RIEDLER, Alois
* 15. 5. 1850, Graz, Austria
† 25. 10. 1936, Semmering, Austria
Mechanical engineer
R. was born as a son of a painter in Graz and studied mechanical engineering. First he worked as an assistant at the Institute of Technology in Brno and as a designer of machines and a teacher of mechanical engineering in Vienna. In 1880 he joined the Institute of Technology in Munich as Associate Professor and in 1883 the Institute of Technology in Aachen. R. found his university home between 1888 and 1921 in a Technical University in Berlin-Charlottenburg. In 1895 R. organized the first engineering laboratory, wrote a fundamental work on mechanical drawing and, in addition to many other activities, focused on high-speed pumps and fans, which were at first constructed by using control valves. As Johann von →Radinger R. also propagated the use of high-speed machines to achieve greater economy. In addition to that he dealt with with the mining machines in detail and crucially influenced the development of the steam turbines construction. R. was a vigorous proponent of practically-oriented engineering education, which should be closely connected with the highest scientific level of education.
He also contributed to the introduction of the title graduate engineer and PhD after completing the study at technical universities. In 1899 he convinced Kaiser Wilhelm II to allow technical universities to award doctorates. R. was appointed the school's principal and was a member of Emperor’s narrowest circle of gentlemen. A secret councillor R., a lifetime member of the Prussian House of Lords, was an honorary Senator and Honorary Doctor of a number of German universities and an awardee the Grashof medal. The Austrian Engineers' and Architects' Association appointed him honorary member in 1900.
