Konrad Zuse's 1941 Patent Application - Unesco
Konrad Zuse's 1941 Patent Application - Unesco
Konrad Zuse's 1941 Patent Application - Unesco
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Memory of the World Register - Nominated Documentary Heritage -...ad <strong>Zuse's</strong> <strong>1941</strong> <strong>Patent</strong> <strong>Application</strong> "Rechenvorrichtung" - Germany<br />
Abstract<br />
Identity and Location<br />
Memory of the World Register - Nomination Form<br />
Germany<br />
<strong>Konrad</strong> <strong>Zuse's</strong> <strong>1941</strong> <strong>Patent</strong> <strong>Application</strong> "Rechenvorrichtung"<br />
Abstract<br />
Part A - Essential Information<br />
Identity and Location<br />
Legal Information<br />
Identification<br />
Management Plan<br />
Assessment against the Selection Criteria<br />
Consultation<br />
Nominator<br />
Part B - Subsidiary Information<br />
Assessment of Risk<br />
Preservation Assessment<br />
Nothing has changed the world more rapidly than the emergence of the Computer. The basic<br />
concepts, still valid today, were developed in a period of about 20 years, from 1935 to 1955.<br />
Quite a few names are associated or credited with this development, but one of the first ranks<br />
undoubtedly belongs to <strong>Konrad</strong> Zuse (1910-1995) (For further experts confirming this evaluation<br />
please see 3.5 and 3.6). The now famous machine called "Z3" – destroyed during an air raid in<br />
World War II – gave rise in <strong>1941</strong> to the patent application for a "Rechenvorrichtung" (calculating<br />
device), i. e. – though anachronistically speaking – a computer.<br />
Curiously enough, the patent was eventually denied, although the application gave a description<br />
of the structure (or, as it is called today, architecture) of a universal, programme-controlled<br />
calculating – or computing – device. The importance of this patent application as well as the<br />
merits of <strong>Konrad</strong> Zuse have only later been recognized. Nonetheless, the patent application itself<br />
is of utmost interest for the development and for the history of computer science. Being the first<br />
sketch of a nowadays ubiquitous concept, this document is clearly of world significance.<br />
Name of the Documentary Heritage: <strong>Konrad</strong> <strong>Zuse's</strong> <strong>Patent</strong> <strong>Application</strong> "Rechenvorrichtung" of<br />
July 16, <strong>1941</strong><br />
Please note that the German technical term used for "computer" sometimes still is "Rechner" (e.<br />
g. the French use of "ordinateur"). Thus, the title chosen by Zuse for his <strong>1941</strong> patent application<br />
"Rechenvorrichtung" (which today appropriately would be translated as computing device,<br />
although calculating device keeps more of the original flavour) is in perfect accordance even with<br />
our contemporary use of technical terms. It should not mislead anyone into thinking that it was a<br />
simple calculating machine that Zuse was applying for to be patented.<br />
Country: Federal Republic of Germany<br />
State, Province or Region: Hessen<br />
Address:<br />
Gisela Zuse<br />
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Memory of the World Register - Nominated Documentary Heritage -...ad <strong>Zuse's</strong> <strong>1941</strong> <strong>Patent</strong> <strong>Application</strong> "Rechenvorrichtung" - Germany<br />
Legal Information<br />
Identification<br />
Im Haselgrund 21<br />
D-38088 Hünfeld<br />
Germany<br />
Name of Institution: n/a<br />
● Owner: Gisela Zuse<br />
● Custodian: Gisela Zuse<br />
Legal Status:<br />
● Category of ownership: Private<br />
● Details of legal and administrative provisions for the preservation of the<br />
documentary heritage: The "first original", as it may be called, of the patent application<br />
is lost; some minor quality copies and several later drafts do exist<br />
● Accessibility: Copies are available on demand, providing scientific/historic interest [a<br />
transcription can be found in Rojas (1998) 111-141(-193), see Bibliography]<br />
● Copyright status: The family of <strong>Konrad</strong> Zuse owns the copyright<br />
● Responsible administration: The Kulturstiftung der Länder has been authorized by the<br />
Zuse family to take the necessary steps requested by the Memory of the World<br />
programme. Further information is available on request (see "Nominator", "Contact<br />
person").<br />
● Description: The patent application for what later became known as "The Computer".<br />
This is a typoscript of 48 pages, with an additional 12 pages of illustrations. Further, we have<br />
another most interesting situtation: There exist several drafts of different states of the patent<br />
application. This is obviously due to the fact that Zuse in the course of his discussions with the<br />
German patent office(s) – discussions which lasted for more than a quarter of a century – tried to<br />
comply to the requests made by the patent office, but also by several people and/or institutions<br />
having a stake in "computer patents". Every such draft or version contains some minor or major<br />
changes when compared to its predecessor, either in the wording of the description, or in the<br />
phrasing of the requests made by Zuse. Thus there is a chance to trace in details the<br />
development of one of the fundamental concepts of the 20th century.<br />
(An English translation of the patent application will be prepared in due course)<br />
It seems approriate to point out here that computer – even and especially in the English<br />
speaking world – did not then have the meaning it has today. In those days it meant a human<br />
being, doing calculations (either with or without the help of machines). Only several years later,<br />
some of the major US built machines of this kind, finished in the period 1943 through 1945<br />
(Harvard Mark I, ENIAC etc), were the first devices to be generally called "computers" in its<br />
modern sense of the word. It is well known, even among data processing or computer science<br />
laymen, that concepts for this kind of machines existed well before the name "computer" could<br />
be given to them (e. g. the ideas of Leibniz, Babbage, Turing and others). However, there is no<br />
debate any longer about the priority of <strong>Konrad</strong> Zuse – concerning several aspects and many<br />
details, e. g. computer architecture, or the use of the binary system, or the identity between<br />
logical and mathematical operations, or the floating point representation of numbers etc –, and<br />
also about the fact that <strong>Konrad</strong> <strong>Zuse's</strong> "Z3", finished and demonstrated to several selected<br />
scientists on March 11, <strong>1941</strong>, was the first fully functional computer in the modern meaning of<br />
the word, i. e. a universal, programme-controlled calculating or – as we would or should say<br />
today – computing device with the ability to be programmed also for non-numerical problems, e.<br />
g. chess.<br />
● Bibliographic details: German <strong>Patent</strong> <strong>Application</strong> Nos. Z26476 (<strong>1941</strong>) and Z391 (1951)<br />
● Visual documentation: Copies of the first three pages of the typescript are attached as well<br />
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Memory of the World Register - Nominated Documentary Heritage -...ad <strong>Zuse's</strong> <strong>1941</strong> <strong>Patent</strong> <strong>Application</strong> "Rechenvorrichtung" - Germany<br />
Management Plan<br />
as a picture of the reconstructed "Z3" (found today in the German Museum in Munich).<br />
● History: <strong>Konrad</strong> Zuse (1910-1995) is now internationally recognized as the inventor and<br />
creator of the first programme-controlled universal calculating device – in short: of the Computer.<br />
He conceived of such a machine as early as 1936, and after some trials succeeded in<br />
demonstrating a working relay computer on May 12, <strong>1941</strong>, to some 10 scientists, who reported<br />
favorably on this event. Zuse filed his patent application on July 16, <strong>1941</strong>. The application was<br />
registered as <strong>Patent</strong> <strong>Application</strong> Z26476. Before the <strong>Patent</strong> Office of the "Third Reich" was<br />
closed in 1945, some exchange of questions, remarks, explanations, reformulations, etc. took<br />
place, but without a conclusion being reached. Two years after the German <strong>Patent</strong> Office was<br />
