When it comes to creativity, it’s German inventors that have created and developed some of the best and most-loved items in the world.
From food to gadgets, there’s no denying the intelligence and brilliance of German inventors. Indeed, it’s thanks to them that we have computers that are so fundamental to both our working and personal lives today.
Yet it’s not just gadgets that the Germans created.
They are also the creators of some of our favorite clothes and foods. Who can guess what they might invent in the future!
In the meantime, here are some of our favorite German inventors and their creations:
1. The Denim Jeans
Just about every person reading this has a pair of jeans in their cupboard. Jeans are, without a doubt, one of the most iconic pieces of clothing in the world. So, who do we thank for much-loved skinny jeans?
Well, most of us believe jeans to be an American invention, but this is only half true. It’s actually down to German inventors that we have the famous denim that we adore today.
In 1851, a German man called Levi Strauss moved to New York to work with his brother. In 1853 he moved to San Francisco to open a new branch of his family’s dry goods business. One of these goods was cotton cloth, and he started trades with a tailor called Jacob W. Davis.
Davis, the tailor, got an order for a sturdy pair of trousers from a customer. It was then that he used the denim he bought from Levi Strauss and created the first pair of jeans. Davis and Strauss became partners and patented the concept of the jean. In fact, the most famous brand of jeans in the world is named after Levi Strauss himself.
2. The First Computer
Can you imagine a world without computers? We’re all so used to the convenience of our laptops, tablets, and smartphones, that it’s hard to think about how we would cope without them.
The first computer was the brainchild of Konrad Zuse, who was born in Berlin in 1910. A civil engineering graduate, he began working for the Henschel Aircraft Company and would spend his spare time building what was to become a prototype for the first computer. Known as ZI, he continued working with his inventions through WWII.
This tinkering ended in the completion of Z3, the world’s first programmed computer. Unfortunately, his Z1-3 inventions were destroyed in the war. However, he went on to create the Z4 and sell it to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. At that time, it was the only working computer in the whole of Europe.
So, the next time you’re happily scrolling through your phone, give thanks to the German inventors who created the first computer. Otherwise, we might not have the technology we have today!
3. Hot Dogs
Hot dogs might be most associated with food eaten at American sports games, but this delicious treat was first created by German inventors.
Like many inventions, there is a lot of contention as to who actually created the hot dog first. Most people agree, though, that the first hot dogs were developed in 1487 in Frankfurt. Hence the name of frankfurter being used for sausages.
This little snack really came into society after German immigrants moved to New York. Here they would sell hot dogs from carts on the street. These days, hot dogs are still sold on nearly every street corner in Manhattan and are one of New York’s most iconic features.
4. Making Paper Recyclable
One of the most important German inventors was Justus Claproth. In 1774, Claproth developed a process for removing printing ink from paper. Called deinking, this process is incredibly important for our planet, as it allows used paper to be re-processed and made into new paper.
The actual process of deinking can feel complicated. However, at its most basic, the paper is dunked into the water which has specific chemicals in it, which aim to remove any ink that has been added to the paper. The process leaves you with a pulp that is then re-purposed into new paper.
Without deinking, we would be unable to recycle certain paper. This means that more forests and trees would be cut down, which is detrimental to our planet.
5. The Washing Machine
You never realize just how much we rely on your washing machine until it breaks. True, it’s not too bad to hand-wash a few of your clothes. The problem comes when you have a full family’s worth of dirty washing and no machine to help you out.
Another one which is credited to German inventors, one of the earliest prototypes for the washing machine was published in 1767 by Jacob Christian Schaffer. The journal, titled ‘Die bequeme und höchstvortheilhafte Waschmaschine’ was one of the earliest designs for the washing machine.
The machines we know today were further developed by other inventors, but there’s no denying that Schaffer was fundamental in designing the most useful gadget we have in our homes. Yet, it wasn’t just the washing machine that Schaffer is famous for.
The inventor also wrote publications on the use of plants in medicine and even invented a type of saw and furnace.
Valuable people I really appreciate people who bring innovation to our life.