Hans Dominik

Hans Joachim Dominik (1872-1945) is an author of novels of Science-fiction and works technical, a scientific journalist and an engineer (in electrical engineering and mechanics) German.

Family origins

At the end of the War Thirty Year old, a Croat called Dumnigk or Dombnigk settles in Dyrotz in the Brandebourg to exert there his trade of Taillandier and Chaudronnier. To meet the needs for the population following the Peace of Westphalia, he learns how the trade from Forgeron, bottle pincers the horses and rings the wheels of the carriages, thus opening a whole line of blacksmiths. In 1814, Wilhelm Dominik, the paternal grandfather of the writer, learns the trade from marshal-shoeing, then studies the pharmacopeia to become veterinary surgeon of the army, a trade which he exerts until his death in 1883.

The maternal grandfather of Hans Dominik was the writer Dr. Phil. Friedrich Theodor Leberecht Mügge (1802 - 1861), known for its historical novels, politically very committed. Theodor Mügge took makes and causes for the independence of the Spanish colonies of South America and decided to engage in the troops of Simón Bolívar with the Venezuela.

Hans Dominik will see in these two lines paternal and nursery school the origin of her interest for the technique and her taste for the literature.

Youth and years of study

Hans Dominik is born the November 15th 1872 with Zwickau, a mining city of Saxony of Friedrich Wilhelm Emil Dominik, bookseller, editor and journalist, and of Hedwig Mügge. In 1873 is born Ellen, the sister of Hans. During the economic crisis which shakes Germany between 1873 and 1876, the father of Hans Dominik loses the fortune which it had placed in bank and the family is forced to separate. Hans and her father go to Berlin to settle in the Wilhelm grandfather, while Hedwig and Ellen set out again in Brandenburg. In 1883, the father of Hans Dominik becomes editor association of a new newspaper entitled Die Deutsche Illustrierte Zeitung ( the illustrated German newspaper ), then creates its own publisher, the Deutsches Verlagshaus, Emil Dominik & comp. . The côtoie family then the Berliner literary circles and frequently receives the visit of the writer Theodor Fontane. Hans Dominik grows thus among the manuscripts and printed paper. .

Hans Dominik is registered in a private school in October 1879 and continues her schooling in 1885 with the Kaiserin-Augusta-Gymnasium of Charlottenburg. Its bad results in old languages oblige his/her parents to register it with the Gymanisium Ernestinum of Gotha. It is finally with the Königliches Luisengymnasium of Berlin that it obtains its baccalaureat in 1893. Its chaotic schooling however makes it possible Hans Dominik to make outstanding meetings. On the benches of the school, Hans Dominik binds friendship with the young person Oswald Villard, the son of the American manufacturer of the line of train Northern Pacific , Henry Villard. On the college of Gotha, teaching in mathematics is lavished by Kurd Laßwitz, which is regarded as the father of the Science-fiction of German language. Besides Kurd Laßwitz wrote some technical tales for the newspaper of the father of Hans Dominik. Another outstanding professor, Arnolf Schmidt, which teaches in Hans Dominik sciences and the foreign languages and is impassioned for the terrestrial Magnétisme. Arnolf Schmidt will be thereafter named director of the magnetic Observatory of Potsdam and will obtain a pulpit of Géophysique at the University of Berlin. Later, Hans Dominik will make to this former professor a character of novel. The professor of physics of Hans Dominik, Karl Rohrbach, father of the future manufacturer aeronotic Romar-Rohrbach, impassions the young person Hans Dominik for physics and in particular for electricity.

After its baccalaureat, in 1893, Hans Dominik decides to become electrical engineer, but his/her parents, who again know financial low registers difficulés, incite it to enter a school of engineer d' État, only guarantee to have a title and a stable situation. As there does not exist die of State in electric engineering, Hans Dominik studies the mechanical engineering with a specialization in technique of the railroads. In 1894, his/her father falls seriously sick and Hans Dominik must stop her studies to deal with the family businesses. It stops its studies in 1898 and becomes project manager in a company which electrifies factories.

In 1895, it undertakes a voyage to the the United States. At the time of its second voyage in America, there remains a whole year and earns its living as engineer in electricity. In the United States, it accumulates many technical and scientific training, while discovering a country very different from Germany. All these experiments will be re-used a few years later in a series of books for youth entitled: John Workman, the deliveryman of newspapers - the sucess-story of a young American deliveryman of newspapers who ends up becoming billionaire.

