MEISSNER

GERMANY (see also List of Individuals)

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6.6.1770 Ilfeld/D - 3.2.1842 Eutin/D

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Georg Ernst Christian Wilhelm Meissner started studies in mathematics at Göttingen University in 1787. In 1791 he moved to Rome, Italy, to obtain education in architecture. Upon return to Germany he was involved in the design of the Lüneburg Church. In 1796 Meissner was appointed architect of the County Schaumburg-Lippe until 1805, when being dismissed because of irregular work. In 1808, Meissner joined Eutin as the City Architect until 1815, when becoming a consultant.

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Meissner is known for his 1837 book, which he intended to publish as early as in 1806. It relates to the hydraulic structures of the Süder-Dithmarischen Elbe River reach. Meissner mentioned in the introduction of his book that its purpose was to review the then existing knowledge collected by the German hydraulicians Johann Georg Büsch (1728-1800) and Johann Esaias Silberschlag (1716-1791), among others. His notable book is subdivided into the seven chapters (1) General, (2) Behavior of flowing water, (3) Impact of water, (4) Behavior of water in rivers and the cause of meanders, (5) Effect of ebbs and tides in maritime rivers, (6) Practical means to protect river banks, and (7) River engineering. The historical developments of river works along the Elbe River are described in an appendix. The book includes a large number of figures showing for instance flows over weirs and through contractions. These figures remind to those of the book by Jean-Victor Poncelet (1788-1867) and Joseph Lesbros (1790-1860) who in 1832 and 1852 published two large accounts on hydraulic observations conducted in Metz. Besides, Meissner also published works in the early 1800s on the construction of mills, which were awarded by the city of Hamburg. His son Georg has re-edited some of the books in the late 19th century.

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_{Hamberger, G.G., Meusel, J.G. (1810). Meissner, Wilhelm. Das gelehrte Teutschland oder Lexikon der jetzt lebenden Teutschen Schriftsteller 14: 538. Meyer: Lemgo.}

_{Meissner, W. (1837). Neue Theorie des Uferund Strombaues. Hoffmann&Campe: Hamburg. Meissner, G. (1878). Die Hydraulik und die hydraulischen Motoren. Costenoble: Jena. Meissner, G. (1882). Theorie und Bau der Turbinen und Wasserräder. Costenoble: Jena.}

_{Poncelet, J.V., Lesbros, J. (1832). Expériences hydrauliques sur les lois de l'écoulement de l'eau à travers les orifices rectangulaires verticaux à grandes dimensions. Mémoires présen- tés par divers savants à l'Académie des Sciences Paris 3: 242-502.}

_{Wieden, B. Bei der (1991). Die Schaumburg-Lippischen Landbaumeister, ihre Vorgänger und Nachfolger. Schaumburg-Lippische Mitteilung 29/30: 195-208.}