Heinrich Hertz: The pioneer of wireless communication and his legacy in Karlsruhe

Heinrich Hertz: The pioneer of wireless communication and his legacy in Karlsruhe

Heinrich Hertz, an outstanding physicist of the 19th century, taught at the Karlsruhe University of Technology, the forerunner of today's Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), from 1885 to 1889. During this short but significant time, he conducted groundbreaking experiments that laid the foundations of modern communications technology. As the first proof of electromagnetic waves, he not only proved their existence, but also their behavior, which is similar to that of light waves. This discovery was crucial for the development of wireless communications and radio technology.

The work of Hertz, who is considered the founder of high-frequency and radio technology, is still of immense importance today. Just a few years after his death in 1894, there were regular radio services that even bridged the Atlantic. Hertz, who was initially skeptical about Karlsruhe, eventually found a laboratory in the city that offered excellent conditions for his research. Despite his discoveries, Hertz was not interested in their practical applications, something he might have later regretted after his death a few years into his early career.

Innovations in radio technology

His predecessor Ferdinand Braun, who held the chair of physics in Karlsruhe from 1883 to 1885, was also a central figure in the development of radio technology. Braun invented the electron tube named after him, which enabled not only television but also the development of scanning electron microscopes. He improved the system for frequency coordination between transmitter and receiver and was inspired by Guglielmo Marconi. This ultimately led to the first transatlantic radio transmission in 1901.

Heinrich Hertz carried out his experiments in a special lecture hall at KIT, using a ball spark gap as a transmitter and a slotted wire ring as a receiver. On November 11, 1886, he achieved the first proof of the propagation of electromagnetic waves. With wavelengths between 30 and 100 centimeters and frequencies from 1000 to 300 MHz, he set standards in high-frequency research.

The legacy of Heinrich Hertz

The work Hertz does has a profound impact on society and demonstrates the important role of fundamental research. The unit of frequency, “Hertz” (Hz), is named in the physicist’s honor and illustrates his lasting influence on science. In his private life, he married the daughter of a colleague and started a family before moving to Bonn for work after four years in Karlsruhe. Despite his early death from blood poisoning at just 36, Hertz left an extraordinary legacy.

KIT, proud to count Hertz among its academic ancestry, today employs around 10,000 people and has 22,800 students. The institution is recognized as one of Germany's universities of excellence and is committed to researching global challenges in the areas of energy, mobility and information.

The technologies based on Hertz's discoveries are now ubiquitous and have a significant impact on our communications society. It is not only the scientific achievement, but also the inspiration that Hertz offers current and future generations of scientists.

For more information about Heinrich Hertz's achievements, visit the website KIT, the University of Marburg and des KIT.