Engineer and journalist

In 1900, after having several times changed of employment, Hans Dominik enters finally to Siemens & Halske, at the department of lighting and energy. It there carries out a research deepened on the electrification of the mines intended for the World Fair of Paris and becomes responsible for one year for the advertizing Office for Siemens & Halske. It also improves its incomes by writing specialized articles and advertizing booklets for other companies. It leaves its employment at Siemens in 1901 before collaborating in 1905 in the Berliner Tageblatt and the Berliner Lokal-Anzeiger , daily newspapers in which it publishes articles of scientific popularization and tales technical. It then finds a positive feedback near many people with accounts as “ Was sich die Oberleitung erzählt ” ( what the lines with high voltage tell) or “ Memoiren einer Taschenuhr ” ( Mémoires of a watch-bracket ). Its unusual capacities to expose in a clear and convincing way complex technical data are quickly noticed and new offers of publication are worth to him.

Its work of writer really begins in 1907, when he writes utopian stories for Das neue Universum, ein Jahrbuch für Jungen ( the new Universe, an almanac for the boys ). In 1910, it marries Lieselotte Runge which will give rise to his/her Lieselotte daughter. When the First World War bursts, it is reformed because of persistent pains to the spinal column. Between 1912 and 1919, it writes almost a new novel per annum for the Berliner publisher C. Duncker Verlag . But its first military novels do not gain discounted success.

Independent writer

After the war, of 1918 with 1920, it works with technical court-measurings and publishes its first utopian novel, “ Die Macht der Drei ” ( Power of the three ), which appears first of all in 1922 like serial in the newspaper Die Woche . The novel knows a pulling of 170.000 specimens, which is enormous for the criteria of the time. Its best-sellers contribute to make known Hans Dominik in the German literary circles, but the Inflation which gallops who reigns during the Weimar Republic first of all the constrained one to seek a new stable job. It is only starting from 1924 that it can again work as independent writer. Its other science fiction novels appear then with the rate/rhythm of a new novel every two years on average.

Historical role

Hans Dominik is one of the most important pioneers of the literature of German Science-fiction. Its news of anticipation enjoyed one big hit at the beginning of the 20th century century and is always republished today. Hans Dominik also wrote technical works and articles with technical and scientific contents.

The novels of Hans Dominik published in years 1920 are all impregnated of the spirit of the time. In the center of his intrigues, one finds most of the time German engineers or scientists who must protect their inventions and their discoveries from the covetousness of multinationals to the obscure ramifications or enemy nations. After the German defeat of the First World War, the novels of Hans Dominik is used symbolically as support with the vision of a great German nation. Her novels of youth, Hans Dominik thématise hypothetical “a combat cultural” enters Europeans and the other races of the sphere. The Westerners fight in particular against the Chinese, the Arabs, the African or American Blacks. In the novel entitled “ Die Spur of Dschingis-Khan ” ( On the traces of Gengis-Khan ), appeared in years 1922/1923, the protagonists of the novel plead with passion for a return of the black citizens of the United States on the African continent.

After the Second world war, its novels were expurgés paragraphs considered to be problematic by the news the founded Federal Republic of Germany in 1949. This work of censure reduced some of these works of the 5/6 their length. Starting from 1997, the German editor Heyne undertakes a publication of the full text of the novels of Hans Dominik under the direction of Thomas Miehlke.

In ex-GDR, works of Hans Dominik were strictly prohibited. Even under the Nazi regime, one of its novels had had problems with the censure. In 1941, the novel entitled “ Das stählerne Geheimnis ” ( the steel secrecy) was interdict with the sale.

Memory of Hans Dominik in Germany

The tomb stone commemorative of Hans Dominik is located at the Städtischer Friedhof Zehlendorf, Onkel-Tom-Straße 30, Steglitz-Zehlendorf .

In the Bogotástraße 2a (in the past Herderstraße ) of Berlin, a commemorative plaque was inaugurated on July 2nd, 1999. Hans Dominik lived at this address of 1908 until her death. It is currently oldest of its grandchildren who lives there.

Hans Dominik in France

No work of Hans Dominik was translated into French and this author remains ignored of the French public whereas its novels are regularly republished in Germany.

