"Charter" of Württemberg and Swabia
Bohnenberger developed into an absolute expert in the fields of physics, mathematics and astronomy via the diversions of studying theology in Tübingen. Even as a vicar in Altburg, he worked intensively and successfully with cartography and was thus able to create an accurate map of outstanding quality that was firmly anchored on the earth's surface.
Field maps
His talent did not go unnoticed by the Württemberg dynasty. As a result, he was not only allowed to create and distribute a map of the whole of Württemberg, but was also commissioned to lead the technical and scientific cadastral survey of the now greatly enlarged Kingdom of Württemberg, which began in 1818.
Inventions
Bohnenberger made ground-breaking inventions such as the gimballed gyroscope. He wanted to demonstrate precession to his students, the circular movement of the axis of rotation in the opposite direction to rotation due to external forces. To do this, he used an additional weight on the frame. However, he quickly realised that the rotating axis remains stable even if the device is moved and rotated at will. This was the basic principle for later control instruments for movement in space, navigation on water, on land and in the air.
He also had the idea for the reversible pendulum to determine the local gravity on the earth's surface. It has two suspension points (cutting edges) and a movable mass. If the same oscillation time is brought about by shifting in both positions, the distance between the edges can be used as the pendulum length to calculate the force of gravity. This principle was used to determine the local acceleration due to gravity down to a millionth of its actual value until 1970 at the Geo Research Institute in Potsdam, which was then the world gravity reference point.
Global Positioning System (GPS)
Nowadays, earth measurements are made from space using GPS. Bohnenberger was responsible for three important building blocks: height determination, spatial orientation and the exact map basis. In a 30-minute documentary, all of Prof Bohnenberger's achievements can be followed using modern media technology.
Replicas
The museum contains replicas of a gyroscope, a reversing pendulum and a wooden quadrant that Bohnenberger designed and made himself. He used it to measure celestial bodies and was thus able to determine the geographical position of Altburg very precisely, for example. In addition, contemporary instruments such as a telescope, sighting circle, sextant and a "straight-running apparatus" of a torpedo from the First World War are on display.
Altburg Bohnenberg history trail
The Altburger-Bohnenberger history trail shows the eventful history of the village as experienced by father and son Bohnenberger on 22 boards and takes around 1 1/2 hours to complete.
Click here for the trail!
