author
Wilhelm Herzberg
1861–1945
Best known for his practical work on paper testing, he wrote a detailed guide that opened up the science of paper quality for specialists and curious readers alike. His career joined chemistry, industry, and careful observation in a way that still feels surprisingly hands-on.
1 Audiobook
Papierprüfung: Eine Anleitung zum Untersuchen von Papier
by Wilhelm Herzberg
About the author
Born on February 26, 1861, in Vehlefanz near Kremmen in Brandenburg, Wilhelm Herzberg was a German chemist and paper specialist rather than a literary author in the usual sense. Biographical records identify him as a paper examiner, and library records give his death date as June 21, 1945, in Potsdam.
Herzberg studied chemistry at the Berlin Gewerbe-Akademie, later associated with the Technical University in Charlottenburg, and also attended lectures in organic chemistry, physics, and botany at the university level. He went on to work in paper analysis and became associated with the paper-testing division of the Royal Testing Institute in Charlottenburg.
He is chiefly remembered for Papierprüfung: Eine Anleitung zum Untersuchen von Papier, a practical manual on examining paper that was published in the early 20th century and revised in later editions. The book reflects a methodical, technical mind and offers a window into the industrial world of materials testing at a time when paper quality mattered deeply to publishing, administration, and trade.