re-erected in 1949, the Zuse KG – the corporation that <strong>Konrad</strong> Zuse had founded in post-World<br />
War II Germany – filed a slightly revised application again in 1951 (now as <strong>Patent</strong> <strong>Application</strong><br />
Z391). After many years of legal discussions, the Federal <strong>Patent</strong> Court of the Federal Republic<br />
of Germany eventually denied the patent on July 14, 1967, due to the "lack of 'height' necessary<br />
for an invention" (mangelnde Erfindungshöhe). Though formally correct, this decision on <strong>Zuse's</strong><br />
patent application is part of what may rightly be considered one of the most curious<br />
misinterpretations in modern patent history. A similar event occurred in 1974 in the United<br />
States, when Judge Larson had to – and did! – decide who should be called "The Inventor of the<br />
Computer [in the U.S.A.]". His decision, too, may well have been formally correct, but is not –<br />
and cannot – be taken seriously by the public, nor is it supported by scientific and historical<br />
research.<br />
The invention of the computer in its modern meaning of the word is a unique feat, though it has<br />
been attributed to several people or groups of people. As this invention fell into the years shortly<br />
before and during World War II, the exchange of ideas was not as it used to be in "normal"<br />
times. Thus, several of these ideas did not surface until many years after they were conceived<br />
(and some of them are still withheld from the public, e. g. in Great Britain). There is an obvious<br />
importance in giving a closed concept of a universal computing device – programmable and not<br />
limited to numerical problems –, and this was what <strong>Konrad</strong> Zuse did in his patent application.<br />
Several of his ideas were "re-invented" independently, due to the circumstances mentioned<br />
above. But, as also pointed out in the Summary, there is no debate now as to who really was the<br />
computer pioneer who not only was the first to have a computer work, but who also – in the form<br />
of his patent application – "published" first on it.<br />
● Bibliography:<br />
❍ Ceruzzi, Paul E.: Reckoners. The Prehistory of the Digital Computer, from Relays<br />
to the Stored Program Concept, 1935-1945.– Westport, CT; London: Greenwood<br />
Press 1983 (= Contributions to the Study of Computer Science 1)<br />
❍ Ceruzzi, Paul E.: A History of Modern Computing.– Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT<br />
Press 1998, pp. 1-12 (Introduction)<br />
❍ Metropolis, Nicolas et al.: A History of Computing in the Twentieth Century.–<br />
Orlando [...]: Academic Press 1980, pp. 611-627<br />
❍ Petzold, Hartmut: Die Ermittlung des "Standes der Technik" und der<br />
"Erfindungshöhe" beim <strong>Patent</strong>verfahren Z391. Dokumentation nach den<br />
Zuse-Papieren.– Bonn: Gesellschaft für Mathematik und Datenverarbeitung mbH<br />
1981<br />
❍ Randell, Brian (ed.): The Origins of Digital Computers. Selected Papers.– Berlin<br />
[...]: Springer 31982.<br />
❍ Rojas, Raúl (Hrsg.): Die Rechenmaschinen von <strong>Konrad</strong> Zuse.– Berlin u. a.:<br />
Springer 1998<br />
❍ Zuse, <strong>Konrad</strong>: Der Computer – Mein Lebenswerk.– Berlin u. a.: Springer 1984<br />
Digitizing the available documents, starting with the first patent application of June <strong>1941</strong> and<br />
continuing until the final decision of the Federal <strong>Patent</strong> Court of Germany.<br />
Assessment against the Selection Criteria<br />
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Memory of the World Register - Nominated Documentary Heritage -...ad <strong>Zuse's</strong> <strong>1941</strong> <strong>Patent</strong> <strong>Application</strong> "Rechenvorrichtung" - Germany<br />
● Influence: It does not seem necessary to point out here in detail what the invention and<br />
subsequent use of the computer have meant for the rapid change of the world during the last fifty<br />
or so years. The part that <strong>Konrad</strong> Zuse played in this "game" has been outlined above and is<br />
sufficiently praised in articles, books and monographs on Computer History. The development of<br />
the field is partially reflected in patent history, of course. The problems with "computer patents"<br />
