August 22

© 1997, 1998 by Paul A. Schons

August 22, 1818

Birth of Rudolf von Jehring in Aurich, Germany. Jehring was a legal scholar specializing in Roman law. He developed the notion that the purpose of law is the protection of the individual in a balance with social interests. In the case of conflict though he gave primacy to the interests of society.

August 22, 1828

Death of Franz Joseph Gall in Paris (born in Tiefenbronn, Germany). Gall concluded from his research that mental functions are localized in given areas of the brain. This was considered contrary to religion at the time and laws were passed against his findings and he was forced to leave Austria, where he was working. History proved that he was correct in his conclusions. However he also concluded that one could determine personality and intelligence from examining the skull (phrenology). In the latter matter he was incorrect.

August 22, 1860

Birth of Paul Gottlieb Nipkow in Lauenburg, Germany. Nipkow was an electronic engineer who developed the scanning principle of television. To effect a workable television he developed the Nipkow disk (now outdated by electronic devices).

August 22, 1874

Birth of the philosopher, Max Scheler in Munich, Germany. Scheler was interested in social and ethical philosophy. He is noted for phenomenological philosophy. He served as professor of philosophy and sociology at the University of Cologne.

August 22, 1902

Birth of Leni Riefenstahl in Berlin, Germany. Riefenstahl produced many of the Nazi documentary films of the 30's. Sieg des Glaubens, Triumph des Willens and Olympia are among her better known films. Although she produced films for the Nazis, there has been no evidence that she was ever directly responsible for any war crimes.

August 22, 1914

In World War I Japan declares war against Germany.

August 22, 1928

Birth of Karlheinz Stockhausen in Mödrath, Germany. Stockhausen is a theoretician of and composer of electronic music. In 1953 he joined the electronic-music studio of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk. His compositions include Hymnen, Zodiac and Licht.

August 22, 1929

Death of Otto Liman von Sanders in Munich, Germany. In 1913 Liman, a German general, was appointed head of the German military mission in Turkey with the purpose of reorganizing and building the Turkish army. His major victory was at the head of the Turkish 5th Army which forced the British and Australian troops out of the Dardanelles in World War I.

August 22, 1985

Death of Paul Peter Ewald in Ithaca, N.Y. (born in Berlin, Germany). Ewald was a physicist who worked with X-ray interference by crystals. He completed his doctorate at the University of Munich. In 1949 he immigrated to the United States and worked at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, N.Y. He was president of the International Union of Crystallography from 1960 - 1963.