Augustin Jindřich Beer (1815-1879)

Personality in Mining section

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Augustin Jindřich Beer was born on 15th July 1815 in Příbram.

He was a mining expert, specialist in geology, mining measuring and adjusting. He represented Mining University in Příbram and was its director from 1875 to 1878. Beer was Příbram native and came from burgher family; he was the son of Václav and Josefa Beer residing in a house located on the south part of the main square.

He received his elementary education in Příbram and continued on Grammar School in Prague. Josef Jungmann, leading figure of Czech National Revival, was his teacher. Beer studied Mining Academy in Banská Štiavnica from 1836 to 1839. After his studies, he had a chance to study abroad to learn more about the nature of bearings and new mining techniques. After his return, he was assigned to Vrchní horní úřad in Příbram (High Mining Office in Příbram) as mining practitioner, and not long after he became a specialist.

He was considered to be an expert in the field of deep drilling; he focused on the topic of a comprehensive publication called ”Erdbohrkunde” from 1858. The book introduced first detailed work on searching techniques which became textbook in many European mining academies and mining schools. He obtained his knowledge as a leader of state mining works in Kladno Region from 1842 to 1849. His textbook on mining measuring from 1856 was similarly important.

He was in charge of Franz Joseph I. mines in Březové Hory in Příbram (nowadays the Ševčin Mine in Mining Museum of Příbram) from 1853 to 1863. Before, he had been lecturing on Mining Apprentice School in Příbram where he had been engaged based on the decision of Ministry of Agriculture and Mining in 1849 where he had worked as the first assistant in Mining department. In 1851 he was relocated again and appointed temporary mining adjunct at Mining School in Příbram which served as a preparatory course for mining supervisors. From his position of university assistant, he was relocated to the position of teacher – his position was very important in the system of mining education at that time. He worked at Mining School in Příbram till 1863 when Ministry of Finance relieved him from the position and sent him back to Mining Apprentice School in Příbram to lecture mining and mining finishing. Two years later, he already thought at the school as a professor.

Mining Apprentice School in Příbram was promoted to Mining Academy in Příbram in 1865. From 1875 to 1878 Beer was its director. He had an extensive private library with professional literature and subscribed to many journals, e.g. Časopis Českého Musea (Czech Museum Journal), Časopis Památek archeologických (Archaeological monuments Journal) or Průmyslník (The Industrialist). He participated in the Czech-German Dictionary of mining terminology with Josef Šumavský. Beer also participated in Municipal Savings Bank Committee since its beginning in 1861. He died in 1879 and was buried in a cemetery in Příbram.

He was an internationally recognised scientist in the field of deep drilling and mining measuring. His comprehensive work of the disciplines is one of the very first to gather all the knowledge. He used his experience and knowledge in practice during working in Central Bohemia around Kladno and Příbram. He was the highest representative of Mining Academy in Příbram in the second half of the 1970s.

He died on 8th April 1879 in Příbram.

Author: PaedDr. Josef Velfl, ředitel Hornického muzea Příbram