THALL10326
The Champ
2007 is history now and 2008 begins. However history itself remains one of the most interesting topics of all time. Millions spend countless hours everyday researching history. That said I'm gonna start 2008 off on AS with a history lesson on one man, the man of Stihl, Andreas Stihl himself. This thread is for those of you that come to read and never seem to post, I know there are many of you. You've seen plenty of fun, non-sense and wealth of information on this site. You've seen the sometimes bitter brand wars and fun and play wars over chainsaws of all things. This thread is for mere reading for those interested in more than chainsaws. This is about one mans life long work that gave us what we know today as the modern chainsaw we all enjoy arguing about, fussing about and sometimes even agreeing about. Enjoy.
Andreas Stihl was born 11/10/1896 in Zurich. His father was a small time trucker/farmer and his mother was a orphan. Having strained relations with his father Andreas Stihl leaves his parental home at a young age. He obtains his leaving certificate from primary school in Switzerland and goes to live with relations in Germany. He attends secondary school in Singen am Hohentwiel, then grammar school in Dusseldorf-Oberkassel.
At age 19, in 1915, WW1 is raging. He is sent to the front line. He is wounded four times, seriously injured in 1916. The last injury leaves him with a disabled lefthand and only partial use of his arm. For this reason Andreas Stihl is discharged from military service in 1917. After leaving the service he decides to study mechanical engineering. In 1920 he passes his state examination in mechanical engineering at the Technical Institute in Eisenach, where he is staying with an aunt.
This is followed by three years with various reowned firms, as he later writes. Among other positions, he works as an expert for a steam engines, which were ofter used in sawmills in those days. He see's first hand how strenuous the work is in sawmills becaused the logs have to be taken to the sationary saws. The idea of developing a portable power saw comes to Andreas Stihl during this period.
{more to come}
Andreas Stihl was born 11/10/1896 in Zurich. His father was a small time trucker/farmer and his mother was a orphan. Having strained relations with his father Andreas Stihl leaves his parental home at a young age. He obtains his leaving certificate from primary school in Switzerland and goes to live with relations in Germany. He attends secondary school in Singen am Hohentwiel, then grammar school in Dusseldorf-Oberkassel.
At age 19, in 1915, WW1 is raging. He is sent to the front line. He is wounded four times, seriously injured in 1916. The last injury leaves him with a disabled lefthand and only partial use of his arm. For this reason Andreas Stihl is discharged from military service in 1917. After leaving the service he decides to study mechanical engineering. In 1920 he passes his state examination in mechanical engineering at the Technical Institute in Eisenach, where he is staying with an aunt.
This is followed by three years with various reowned firms, as he later writes. Among other positions, he works as an expert for a steam engines, which were ofter used in sawmills in those days. He see's first hand how strenuous the work is in sawmills becaused the logs have to be taken to the sationary saws. The idea of developing a portable power saw comes to Andreas Stihl during this period.
{more to come}