Here stands the Reinhold Burger Plaque. It’s unassuming. Yet it tells a remarkable story. A story of invention. A story of innovation. A story of Reinhold Burger himself.
This plaque commemorates a man born in 1866. He was a glass instrument maker. He held numerous patents. He was the inventor of the thermos flask. That’s right. The thermos you use every day. This humble object owes its existence to Reinhold Burger.
But the story isn’t so simple. While Burger popularized the thermos flask making it a household item it wasn’t his original invention. A double-walled glass vessel existed before. It was created by James Dewar a Scottish physicist and chemist in 1893. Dewar’s creation was for laboratory use only. Burger was the one who made it practical for everyday use. He made it sturdy and affordable. He made it a part of our daily lives.
Burger’s life was filled with ingenuity. He didn’t stop at the thermos flask. He also developed X-ray tubes. He worked at Siemens. His expertise in glass vacuum vessels was essential for the advancement of X-ray technology. Without Burger’s skill. X-ray technology wouldn’t have developed as it did. His contributions were pivotal.
This plaque stands as a testament to his work. It acknowledges his legacy. It’s a quiet tribute to a man who changed the world one invention at a time. It’s located at Wilhelm-Kuhr-Strasse 3. This was his home and business location from 1927 until his death in 1954.
Reinhold Burger’s journey started modestly. His father was a glass factory worker. His grandfather was a glass cutter. He began his career as a boy. He carried freshly blown articles to the annealing kiln. He became a skilled glass technician. He founded his own company R Burger & Co in 1894. This was the first glass instrument factory of its kind in Berlin.
The company flourished. His products reached Europe the USA South America and Asia. It was a family business until 1982. Burger’s inventions garnered accolades. He earned gold medals and honorary diplomas at World’s Fairs. He received recognition for his innovations. This quiet plaque shows his enduring impact on the world. His life is a reminder that even small things can have a big impact.