author
Fintan Kindler
1863–1942
A Benedictine monk and teacher with a gift for clear explanation, he wrote lively popular works on science and technology. His best-known book traces the long story of timekeeping, turning clocks and watches into a window on human curiosity and invention.
1 Audiobook
Die Uhren: Ein Abriß der Geschichte der Zeitmessung
by Fintan Kindler
About the author
Born in 1863 and later associated with Einsiedeln Abbey, Fintan Kindler was a Benedictine monk of the Order of Saint Benedict. Sources linked to editions of his work identify him as P. Fintan Kindler, O.S.B., and place him at Stift Einsiedeln in Switzerland.
Kindler combined religious life with scientific teaching. Biographical notes attached to later book records describe him as a teacher of mathematics, chemistry, and physics, and later as the abbey librarian. He also published on practical scientific subjects including weather, chemistry, and the history of timekeeping.
He is best remembered for Die Uhren: Ein Abriß der Geschichte der Zeitmessung (1905), a compact and engaging history of clocks and the measurement of time. Written for general readers rather than specialists, the book reflects his talent for making technical ideas approachable. He died in 1942.