In his anthology of German science fiction published in 1980, Daniel Walther evokes the important role of Hans Dominik in his historical introduction entitled Sf made in Germany , but does not publish any text of this author. In 1988 at the University of Strasbourg 2, Roselyne Bady Tobian, directed by Jean-Baptiste Nephews, writes a thesis of doctorate on the beginnings of the German science fiction: “The German scientific science fiction enters the two wars: Hans Dominik and nationalist Utopia”.

Works

Works quoted below give an account of the actual position of the German library search on Hans Dominik, but only the outstanding novels and news are listed. The complete work of Hans Dominik is estimated at a few thousands of articles, news and works technical.

No work of anticipation of Hans Dominik was translated into French. The novel of 1909 entitled John Workmann, der Zeitungsboy was however adapted in French as of 1928 under the title John Workmann or the hundred million the small newspaper seller .

Science-fiction novels

Die Macht der Drei , 1921, Scherl-Verlag Power of the three ''
Die Spur of Dschingis-Khan , 1922/23, Scherl-Verlag traces of Gengis-Khan ''
Atlantis , 1924/25, Scherl-Verlag
Der Brand der Cheopspyramide , 1925/26, Scherl-Verlag of the pyramid of Kheops ''
Das Erbe der Uraniden , 1926/27, Scherl-Verlag of Uranides ''
König Laurins Mantel (nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg, Titel: Unsichtbare Kräfte ), 1928, Scherl-Verlag Coat of the king Laurin ''
Kautschuk , 1929/30, Scherl-Verlag * Befehl aus dem Dunkel , 1932/33, Scherl-Verlag come from darkness ''
Der Wettflug der Nationen (1. Teil DER “Teacher. - Eggerth-Series”), 1932/33, Verlag Koehler & Amelang air Race of the nations ''
Ein Stern gall vom Himmel (2. Teil DER “Teacher. - Eggerth-Series”), 1933, Verlag Koehler & Amelang Star fell from the sky ''
Das stählerne Geheimnis , 1934, Scherl-Verlag Mystère of steel ''
Atomgewicht 500 , 1934/35, atomic Scherl-Verlag 500 ''
Himmelskraft , 1937, celestial Scherl-Verlag ''
Lebensstrahlen , 1938, Scherl-Verlag of life ''
Land aus Feuer und Wasser (3^ème left the series Prof. - Eggerth ), 1939, Verlag v. Hase & Koehler ground of fire and water ''
Treibstoff SR (after the second world war: Flug in den Weltenraum oder Fahrt in den Weltraum ), 1939/40, Scherl-Verlag SR '' (after the second world war: Take-off for space or Forwarding in space )

News of science fiction

The news of Hans Dominik appeared in the annual periodical entitled Das Neue Universum new universe ''

Die Nahrung der Zukunft , 1907 food of the future ''
Die Reise zum Mars , 1908 travels over Mars ''
Eine Reise im Jahre 1970 , 1909 travels in the year 1970 ''
Ein neues Paradies , 1910 new Eden ''
Hundert Jahre Elektrotechnik , 1911 years of electrical engineering ''
Ein Experiment , 1903 (appeared anonymously) experiment ''
Neuland , 1917 territories ''
Eine Expedition in den Weltraum , 1918 forwarding in the universe ''
Schätze der Tiefe , 1919 of depths ''
Zukunftsmusik , 1921 of the future ''
Dreißig Jahre später , 1930 years later ''
EIB DER verlorenen Mannschaft , 1930 lost ''
Professor Belians Tagebuch , 1933 diary of the professor Belian ''
Ein Freiflug im Jahre 2222 , 1934 coasting flight in the year 2222 ''

Other literary works

Technische Märchen , 1903 techniques ''
Wissenschaftliche Plaudereien , 1903 scientists ''
John Workmann, der Zeitungsboy. Band 1: Im Reich of Zeitungsriesen, 1909 Workmann or the Hundred million the small newspaper seller, [[1928 in literature|1928] ]

Unter Tage verschüttet , 1910 by the days ''

Hochströme , 1911

Glück auf! , 1912 chance! ''

Die Madonna put den Perlen , 1912 Madonna with the pearls ''

Heilige Wasser , 1912 crowned ''

DER eiserne Weg , 1913 iron way ''

