Ferdinand Redtenbacher: Hohentwiel near Singen, 1858, 41.7 × 32.9 cm, oil painting on cardboard. KIT Archives 28501/18.
The painting of Hohentwiel mountain is by Ferdinand Redtenbacher (1809–1863). Redtenbacher taught mechanical engineering at Karlsruhe Polytechnical College and served as its director from 1857 to 1863. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Mechanico-Technical School in 1847, which later evolved into KIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. His efforts in shaping the curriculum made the Polytechnical College a major attraction for students from across Europe and beyond by around 1850. Redtenbacher’s teaching approach emphasized a solid foundation in mathematics and the use of models and blackboard drawings in lectures to illustrate construction principles. He deeply valued “the cultural development of the industrial public in general,” toward improving the social status of engineers through education in history and literature. This broader educational perspective was influenced by his personal interests in philosophy, literature, and painting. His painting Hohentwiel bei Singen exemplifies Redtenbacher’s artistic interests. The castle on Hohentwiel mountain is a setting in the historical novel Ekkehard by Victor von Scheffel, published in 1855, and according to the inscription on the back of the painting frame, this literary work was the inspiration for Redtenbacher’s work of art. kn
Ferdinand J. Redtenbacher devoted great effort to developing the underlying theory of mechanical engineering, as his body of work demonstrates. His high level of technical insight earned him the distinctive title of “founder of scientific mechanical engineering.” This theoretical advancement of mechanical engineering as a science, with its decidedly innovative character, also invites consideration of his underlying philosophical views, which may have influenced his approach to technology. Biographical sources suggest that Redtenbacher was deeply interested in the philosophy of his time, dating back to his student years in Vienna, when he was under twenty. At that time, Immanuel Kant’s latest works were on the index of banned books. However, this did not deter Redtenbacher and a circle of his peers from acquiring and studying these works in secret — an act that could have led to severe imprisonment. Notes on his life reveal that he continued to study philosophy, especially from the Age of Enlightenment, to the end of his days. The writings of thinkers of that period not only captivated him but likely also influenced his reflective thought. Redtenbacher’s affinity for Kant’s philosophy, which was highly influential at the time and explored paradigm shifts, was grounded in the call to “use one’s own understanding” and “free oneself from self-imposed immaturity” This suggests that Redtenbacher likely applied these principles to practical fields such as technology. The integration of empirical knowledge into a theoretical scientific system, structured around a priori forms of thought, is a key aspect of Enlightenment thinking. There are indications that Redtenbacher was also influenced by Wilhelm von Humboldt’s educational theory, which centered on a foundation in philosophical knowledge. Redtenbacher’s approach in Karlsruhe reflects this, as he integrated philosophy and other subjects in the humanities into the study of technology, particularly mechanical engineering. This inclusion of broader teaching content highlights his deep interest in society, as encapsulated in the surviving quote: his “endeavors as a teacher … were not only focused on the theory of machines,” but also on the “cultural development of the industrial public,” which was equally important to him. Redtenbacher’s humanistic outlook is also evident in his ethical and social commentary. For instance, he lamented the absence of a “humane standpoint” in “industrial activity.” The ideals of the Age of Enlightenment were closely tied to significant social upheavals and indeed revolutions in many countries during that period. This culminated in the attempt to establish a new democratic order through the Frankfurt National Assembly in 1848–49. Redtenbacher was nominated to represent his hometown of Steyr at the assembly, likely due to his convictions, but he ultimately declined the delegation. Even these few references reveal that the intellectually so gifted Redtenbacher engaged deeply in the scientific and theoretical reflections of this pivotal philosophical and social era, applying them innovatively to his field. His philosophically inspired approach, which prioritized human reason over a purely empirical-mechanistic understanding of knowledge, is perhaps best encapsulated in the quote handed down on a print of his portrait: “Wherever something stirs, mechanics is involved; but minds do not stir through mechanics.” Enrico Savio