Peter Kristian Prytz (26 February 1851 - 4 March 1929) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

physicist. He was a professor at the

Technical University of Denmark The Technical University of Denmark ( da, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet), often simply referred to as DTU, is a polytechnic university and school of engineering. It was founded in 1829 at the initiative of Hans Christian Ørsted as Denmark's fi ...

from 1894 to 1921.

Early life and education

Prytz was born on 26 February 1851 in Årup at Torslev, the son of parish priest Peter Christian Prytz (1807–77) and Anna Eline Garben (1814-1906). He earned a degree in physics from the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen ( da, Københavns Universitet, KU) is a prestigious public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in ...

in 1875 and spent the next ten years teaching at schools in Copenhagen.

Career

In 1883, he volunteered as an assistant at a new course in experimental physics for engineers arranged by C. Christiansen. He became a teacher at the College of Advanced Technology in 1886 and was appointed professor in 1894. He was throughout his career also responsible for teaching experimental physics to physics students at the

. He was also teaching physics at the Danish Military Academy (1887–90) and at the medicine and pharmacist programmes of the University of Copenhagen (1886–97). The College of Advanced Technology was initially located in

Studiestræde Studiestræde is a street in central Copenhagen, Denmark, running from Bispetorv on Nørregade in the northeast to Axeltorv in the southwest. The oldest section of the street, between Nørregade and Vester Voldgade, is part of Copenhagen's Latin ...

. In 1890, it relocated to the new Sølvtorv Complex. In 1906-07, the facilities were once again improved when the new Farimagsgade Wing was inaugurated. In 1907-12, funding of DKK enabled Prytz to create the new Physical Laboratory. In 1921, it was replaced by the new Niels Bohr Institute. He was a member of the

Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters {{Infobox organization , name = The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters , full_name = , native_name = Det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab , native_name_lang = , logo = Royal ...

from 1891 and also of a number of foreign scientific academies.aber. He represented Denmark in the

International Committee for Weights and Measures The General Conference on Weights and Measures (GCWM; french: Conférence générale des poids et mesures, CGPM) is the supreme authority of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), the intergovernmental organization established i ...

Personal life

On 30 May 1879, Prytz married Anna Cathrine Steenstrup (6 February 1852 - 22 August 1935) She was a daughter of the theologian Mathias Steenstrup (1822-1904) and Rise J. J. Kjellerup (1827-1906). Prytz is one of the scientists depicted in

Peder Severin Krøyer Peder Severin Krøyer (; 23 July 1851 – 21 November 1909), also known as P. S. Krøyer, was a Danish painter. Life Growing up and early training Krøyer was born in Stavanger, Norway, on 23 July 1851 to Ellen Cecilie Gjesdal. He was rai ...

's monumental 1897 group portrait painting ''

A Meeting in the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...

''. He was created a Knight in the Order of the Dannebrog in 1900 and a Commander of the Second Class in 1920. He was awarded the Cross of Honour in 1915. He died on 4 March 1929 in

Hellerup Hellerup () is a very affluent district of Gentofte Municipality in the suburbs of Copenhagen, Denmark. The most urban part of the district is centred on Strandvejen and is bordered by Østerbro to the south and the Øresund to the east. It compri ...

and is buried in

Solbjerg Park Cemetery Solbjerg Park Cemetery ( da, Solbjerg Parkkirkegård) Is a 19-hectare cemetery in Frederiksberg in the western outskirts of inner Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1865, it is one of three cemeteries in Frederiksberg Municipality Frederiksberg Ko ...

Frederiksberg Frederiksberg () is a part of the Capital Region of Denmark. It is formally an independent municipality, Frederiksberg Municipality, separate from Copenhagen Municipality, but both are a part of the City of Copenhagen. It occupies an area of ...

Selected publications

* ''Naturlæren. En kortfattet Vejledning'', 1885 (6. udg. 1906) * ''Hovedtrækkene af de vigtigste fysiske Maalemetoder'', 1901 (2. udg. 1914) * ''Læren om faste Legemers Bevægelse I-II'', 1918–20 * ''Høje og lave Varmegrader'', 1925

References

External links

Source
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prytz, Peter Kristian Danish physicists University of Copenhagen alumni Commanders Second Class of the Order of the Dannebrog Recipients of the Cross of Honour of the Order of the Dannebrog 1851 births 1929 deaths Members of the Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala