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Kranzberg, Melvin L (37406528): Difference between revisions
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Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Kranzberg graduated from Amherst College, received a master's and a Ph.D. from Harvard University and served in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II. He received a Bronze Star for interrogating captured German prisoners and learning the location of Nazi gun emplacements. He was one of two interrogators out of nine in Patton's army who were not killed during the conflict. He received his interrogation training at Camp Ritchie in Maryland, making him one of the Ritchie Boys. | |||
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== Biography == | == Biography == | ||
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Kranzberg graduated from Amherst College, received a master's and a Ph.D. from Harvard University and served in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II. He received a Bronze Star for interrogating captured German prisoners and learning the location of Nazi gun emplacements. He was one of two interrogators out of nine in Patton's army who were not killed during the conflict. He received his interrogation training at Camp Ritchie in Maryland, making him one of the Ritchie Boys. | |||
Kranzberg is known for his laws of technology, the first of which states "Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it neutral." | |||
He was one of the founders of the Society for the History of Technology in the United States and long-time editor of its journal Technology and Culture. Kranzberg served as president of the society from 1983 to 1984, and edited the society's journal from 1959 to 1981, when he turned it over to Robert C. Post of the Smithsonian Institution. The society awards a yearly $4000 fellowship named after Kranzberg to doctoral students engaged in the preparation of dissertations on the history of technology. The award is available to students all over the world. In 1967 Kranzberg was awarded the Leonardo da Vinci Medal by the Society for the History of Technology. | |||
Howard P. Segal wrote an informative semi-biographical tribute to Kranzberg in the Virginia Quarterly Review. | |||
There are two biographical articles by Robert C. Post in Technology and Culture: * "Back at the Start: History and Technology and Culture," T&C 51 (2010): 961–94 * "Chance and Contingency: Putting Mel Kranzberg in Context," T&C 50 (2009): 839–72. | |||
Kranzberg helped found the International Committee for the History of Technology. | |||
Revision as of 13:02, 24 August 2026
| Melvin L Kranzberg | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1917 |
| Died | 1995 |
| Nativity | United States |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 37406528 |
| Rank | Private First Class |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 20 (19 June – 16 August 1944) |
| Section | 5E |
| Enlisted | Jefferson Barracks, Missouri |
| Team | IPW 151 |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Kranzberg graduated from Amherst College, received a master's and a Ph.D. from Harvard University and served in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II. He received a Bronze Star for interrogating captured German prisoners and learning the location of Nazi gun emplacements. He was one of two interrogators out of nine in Patton's army who were not killed during the conflict. He received his interrogation training at Camp Ritchie in Maryland, making him one of the Ritchie Boys.
Biography
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Kranzberg graduated from Amherst College, received a master's and a Ph.D. from Harvard University and served in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II. He received a Bronze Star for interrogating captured German prisoners and learning the location of Nazi gun emplacements. He was one of two interrogators out of nine in Patton's army who were not killed during the conflict. He received his interrogation training at Camp Ritchie in Maryland, making him one of the Ritchie Boys.
Kranzberg is known for his laws of technology, the first of which states "Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it neutral."
He was one of the founders of the Society for the History of Technology in the United States and long-time editor of its journal Technology and Culture. Kranzberg served as president of the society from 1983 to 1984, and edited the society's journal from 1959 to 1981, when he turned it over to Robert C. Post of the Smithsonian Institution. The society awards a yearly $4000 fellowship named after Kranzberg to doctoral students engaged in the preparation of dissertations on the history of technology. The award is available to students all over the world. In 1967 Kranzberg was awarded the Leonardo da Vinci Medal by the Society for the History of Technology.
Howard P. Segal wrote an informative semi-biographical tribute to Kranzberg in the Virginia Quarterly Review.
There are two biographical articles by Robert C. Post in Technology and Culture: * "Back at the Start: History and Technology and Culture," T&C 51 (2010): 961–94 * "Chance and Contingency: Putting Mel Kranzberg in Context," T&C 50 (2009): 839–72.
Kranzberg helped found the International Committee for the History of Technology.
Research notes
Gallery
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Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 78 |
| Nara ASN | 37406528 |
| Nara Name | KRANZBERG MELVIN L |
| Nara State | 75 |
| Nara County | 189 |
| Nara POE | 7545 |
| Nara DOE | 281242 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | PVT |
| Nara Grade Code | 8 |
| Nara Branch Alpha | BI |
| Nara Branch Code | 0 |
| Branch | Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA |
| Nara Term or Enlistment | 5 |
| Term of enlistment | Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law |
| Defer. Date | 0 |
| Nara Source | 0 |
| Nara Nativity | 75 |
| Nativity.1 | MISSOURI |
| Nara Year of Birth | 20 |
| Nara Race | 1 |
| Nara Race Description | White citizen |
| Nara Education | 8 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 993 |
| Nara Marital Status | 2 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 72 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 239 |
| Class_ASN | 13106147 |
| Class_Name | KRANZBERG, Melvin |
| match_method | pass2_unique_name |
| row_source | both |
Sources
- Wikipedia: Melvin Kranzberg
- Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
- NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
- 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)