Born: March 12, 1703 - Wingendorf (Oberlausitz)
Died: May 18, 1770 - Leipzig, Germany

Johann Heinrich Winckler Winckler was a prominent physicist in the field of electricity. He was appointed in 1739 as Professor of Philosophy, University of Leipzig, and in 1741 as Professor of Classical Languages at the University of Leipzig. In 1750 he was appointed as well, Professor of Physics. In 1747 he was accepted to the Royal Society.

Johann Heinrich Winckler contributed prominently in the field of electricity: Thus, he further developed the Francis further Hauksbees electric machine by construction of a Tretmechanismus', which served as drive. It researched to the "Leidener bottle", which he filled with a metal foil occupied with different liquids. Another invention was the so - called Showversuche which gain enormous recognition, which was capable of producing large sparks and electrical discharges. Furthermore , Winckler investigated the speed of the electrical currents as well as the nature of the thunderstorms and lightnings. In 1744 he reached and discovered the possible way to convey electricity into signs, which eventually developed later into telegraphy.

Johann Heinrich Winckler was Bach's colleague at the St. Thomas School and wrote the traditional text of the cantata Froher Tag, verlangte Stunden (BWV Anh 18). He contributed and was associated with Bach: "Both Johann Christoph Gottsched and Johann Heinrich Winckler, prominent exponents of the university, wrote texts for Bach. The physicist Winckler was up to its appointment 1739 to the University of" Collega quartus "at the Thomas school, and with other professors of different faculties Bach maintained regular handling." [26. September 2000, Johann Sebastian Bach. Musik, Kunst und Wissenschaft in der Zeit des Rationalismus ,27. – 29. September, Wissenschaftliche Leitung: Prof. Dr. Christoph Wolff (Cambridge, MA) ]

Publications

Gedanken von den Eigenschaften, Wirkungen und Ursachen der Elektrizität; nebst Beschreibung zweier elektrischer Maschinen (1744), Die Eigenschaften der electrischen Materie und des electrischen Feuers aus verschiedenen neuen Versuchen erkläret, und nebst etlich neuen Maschinen zum Elektrisiren beschrieben (1745), Die Stärke der elektrischen Kraft des Wassers in gläsernen Gefässen, welche durch den Musschenbroekschen Versuch bekannt geworden (1746), Grundriß zu einer ausführlichen Abhandlung von der Electricität (1750), De imagine motuum coelestium viribus electricis effecta (1750), De avertendi fulminis artificio ex doctrina electricitatis (1753), Conjectura de vi electrica vaporum solarium in lumine boreali (1763), Tentamina, quaestiones et conjecturae circa electricitatem animantium (1770). In den Philosophical Transactions der Royal Society publizierte Winckler 1745 "Quaedam electricitatis recens observata", 1746 "On the effects on electricity upon himself and his wife", 1747 "Epistola, quae continet descriptionem et figuras pyrorgani sui electrici", 1751 "An account of his experiments relating to odours passing through electrised globes and tubes", sowie 1754 "Account of two electrical experiments"

Source: University of Regensburg Websites; Various other websites
Contributed by Teddy Kaufman (June 2006)

Texts of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

BWV Anh 18

Links to other Sites

Bibliography