Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel (1858 - abt. 1913)

Biography

Rudolf Diesel is Notable.

Inventor of the diesel engine. Mysteriously disappeared from on board the SS Dresden.^[1] "10 days later, crew of the Coertzen came upon the corpse of a man floating in the North Sea near Norway and retrieved personal items (pill case, wallet, I.D. card, pocketknife, eyeglass case) from the clothing of the dead man, and returned the body to the sea. On 13 October, these items were identified by Rudolf's son, Eugen Diesel, as belonging to his father."^[2]

Diesel was born in the house Rue Notre Dame de Nazareth No. 38 in Paris, France in 1858, the second of three children of Elise (née Strobel) and Theodor Diesel.^[3]

In 1858, Rudolf Diesel was born in Paris, France, to German immigrant parents. He spent the first 12 years of his childhood in France, but by 1870, the Franco-German war (also known as the Franco-Prussian war) became a threat and his family was deported. They emigrated to London, and from there young Rudolf was sent to Augsburg, Germany, to finish his education. He lived there with his aunt and uncle, and his uncle would teach him German. His uncle also taught math at the Royal Circle Vocational College, where he would go to school. Upon graduation, he was to study at the Munich Polytechnic Institute.^[4]

While attending the Polytechnic Institute, he became ill and fought Typhoid fever. This delayed his graduation by one year. During this year, Diesel worked at an engineering facility in Switzerland, expanding his knowledge and experience. He did graduate the following year in 1880 with honors. He then worked in the field of refrigeration technology. After graduation, he moved to Paris, France to work with his mentor and former professor, Karl Paul Gottfried von Linde, at the Linde Refrigeration Machinery plant.^[4]

Notes

His father, 28 years old, born in Augsburg, wallet maker; his mother, Anne Elise Frédérique (Friederike) Strobel, 32 years old, born in Nürnberg. His godparents were: Jean Auguste Rodolphe Diesel, playing cards maker, in Augsburg; and his wife Christiana Popp, both absent and represented. Parents were married on 9 September 1855 (?).^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia: SS Dresden (1896)
2. ↑ Wikipedia: Rudolf Diesel
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Acte de naissance (reconstitution), Rodolphe Chrétien Charles Diesel, Reconstitution chronologique des actes de naissances (série V.2E), 1550-1870 Naissances 15-22 mars 1858, N° de film 007840300 Images 1120-1122, FamilySearch, Sept 2019
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Study.com: Rudolf Diesel: Biography

See also:

• Wikidata: Item Q12674, de:Wikipedia
• Find A Grave: Memorial #16273257 for Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel
• Deutsche Biographie Rudolf Diesel
• "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:243C-D1D : 10 February 2018), Rudolf in entry for Rudolf Diesel and Marie Besold, 20 January 1911; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,613,072.
• "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924". Citing Page: 161; Affiliate Publication Title: Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York , New York, 1897-1957; Affiliate Line Number: 0005; FHL microfilm: 1400285. FamilySearch Record: JJ63-QJ4 (accessed 3 April 2022) FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9T3-T7SM-G Image number 0. Name: Rudolf Diesel; Immigration Date: 29 Nov 1910; Immigration Place: Ellis Island, New York City, New York, United States; Birth Date: 1884; Marital Status: Single; Nationality: Germany, German; Residence Place: Munich, Germany; Age: 26; Event Place Sup: Ellis Island, New York City, New York, United States; Event Place Year Range: 1892-1955; Departure Port Name: Boulogne; Ship Name: Potsdam; XDep Contact Name: Dr Diesel; XDep Contact Name Gn: Dr; XDep Contact Name Surn: Diesel; XFs Unique Id: 1003028661842; XPr Arr Date: 29 November 1910; XPr Arr Dep Port: New York.
• Brunt, Douglas. The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I. New York, New York: ATRIA BOOKS. September 2023. ISBN 978-1-9821-6990-9.