seem to have their beginning with this application; more difficulties were to follow. This led to a<br />
new attitude of the <strong>Patent</strong> Offices worldwide, concerning the patentability of hardware and,<br />
especially, software.<br />
It seems appropriate here, however, to point out once again that "ideas" usually have one or the<br />
other form of "first [original] document" in which they appear. If this "first original" is lost,<br />
however, the idea is not lost as long as "copies" of this document still exist. There is no parallel<br />
to this in – say – art, where the definitive loss or destruction of a unique work of art leaves no<br />
chance to "recover" the original. Thus things are different concerning ideas, which at the same<br />
time need some kind of documentary manifestation. A copy is of the same importance for<br />
carrying the idea further, making it available to the scientific world and/or the public. It cannot be<br />
said, therefore, that the idea has been lost if the "first original" does no longer exist (as seems to<br />
be the case here).<br />
● Time: Again, it is not necessary to even discuss whether the invention and use of computers<br />
had an immediate impact or not. Although this invention belongs to the most recent past, it has<br />
transformed the world radically.<br />
● Place: Germany during World War II was an extremely unfavourable place for this invention.<br />
The importance of <strong>Zuse's</strong> invention originally was not understood there, and the troubles of war<br />
added to this situation. Although Zuse made his way as a manufacturer of computers in<br />
post-World War II Germany, he was only in later years (around 1965/1970) internationally<br />
recognized as being the pioneer of modern computers.<br />
● People: The patent application in question has been originally written and filed by one of the<br />
outstanding pioneers of the computer and of computer science, <strong>Konrad</strong> Zuse. By his work, Zuse<br />
made a lasting and most significant contribution to the world.<br />
● Subject/Theme: The computer as we know it has been developed in the first half of the 20th<br />
century. Although its invention may – in retrospect – look "natural", it definitely is not. Too many<br />
previous achievements had to be integrated to create a truely universal machine, and there<br />
would have been many different ways to do this. Zuse chose, almost from scratch, all the<br />
features that still characterize today's common computer architecture. In this respect, he was five<br />
to ten years ahead of contemporary developments in, say, the US or in Great Britain. The<br />
difficulties in obtaining a patent (see above 3.4, History) were symptomatic for these early years;<br />
in the 1950s and 1960s many tricks had to be conceived in order to receive patents for<br />
computers. This was due to the fact that the 19th century idea of what a patent should "be" was<br />
very hard to apply to a "universal" machine. In this respect, the (denied) Zuse patent as well as<br />
some others also pioneered a change in the <strong>Patent</strong> Office's view, concerning hardware and –<br />
especially some years later – software.<br />
● Form and Style: The original patent application seems not to have survived. It was a<br />
typescript of 48 pages, plus another 12 pages with 41 illustrations. The best copy available now<br />
belongs to the Zuse family, but of course this copy is of rather poor quality, given the time in<br />
which it was made. The language of the patent application is a "technical" German, as one<br />
would expect. Although it contains some formulae, most of it can easily be read and understood.<br />
● Social Value: As it is commonplace nowadays to speak of the Information Society, which<br />
means the computerized access to information and its processing, there is no need to<br />
demonstrate the social values of the "computer". In fact, the computer is omnipresent, and it<br />
would take more than a book to describe what changes, values, opportunities and risks arose<br />
with it.<br />
● Integrity: The copy of the original patent application as preserved by the Zuse family is the<br />
best approximation to the obviously lost original. The copy is complete, however.<br />
