Abstract
Heinz von Diringshofen (1900-1967) was a pioneer in aviation and space medicine, contributing greatly to the field through his research on the effects of weightlessness on pilots and human tolerance to multiple g-loads. The collection consists largely of materials documenting Diringshofen's laboratory and research activities and of published and unpublished writings by Diringshofen and others.
Dates
- 1912-1977 (bulk 1930-1960)
Extent
5.88 Linear Feet
Creator
- Diringshofen, Heinz von, 1900- (Person)
Physical Location
Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine
Language of Materials
Collection materials primarily in German and Spanish
Restrictions
Collection is not restricted. Contact the Reference Staff for information regarding access.
Copyright and Re-use Information
Donor's copyrights were transferred to the public domain. Archival collections often contain mixed copyrights; while NLM is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. It is the user's responsibility to research and understand any applicable copyright and re-publication rights not allowed by fair use. NLM does not grant permissions to publish.
Privacy Information
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Biographical Note
Heinz von Diringshofen (1900-1967) was a pioneer in aviation and space medicine, contributing greatly to the field through his research on the effects of weightlessness on pilots and human tolerance to multiple g-loads. Diringshofen advanced aviation research greatly when he developed the first experimental human centrifuge in Berlin in 1934.
Heinz von Diringshofen was born in Magdeburg, Germany on January 22, 1900. After service in the German army during World War I, Diringshofen completed his medical studies from 1919 to 1925 at the Universities of Berlin and Munich. From 1927 to 1945, Diringshofen was a medical officer in the Reichswehr and later in the Luftwaffe, retiring as a surgeon-colonel. He trained as a pilot in 1927 in Ukraine with the Russians, who had offered training facilities to Germany, which was restricted by the Treaty of Versailles from conducting military air activities.
Diringshofen was a medical chief of staff in the Luftwaffe during World War II.
During a leave of absence from the University of Frankfurt am Main, Diringshofen was a consultant to the Aeromedical Institute of the Argentinean Air Force from 1951 to 1956. Diringshofen was a professor in space and aeromedicine at the University of Frankfurt am Main and the University of Munich.
Diringshofen, with himself as pilot, conducted many early experiments involving vertical flight. He was reputed to be the founder of aeromedical test flights using exact physiological measurements, including the electrocardiogram and the continuous measurement of blood pressure and respiration by means of cinematography.
In 1934, Diringshofen, as chief of the Aeromedical Institute in Berlin, introduced the first large human centrifuge to aeromedical research, which produced seventeen times the force of gravity. From 1937 to 1939, Diringshofen continued his research on free fall in vertical dives to investigate the limits of tolerable acceleration on the crew, using a dive-bomber equipped with X-ray equipment.
Heinz von Diringshofen died in Frankfurt, Germany in May 1967.
Collection Summary
Correspondence, photographs, research materials, writings, and drafts (1912-1977; 5.88 linear feet) document the official portion of Heinz von Diringshofen's career in aviation and space medicine research. From the development of the human centrifuge in 1934 until his death in 1967, Diringshofen was instrumental to the advancement of aviation and space medicine.
The collection consists largely of materials documenting Diringshofen's laboratory and research activities and of published and unpublished writings by Diringshofen and others. The collection includes laboratory notes, technical drawings and diagrams, as well as printed material pertaining to aviation research and research societies. The collection is primarily in German and Spanish.
Series 1: Personal and Biographical consists of biographical data and resumes, as well as documentation relating to Diringshofen's activities during World War II.
Series 2: Correspondence consists of correspondence covering the years 1912 through 1967, including correspondence on the occasion of Diringshofen's 65th birthday.
Series 3: Laboratory and Research Files consists of files documenting Diringshofen's research in both Germany and Argentina. This series consists primarily of typed and handwritten notes by Diringshofen, in addition to technical drawings and diagrams, including full-scale anatomical drawings.
Series 4: Professional Activities contains records of Diringshofen's association with professional societies and committees at universities, as well as material relating to conferences.
Series 5: Writings consists of published and unpublished writings and reprints by Diringshofen, as well as manuscript drafts and Ghid Medical Pentru Echipagiile Aero-Navigante (in Romanian).
Series 6: Printed Material consists of clippings, reprints of others, medical advertisements and journals relating to aviation medicine, as well as Regeln und Ratschläge zur Wissenschaftlichen Forschung by S. Ramón y Cajal (1938).
Series 7: Photographs consists of photographs, negatives, and glass slides of images used in Diringshofen's publications, as well as negatives of cartoon posters of military health warnings, dated 1929 to 1933.
Abstract
Heinz von Diringshofen (1900-1967) was a pioneer in aviation and space medicine, contributing greatly to the field through his research on the effects of weightlessness on pilots and human tolerance to multiple g-loads. The collection consists largely of materials documenting Diringshofen's laboratory and research activities and of published and unpublished writings by Diringshofen and others.
Physical Location
Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine
Provenance
Gift of Erich Opp, 8/14/1992. Acc. #769.
General
- Processed by
- Willeke Sandler
- Processing Completed
- 2003
- Encoded by
- John P. Rees
Creator
- Diringshofen, Heinz von, 1900- (Person)
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Heinz von Diringshofen Papers1912-1977 (bulk 1930-1960)
- Status
- Unverified Partial Draft
- Author
- Willeke Sandler
- Date
- August 2003
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English
- Edition statement
- 1.0
Collecting Area Details
Part of the Archives and Modern Manuscripts Collection Collecting Area
8600 Rockville Pike
Bldg 38/1E-21, MSC 3819
Bethesda MD 20894 US
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