1/? the (abridged) story of Curt Herzstark, the brilliant Viennese engineer who invented an incredibly complex handheld mechanical calculator in the Buchenwald concentration camp

Already in 1926-27 while I was in sales, people said again and again, "Yes, that is nice, but isn't there anything smaller?" This was a time when there was a lot of advertising of the calculating machine. Everyone who was a technician, carried his slide rule. But for calculating, the equivalent didn't exist. People again and again said, "Does... See more

Now comes... the CURTA comes in for the first time, no? I knew how in principle to build a machine for the hand in 1938. Naturally the moment that Hitler came all of this was put aside. First, we were not allowed to build any more calculating machines. Secondly, I said to myself, this is a living for me perhaps if I emigrate or something. Aside... See more

HERZSTARK: It would be too much [and range too far] if I were to tell you all of the details, then I would have to relive the hours until I came to Buchenwald. So, in any case, how I was delivered in Bochum is a really terrible story. I was already spiritually at zero [seelisch am Nullpunckt], and then I came to this so called "small camp". I can... See more