Schickard, Wilhelm

1. Dates

Born: Herrenberg, Germany, 22 Apr 1592

Died: Tübingen, 23 Oct 1635

Dateinfo: Dates Certain

Lifespan: 43

2. Father

Occupation: Unknown

No information on financial status.

3. Nationality

Birth: Herrenberg, Germany

Career: Tübingen, Germany

Death: Tübingen, Germany

4. Education

Schooling: Tübingen, M.A.

University of Tübingen. He received a B.A. (1609), and an M.A. (1611). He continued studying theology and oriental languages until 1613.

5. Religion

Affiliation: Lutheran

6. Scientific Disciplines

Primary: Astronomy, Mathematics, Cartography

7. Means of Support

Primary: Academia

Secondary: Church Life

1613-19, he acted as deacon or pastor in several towns around Tübingen (e.g., in 1614 he was deacon at Nürtingen).

1619, professor of Hebrew, University of Tübingen.

1631, professor of astronomy, University of Tübingen.

8. Patronage

Type: Unknown

Patronage is not mentioned in any of the sources, but it seems possible that Mästlin, who was Schickard's teacher and precursor in the chair of astronomy, had a hand in Schickard's academic appointments. In any event, there was no academic appointment without patronage.

9. Technological Involvement

Types: Cartography, Applied Mathematics, Instruments

Schickard was a skilled mechanic, cartographer, and engraver in wood and copperplate. He is famous as the inventor of the first calculating machine (1623). And he proposed to Kepler the development of a mechanical means of calculating ephemerides. As far as I know, he did not follow up on this.

He is more significant for his work in cartography. He recognized that certain contemporary developments in cartographer made more accurate maps possible, and he advocated their use in Kurze Anweisung, wie künstliche Landtafeln auss rechtem Grund zu machen (1629). He also appears to have undertaken a survey of Württemberg, though I have seen little mention of this.

He also invented a "hand planetarum" (it is actually more like an orrery).

10. Scientific Societies

Memberships: None known

Connections: He was a student, colleague, and eventual successor of Mästlin. He was a friend and correspondent of Kepler from 1617, and was among the first to mention and advocate Keplerian astronomy. He also corresponded with Boulliau, Gassendi, and Brengger.

Sources

1. Günther, Allgemeine deutsche Biographie, 31, 174-5.
2. Friedrich Seck, ed., Wissenschaftsgeschichte um Wilhelm Schickard: Vorträge bei dem Symposium der Universität Tübingen im 500.
3. Jahr ihres Bestehens um 24. und 25. Juni 1977 [Contubernium: Beiträge zur Geschichte der Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, 3] (Tübingen: Mohr, 1981). [QB36.S312 W57 1977]

Not Available and Not Consulted

1. Bruno von Freytag Löringhoff, Wilhelm Schickard und seine Rechenmaschine von 1623, (Tübingen, 1987).

Compiled by:

Richard S. Westfall

Department of History and Philosophy of Science

Indiana University

Note: the creators of the Galileo Project and this catalogue cannot answer email on geneological questions.