DER To sit , 1913 winner ''

Der Kreiselkompaß , 1913 compasses ''

Zauber of Südens , 1913/14 (also appeared under the title Alpenglühen ) of the south ''

Versunkenes Land , 1914 absorbed ''

Klar zum Gefecht , 1915 with the combat ''

Das Eiserne Kreuz , 1916 iron crosses ''

DER eiserne Halbmond , 1916 the iron moon ''

John Workmann, der Zeitungsboy. Band 2: Wanderjahre im Westen., 1921

John Workmann, der Zeitungsboy. Band 3: Neue Wunder der Großindustrie., 1921

John Workmann, der Zeitungsboy. Band 4: Lehr- und Meisterjahre im Süden, 1925 (und vollständige Ausgabe put allen 4 Teilen erschienen)

Klaus im Glück , 1928 the lucky ''

Moderne Piraten , 1929/30 modern pirates ''

Geballte Kraft , 1941 forces condensed ''

Vom Schraubstock zum Schreibtisch , 1938/41 the vice at the office ''

Das ewige Herz , 1942 heart eternal ''

Wunder of Schmelztiegels , 1943/44 of the crucibles ''

Technical works

Was muß man von der Dampfmaschine wissen? , 1902 is necessary to know about the steam engine? ''
Wissenschaftliche Plaudereien , 1902-05 scientists ''
Was muß man von der Dynamomaschine wissen? , 1903 is necessary to know about the dynamo? ''
Was muß man von der Naturlehre wissen? , 1903 is necessary to know about the natural science? ''
Was muß man von der Organischen Chemie wissen? , 1904 is necessary to know about the organic chemistry? ''
Kalender für Ingenieure of Maschinenbaus , 1905 for the engineers in mechanics ''
Kalender für Maschinenbautechniker , 1905 for the technicians in mechanics ''
Das Wernerwerk von Siemens & Halske has. - G., Berlin-Nonnendamm , 1905/06
Amusing Wissenschaft , 1908 science amusing ''
Ein neues Schnellbahnsystem , 1908/09 new system of acceleration ''
Das Zeitalter der Elektrizität (Band 1 Die Kräfte der Natur, ihre Hebung und Verwertung , 1914 of electricity ''
Unsere Luftflotte und Flieger , 1915 machines air and our planes ''
Im Wunderland der Technik: Meisterstücke und neue Errungenschaften, die unsere Jugend kennen sollte , 1921/22 marvellous countries of the technique: masterpieces and the new discoveries which our youth should know ''
Das Buch der Chemie: Errungenschaften der Naturerkenntnis , 1925 book of chemistry: discovered made by sciences of nature ''
Das Buch der Physik: Errungenschaften der Naturerkenntnis , 1925 book of physics: discovered made by sciences of nature ''
Welten, Werke, Wunder , 1925 Works, Wonders ''
Triumphe der Technik , 1927/28 of the technique ''
Das Schaltwerk DER Siemens-Schuckertwerke AG, Berlin-Siemensstadt , 1928/29
Über und unter der Erde , 1929 and under the ground ''
Der Werkzeugmaschinenbau Fritz Werner, Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin , 1929 construction of machine tools ''
Ein Besuch im Kabelwerk , 1931
Vistra, das weiße Gold Deutschlands , 1935/36 white gold of Germany ''
Der Werkzeugmaschinenbau Fritz Werner, Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin , 1938

Bibliographical references

Daniel Walther (ED.), German Science fiction. Foreigners with Utopolis , Pocket Presses, 1980, pp. 22-24.
William B. Fischer: The Worsens strikes out. Kurd Lasswitz, Hans Dominik, and the development off German science fiction. Bowling Green State University Popular Close, Bowling Green/Ohio 1984, ISBN 0-87972-257-6
Hans Dominik, Vom Schraubstock zum Schreibtisch , Verlag Scherl, Berlin, 1942. of Hans Dominik

Internal bonds

Science fiction of German language
German Price of science fiction
Price Kurd-Laßwitz
Price Curt-Siodmak

External bonds

Short summary of the thesis of Roselyne Bady Tobian on Hans Dominik

Biographical note and photographs of the original covers of the novels of Hans Dominik by E. Heribert Severing
Bibliography of works of Hans Dominik
Report of the MDR

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