the curta calculator

HERZSTARK: Yes, we had our basic four function machines. This machine, our machine, could automatically multiply and divide. But we did not produce large numbers of machines because we did not have the capital. We also had electric machines of which we produced about 10-12 in a month. Then we had the Astra to sell and then, of course, the... See more

But he did have the plans and the prototypes of the Curta, which was a true marvel of design and construction – as much like a watch movement or the mechanism of a fine camera as it was a calculator. But could he find backers to manufacture it?

In 1945, that was a difficult question. At first glance, the Curta looks as much like a calculator as a... See more

Some relief from tedious manual number crunching came in the 17th century with the invention of logarithms followed by mechanical aids like the slide rule and the first adding machines. Unfortunately, they weren't that much of a help. Slide rules couldn't handle numbers to more than two or three decimal places and, for centuries, calculators were... See more

And all this without batteries and to 8 to eleven places.

"The head of the department, Mr. Munich said, 'See, Herzstark, I understand you've been working on a new thing, a small calculating machine. Do you know, I can give you a tip. We will allow you to make and draw everything. If it is really worth something, then we will give it to the Führer as a present after we win the war. Then, surely, you will... See more

"I had an idea… I should look at everything backwards… I'll pretend I have already invented everything. What does this kind of machine have to look like, so someone could use it?” Curta calculator: The mechanical marvel born in a Nazi death camp:

But the clever bit was when Hertzstark got rid of all the number registers and replaced them with a single unit called a step drum. This, as the name implies, is a drum made of metal cut in steps to correspond to different numbers. He then simplified things even further by adding a second drum on top of the first in reverse, so a simple shift in... See more

The Curta calculator patents are amazing!