Werner von Siemens

Werner von Siemens
1885 portrait
Born
Ernst Werner Siemens

(1816-12-13)13 December 1816
Died6 December 1892(1892-12-06) (aged 75)
Known forFounder of Siemens
AwardsPour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts (1886)
Scientific career
FieldsElectrical engineer, inventor

Ernst Werner Siemens (von Siemens from 1888; /ˈsmənz/ SEEM-ənz; German: [ˈziːməns, -mɛns]; 13 December 1816 – 6 December 1892) was a German electrical engineer, inventor and industrialist. Siemens's name has been adopted as the SI unit of electrical conductance, the siemens. He founded the electrical and telecommunications conglomerate Siemens and invented the electric tram, trolley bus, electric locomotive and electric elevator.

His dynamo laid the foundation for the modern age of electricity and he was involved in the development of the electric car.