Papers of Hans Reissner (1874-1967), aeronautical engineer, physicist, professor, and researcher. Reissner designed the first successful aircraft with all-metal wing and tail surfaces and the first controllable-pitch propeller. He began his career in Germany, working with Ferdinand Zeppelin, Hugo Junkers and also teaching. He immigrated to the United States in 1938 and taught at the Illinois Institute of Technology (1938-1944) and the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (1944-1954). Materials include correspondence, much of it relating to German aviation development in the early twentieth century; published and unpublished articles documenting Reissner's work in Germany and the United States; propeller patents (1919-1946); an aerial bombing chart (1915); teaching materials dated after 1937; photographs of early German aircraft; and, photographs of Hans Reissner. The Hans Reissner Papers are arranged in eight series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS BY HANS REISSNER, 4) WRITINGS OF OTHERS, 5) LECTURES AND TEACHING MATERIAL, 6) PATENTS, 7) SUBJECT FILES, and 8) ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES.

Hans Jacob Reissner was born on January 18, 1874, in Berlin, Germany. He earned a degree in civil engineering from Berlin's Technische Hochschule in 1897, then spent a year in the United States working as a structural draftsman. Reissner returned to Germany to study physics with Max Planck at Berlin University. In 1900 he changed direction and attended the Technische Hochschule, where he studied under Heinrich Mueller-Breslau and completed one of the first engineering doctorates in 1902. His dissertation was on vibrations of framed structures. Reissner joined the faculty at Berlin's Technische Hochschule, but he also worked on outside projects, including structural analysis for Count Zeppelin. In 1904, he was awarded a fellowship to study the use of iron in construction in the United States.

4.00 linear feet (6 archives boxes and 5 oversize folders.)

Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.

Collection is open for research.