PETRLIK

CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA (see also List of Individuals)

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20.11.1842 Chlum/CR - 31.3.1908 Praha/CR

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Christian Petrlik was born in Bohemia, at that time a part of the Austrian Empire. He graduated from the Royal Bohemian Polytechnic University of Prague (now CVUT) in 1867 and started his career in the Austrian railways department. From 1868 to 1870, Petrlik was an assistant at the University and was appointed civil engineer in 1872. Until 1879, when appointed associate professor of engineering sciences at the Bohemian Technical University in Prague, he continued with railway designs and other civil engineering projects. From 1884 as a full professor of engineering, he lectured hydraulic structures, tunneling and foundation techniques. He acted as rector in the academic terms of 1892/93 and 1904/05.

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Petrlik was a practical engineer who served both to his county and capital. He was an excellent organizer and administrator designing the Danube-Moldavia-Elbe Canal that was never built, however. A review on the features of this project was given in 1893. Another project fascinating Petrlik was the Simplon Tunnel connecting the cities of Brig and Domodossola, or Switzerland and Italy. This was and still is one of the longest tunnels in the Alps, for which questions in air supply were of particular concern. Petrlik was a founding member of Ceska Matice Technicka, an association initiated in 1898 to promote the technical writings in Bohemian language. Petrlik was awarded the Saint Sava Order of the third class in 1894 for his merits relating to technical education in Bohemia. He was also decorated with the Order of the Iron Crown in 1901. He may be considered an early promoter of technical sciences in the Austrian Empire that significantly contributed to the wealth and reputation of Czech engineering.

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_{Anonymous (1908). Prof. Christian Petrlik. Österreichische Wochenschrift für den Öffentlichen Baudienst 14(24): 416. P}

_{Černý, K. (1983). Petrlík, Kristián. Österr. Biographisches Lexikon 1815-1950 8: 6. Wien.}

_{Novak, P. (2005). Christian Petrlik. Personal communication. P}

_{Petrlik, C. (1893). Der Donau-Moldau-Elbe Kanal. Donau-Moldau-Elbe Kanal-Comité: Prague. Petrlik, C. (1894). Nemecko-ceska sbirka nazvoslovi zeleznicoveho. Rivnac: Prague.}

_{Petrlik, C. (1902). Zemni prace. Nakl. Spisov: Prague. Petrlik, C. (1902). Zeleznice. Nakl. Spisov: Prague.}

_{Petrlik, C. (1903). Tabulky vytycovaci na oblouky kruhové. Matice: Prague.}

_{Petrlik, C. (1905). Ein Besuch am Simplontunnel. Österreichische Wochenschrift für den öffentlichen Baudienst 11(40): 604-605.}