Peter Henlein biography Inventor of Pocket Watch

Peter Henlein biography and Profile

Peter Henlein (c. 1479 / 1480 in Nuremberg, † August 1542) was a German locksmith, and probably the inventor of the wearable Clock in Germany.

Over the life of Peter Henlein little certain is known. 1509 he was a master locksmith. 1512 he is John Cochlaus in its short description of Germany (Brevis Germaniae descriptio) mentioned as producing smaller, portable mechanical clocks, which are to run 40 hours, whether worn in the belt or neck pouch. The Colchäus Agency after Henlein is the first in Germany, the realized wearable watches.

A doubt produced by Henlein Clock is not known. The recently emerged, 1505 (Roman MDV), dated Clock Bisamapfel in housing is because of the monogram Henlein be associated with PHN.

Henlein portable clocks probably had a case in cans or drum shape and were equipped with hour strike. According to another theory, his clocks were built in case of spherical Bisamäpfeln. These forms are not to be confused with the Nuremberg eggs, which were built after Henlein death.

Peter Henlein, who built on clocks, brought it to prominence and some prosperity. As early as 1511 he was next to Albrecht Dürer was one of the major Nuremberg artists and craftsmen. Among its customers there are German kings and princes. Nuremberg city records Henlein call from the 1520s frequently as a contractor and the payee. According to the Nuremberg city records in 1524 he received on 11 January 15 fl for a “vergulten pysn Apffel for all things with an Oraiologium.

Like few accurate survival data are transmitted to the birth year is also just as a back account for the year of his master’s examination. The 500th Return of his alleged birthday (1979) was accompanied by substantial public disputes. Its well late August 1542 death knell makes the book of St. Sebald in Nuremberg between 4 June 14 September 1542 document.

For the watchmakers stem the German-speaking Peter Henlein applies for centuries as a historical figure of integration of national importance. The movie romanticizing the immortal heart of Veit Harlan in 1939, however, has greatly contributed to the confusion. A final assessment of the Nuremberg is still pending.

In 1842 the series includes 64 plaques in the “Walhalla”, created for persons for whom no portrait templates were available, with the plaque for the watchmaker.

Formed in 1905 as a monument of Peter-Henlein fountain with bronze statue of the watchmaker to design the sculptor Max Meissner (cast in the foundry Lenz in Nuremberg). Location of the Memorial Fountain Square is the Nuremberg Hefner Lorenzer in Old Town.

2010 was in Nuremberg named the Peter Henlein Secondary School in the watchmaker.

Many streets bear his name, except in his hometown of Nuremberg for example, in Bad Kissingen, Künzell or Forchheim.