Herman Watzinger
{{Infobox person
|name = Herman Watzinger
|image = Image:Herman Watzinger 1348215832.png
|image_size =
|caption = Historical photo of Herman Watzinger
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1916|04|20}}
|birth_place = Wiesbaden, Germany
|death_date = 1986 (aged 69–70)
|death_place = Peru
|known_for = Crew member on the Kon-Tiki
|alma_mater =
|spouse =
|occupation = Engineer
|employer =
|nationality = Norwegian
}}
Herman Watzinger was a Norwegian engineer in the area of cooling technique from NTH (now NTNU) in Trondheim and a crewmember on the Kon-Tiki expedition. He was also a Milorg member during the Second World War operation Polar Bear II, which was brought to Trondheim by Captain Leif Hauge.Polar Bear II was the codename for the plan and protection of harbors and port installations in Norway. A total of 123 officers were with the group. → {{cite web|last=Ward |first=Geoff Ward |title=Erik Gjems-Onstad |url=http://www.wwiinorge.com/Erik_GjemsOnstad_eng.htm |work=Norway: War Resistance Peace |publisher=wwiinorge.com |accessdate=14 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426002529/http://www.wwiinorge.com/Erik_GjemsOnstad_eng.htm |archivedate=26 April 2012 }}
Biography
Herman Watzinger was born on 20 April 1916 in Wiesbaden, Germany.
He then continued with doctoral studies at NTH (NTNU), which was cancelled because of World War II, and applied for a job in the US and sought a visa to the US. He met Thor Heyerdahl in New York City, where he was asked to participate in the construction of the Kon-Tiki raft and become a member of the expedition.{{cite journal|last=LIFE Magazine|title=Cruise of the Kon-Tiki|journal=Life|date=20 October 1947|publisher=Time Inc|pages=114|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nFEEAAAAMBAJ&q=Scale+Model&pg=PA120 |issn=0024-3019}} On board the raft, where he was second in command, he was responsible for meteorological and hydrographic measurements.{{cite journal|last=Boy Scouts of America|title=Souting and the Kon-Tiki|journal=Boys' Life. Inkprint Edition|date=October 1951|publisher=Boy Scouts of America, Inc.|pages=43|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GAcck-vigGAC&q=%22Herman+Watzinger%22&pg=PA43 |issn=0006-8608}}
He moved to Lima, Peru, in 1950. On 25 September 1952 he was awarded the Orden al Mérito por Servicios Distinguidos by the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Peru.No. de Orden: 63, Caballero. From 1970, where he worked at Lima as head of fisheries, projects and advisor in freezing techniques for WR Grace & Co and Atlas.{{cite web|url=http://www.grace.com |title=W. R. Grace & Co. Enriching Lives, Everywhere. |publisher=Grace.com |date=2010-04-03 |accessdate=2013-01-14}}{{cite web|url=http://www.atlas-danmark.com |title=Atlas Danmark Freshwater Generator Afgu |publisher=Atlas-danmark.com |date= |accessdate=2013-01-14}} Watzinger was also the head of a Norwegian-owned fish meal factory in Pisagua, northern Chile, with exports of fish meal to the U.S. and Europe. After that he became director of the FAO fishery Industries Division and later, of the Fisheries Department in Rome from 1970,{{cite journal|last=FAO UN|title=FAO Fisheries Report, Issue 1 - Issues 168-175|journal=Summary Report of and Papers Presented at the ... Session of the Working Party on Fish Technology and Marketing|year=1975|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations|pages=nn|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tb8mAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Herman+Watzinger,+Director+of+the+Fishery+Industries+Division%22 |issn=0429-9337}} and Deputy director general of the FAO (UN Food and Agriculture) in Rome, Italy. He graduated from the NTH in hydrology and thermodynamics as his major.
He was the son of Adolf Watzinger, a long-time professor of mechanical engineering at the [http://www.ntnu.no NTNU] university in Trondheim, Norway. He died in Peru in 1986.
Notes
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140401124437/http://www.kon-tiki.no/e_aapning.php Kon-Tiki Museum] on Thor Heyerdahl’s Research Foundation
{{Kon-Tiki|state=collapsed}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Watzinger, Herman}}
Category:Scientists from Wiesbaden
Category:German emigrants to Norway
Category:Norwegian resistance members
Category:Norwegian anti-fascists
Category:Norwegian Institute of Technology alumni
Category:20th-century Norwegian engineers