History
The PTB was originally founded in 1887 as the Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt (PTR) (the Physical and Technical Institute of the German Reich). The goal of the organization was supervising and directing calibration and establishing metrological standards. Research areas included spectroscopy, photometry, electrical engineering, and cryogenics. Werner von Siemens was instrumental in its establishment. Until 1934 the PTR was part of the Reichsinnenministerium (the Reich's Ministry of Interior Affairs). After 1934 it became part of the Reichserziehungsministerium (the Reich's Ministry of Education).
The Institute’s board of directors included Heinrich Konen and Walther Nernst around 1930, Albert Einstein (1917–1933), Ludwig Prandtl, and Max Planck, as well as representatives from Siemens AG, Krupp, and Zeiss. Its presidents were:
- Hermann von Helmholtz (1887–1892)
- Friedrich Kohlrausch (1892–1905)
- Walther Nernst (1922–1924)
- Friedrich Paschen (1924–1933)
- Johannes Stark (1933–1939)
- Abraham Esau (1939–1945).
Max von Laue was the Physics advisor from 1925 to December 1933.
In 1932 the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt had 292 employees; 443 in 1937; over 500 around 1942; about 1500 in 2002 and 1744 in 2008. After the end of World War II in 1945 it was renamed to the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (the Federal Institute of Physical and Technical Affairs) and serves as the national metrology institute.
Read more about this topic: Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
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