,
physics, motors, steam engines, turbines, lifting engines
and production. Here the various methods of technical
production, particularly mass production, are talked over,
different phases in the making of machine parts, calcula-
tions etc. During each term every student has to do some
sort of construction job just to show that he has under-
                  (pleare turn to page 27)
                  THE WISCONSIN ENGINEER