Born on December 13
Werner von Siemens's Birthday
The engineer who harnessed electricity.
Next: December 13, 2026
Where it comes from
This Story marks the birthday of Werner von Siemens, born on 13 December 1816 in Lenthe, near Hanover, the son of a tenant farmer. He left school without a diploma, joined the Prussian army and studied science there.
How it's celebrated
There is no formal observance, but the company he founded, Siemens, keeps his story alive through its historical institute and archives. It is a good day to notice how much of daily life runs on electric power: his dynamo machine was the forerunner of today's large generators.
Did you know
In 1870 the Indo-European telegraph line, built partly by his company, cut the time to send a message from London to Calcutta from 30 days to 28 minutes.
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