● Rarity: Quite in accordance with the fate of the original machine Z3 (destroyed), the patent<br />
application (denied; this was formally correct, but was basically due to the restrictions and<br />
inadequacies of contemporary patent laws, which have since been internationally amended to<br />
even comprising software), the presumably only, typewritten original was sent to the<br />
"Reichspatentamt" (as Germany's <strong>Patent</strong> Office was then called) – and of course was "lost" (i. e.<br />
most probably destroyed) during World War II. It would not be appropriate, however, to place this<br />
patent application into the category of "Lost Heritage", as a second thought immediately reveals.<br />
An inherent problem with these kinds of documents seems to be that there has been an impact<br />
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Memory of the World Register - Nominated Documentary Heritage -...ad <strong>Zuse's</strong> <strong>1941</strong> <strong>Patent</strong> <strong>Application</strong> "Rechenvorrichtung" - Germany<br />
Consultation<br />
Nominator<br />
on our world, going out from a peculiar document, which may not have survived in its "true"<br />
original form. But as it contained many basic ideas, which may have – and in the case of the<br />
computer surely have – determined a "major theme of world history or culture", these ideas can<br />
even today be seen in their original form from copies, especially if the "first original" has not been<br />
preserved. This is the case here. A contemporary photocopy is the next best thing to the (lost)<br />
"original" that can be provided in such a case, as it contains the original ideas in their original<br />
form.<br />
● Authenticity: The photocopy is obviously an authentic copy of the original.<br />
● Owner: Gisela Zuse, Im Haselgrund 21, D-38088 Hünfeld, Germany<br />
● Custodian: Gisela Zuse<br />
● Regional or National Memory of the World Committee: German National Nomination<br />
Committee<br />
● Independent institutions and experts:<br />
❍ Dr. Hartmut Petzold, Deutsches Museum, Museumsinsel 1, D-80306 München;<br />
T.: ++49 (89) 2179-271<br />
❍ Dr. Paul Ceruzzi, National Museum of Air and Space/Smithsonian Institution,<br />
Washington DC, U.S.A.<br />
❍ Prof. Dr. Raúl Rojas, Institut für Informatik, Fachbereich Informatik, Freie<br />
Universität, Takustraße 9, D-14195 Berlin, Germany<br />
❍ Prof. Dr. Joachim Fischer, Kulturstiftung der Länder, Kurfürstendamm 102,<br />
D-10711 Berlin; T.: ++49-30-893635-13; F.: ++49-30-8914251; e-mail:<br />
ksl@kulturstiftung.de<br />
● Name:<br />
Prof. Dr. Leonhard<br />
President of the National (German) Memory of the World Committee<br />
c/o German Commission for UNESCO<br />
Colmantstraße 15<br />
D-53115 Bonn<br />
Germany<br />
T.: ++49 (228) 60497-0<br />
F.: ++49 (228) 60497-30<br />
E-mail: dispatch@unesco.de<br />
Relationship to documentary heritage: n/a<br />
● Contact person:<br />
Prof. Dr. Karin v. Welck<br />
Kulturstiftung der Länder<br />
Kurfürstendamm 102<br />
D-10711 Berlin<br />
Germany<br />
T.: ++49 (30) 893635-13<br />
F.: ++49 (30) 8914251<br />
E-mail: ksl@kulturstiftung.de<br />
Or<br />
Prof. Dr. Joachim Fischer<br />
Kulturstiftung der Länder<br />
Kurfürstendamm 102<br />
D-10711 Berlin<br />
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Memory of the World Register - Nominated Documentary Heritage -...ad <strong>Zuse's</strong> <strong>1941</strong> <strong>Patent</strong> <strong>Application</strong> "Rechenvorrichtung" - Germany<br />
Assessment of Risk<br />
Germany<br />
Preservation Assessment<br />
T.: ++49 (30) 893635-33<br />
F.: ++49 (30) 8914251<br />
E-mail: ksl@kulturstiftung.de<br />
The photocopy held by the Zuse family slowly deteriorates, but its physical state still is fairly<br />
good. The quality of the first photocopying process, however, was already poor, so there are<br />
several darker regions (but the text can still be read without difficulties).<br />
A digitized version would allow image processing techniques to be applied in order to<br />
"reconstruct" the original appearance of the patent application.<br />
This Nomination - Introduction<br />
Reading Room<br />
World Heritage List - Germany<br />
cii.webmaster@unesco.org<br />
© Copyright 1999 - UNESCO<br />
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