Arthur Scherbius

Who was Arthur Scherbius?

Arthur Scherbius was a German electrical engineer who patented an invention for a mechanical cipher machine, later sold as the Enigma machine.

Scherbius was born in Frankfurt am Main and his father was a businessman. He studied electricity at the Technical University Munich, and then went on to study at the University of Hanover, finishing in March 1903. The next year, he completed a dissertation titled "Proposal for the Construction of an Indirect Water Turbine Governor", and was awarded a doctorate in engineering.

Scherbius subsequently worked for a number of electrical firms in Germany and Switzerland. In 1918, he founded the firm of Scherbius & Ritter. He made a number of inventions, e.g. asynchronous motors, electric pillows and ceramic heating parts; his research contributions led to his name being associated with the Scherbius principle for asynchronous motors.

Scherbius applied for a patent for a cipher machine based on rotating wired wheels, what is now known as a rotor machine. Scherbius' company also purchased the rights to another patent for a rotor machine from Hugo Koch—patented in 1919.