Adam Burg learnt carpentry in his father’s business, attended the architecture class at the Academy of Fine Arts from 1810 to 1813, where he was involved in the construction of Watt’s first steam engine, and the Polytechnic Institute in 1815, where he became assistant in 1821 and assistant professor of elementary mathematics in 1826. During 1827 professor at the Lyceum in Salzburg, 1828 again professor of higher mathematics at the Polytechnic Institute in Vienna. Published a textbook in 1833 and a compendium of higher mathematics in 1836, which was introduced in many schools in Austria and abroad. In 1836 he was also a supplent and in 1837 professor of mechanics and machine theory. From 1842 he gave free public lectures on mechanics and machine theory every Sunday and public holiday for 22 years. He was also appointed by Emperor Ferdinand I to give weekly lectures on the latest developments in the natural sciences and industry with demonstrations before the Emperor. 1849 Director of the Imperial-Royal Polytechnic Institute in Vienna. In 1852 he was dismissed from his post due to the treason trial of his assistant Bezárd, his institute was handed over to the military administration and Burg was appointed section councillor in the Ministry of Trade. At the request of his Majesty, Burg was reinstated as a professor. In 1846 he became a government councillor, and in 1847 was made an honorary citizen of Vienna for his services to water supply, fire-fighting and gas lighting. He also rendered great services to the introduction of the metric system of weights and measures, laws to prevent steam boiler explosions, the spread of the steam engine and the industrialisation of Austria. 1848 member of the Academy of Sciences in Vienna, 1879-82 its vice-president. Baron in 1866, member of the House of Lords in 1869.
On his 80th birthday, the n.ö. In his acceptance speech, Baron Burg also named Doppler as one of his students who had completed his lectures with honours and had also achieved outstanding, highly respected positions in life.
Adam Burg and Christian Doppler
Christian Doppler, who, on the recommendation of Simon Stamper, studied at the k.k. Polytechnic Institute in Vienna under Professor Hantschl, applied for a vacant assistant position with his teacher in 1825. However, the latter felt that Doppler was not yet fully trained in mathematics despite his excellent grades (Christian had spent a whole school year in Pressburg in 1824). Doppler therefore decided to return to Salzburg to catch up on his A-levels at the Lyceum. This had been downgraded to a “second grade” lyceum in 1824 and Simon Stampfer had been appointed professor at the Imperial-Royal Polytechnic Institute in 1825. Polytechnic Institute in 1825. Christian was given special permission to study “privately” and was able to complete this task in half of the prescribed six semesters, namely from 1825 to 1827.
Adam Burg, who succeeded Simon Stampfer in Salzburg in 1827 and to whom Stampfer particularly recommended his protégé Doppler, returned from Salzburg to Vienna as early as 1828. He took over the chair of higher mathematics at the Polytechnic Institute, which had become vacant following the early death of Hantschl on 2 June 1826. In 1829, an assistant position was advertised for Burg’s chair. And now Doppler tried again. On 14 June 1829, he applied for the position. And this time he was successful. On 7 August, Professor Burg suggested Christian Doppler, whose talent he had become acquainted with in Salzburg, for the position of assistant professor of higher mathematics.
In September 1829, Christian Doppler took up his position as assistant to Professor Adam Burg at the k.k. Polytechnic Institute, today the Technical University, Karlsplatz, in Vienna. For the first time, he achieved the material security he had been striving for since 1825. His annual salary was initially set at 400 guilders and a quarterly allowance of 60 guilders for two years. Within a few decades, the Polytechnic Institute developed into the leading centre of innovation and education in Central Europe. Christian Doppler was therefore rightly proud to be able to work as an assistant at this institute, thereby also fulfilling the expectations of his first teachers Stampfer and Burg.
In July 1831, Doppler’s first, contractually stipulated period as an assistant came to an end. Doppler applied to Burg for an extension. By government decree of 8 November, he was granted his post for a further two years.
Doppler now began to work independently under Burg’s supervision. By 1835, he was able to publish four scientific papers in the Vienna Polytechnic Yearbook under Burg.
Dr. Peter Maria Schuster, 2017