Ernst Dietrich Geissler was born in Chemnitz, Germany, on August 4, 1915. [1] He lived in Chemnitz throughout his early life, and graduated high school in 1934. [2] After graduating, Geissler joined the German Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD; the Reich Labor Service) in May of 1934. All Germans were obligated to serve for a 6-month period. [3] During this time he also began attending the Dresden University of Technology. He graduated in 1936, with a BS degree in Technical Physics. He continued to attend Dresden University for his master’s degree, which he obtained in 1939 for Technical Physics. [4]

While at Dresden in 1937, Geissler began working as a part-time assistant for the Math department, where he supervised graduate studies in mathematics. Later in 1939, he would become a part-time lecturer at the University, where he taught engineering students under the Director of the Engineering School. He also worked at Dresden as a scientific assistant for the Physics Institute, where he helped professors prepare lectures and supervised students. [5] Geissler worked for the Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF; the German Labour Front), the national labour organization of the Nazi Party in Dresden. He worked on statistics for the DAF, but claimed that he did not hold membership in the organization at this time. [3]

After graduating from Dresden University, Geissler entered the industry as a research engineer for the German War Department in Peenemunde. As a government employee, Geissler automatically became a member of the DAF from 1940 to 1945. [6] As an engineer at Peenemunde, he conducted stability analysis for guided missiles from January of 1940 to January of 1941 before getting a new assignment as the Group Leader for Theory of Control. In this role, he supervised the study of control systems and simulations of dynamic stability for guided missiles. He primarily worked on the development of the V-2 rocket and its successor, the Wasserfall. [6] In this new role, Geissler was pressured to join the Nazi Sturmabteilung (SA; Storm Troopers, the paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party). Geissler would write that he was a member until October of 1941, and that he was obligated to join in order to keep his job at Peenemunde. [3] While at Peenemunde, Geissler married Gerda Kaete Grete Stricker on August 18, 1941, in Varzin, Germany (now known as Warcino, Poland). [3]

In 1944, Geissler received another new assignment as the Section Leader for the Theory of Flight & Control Systems Departments. Here he continued his work with the Wasserfall missile, where he worked on simulations of the missile’s trajectory, range, and homing systems. He also developed control systems such as gyros and servomotors for the missile. He worked here until the war ended in 1945, when he was found by the US Army and brought to the United States as part of Project Paperclip. [6] He officially joined the federal service on September 15, 1945. [5]

Geissler was first stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas, where he worked from December 1945 to July of 1951. At Fort Bliss, he first worked as an aeronautical research engineer where he conducted aerodynamic studies for new missiles. In April of 1948, he was promoted to Group Leader for the Aerodynamics & Flight Mechanics team. During this time, he also transferred to Huntsville, Alabama. [6] In the late 1940s, Geissler also returned to Germany and earned his doctorate in Applied Mathematics from the Technical University of Darmstadt in 1951. [4]

After returning to Hunstville, Geissler worked under Wernher von Braun at Redstone Arsenal’s Guided Missile Development Division as Chief of the Aeroballistics Laboratory. [6]. He also became a naturalized US citizen on November 11, 1954. [7] With the establishment of the Army Ballistics Missile Agency (ABMA) in 1956, Geissler’s work transferred to the agency, where he worked until July of 1960. [3] Geissler continued working under Wernher von Braun as the director of the Aeroballistics Laboratory. In this role, Geissler led a team “engaged in research and development activities of guided missiles in the areas of preliminary design and performance, aerodynamics, theory of flight, stability analysis, flutter analysis and theory of control”. [5] In his time with the ABMA, he helped develop the Redstone, Jupiter, and Pershing ballistic missiles as well as the Explorer I and Pioneer V satellites. [8]

With the opening of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in 1960, Geissler began working there as the Director of the Aero-Astrodynamics Laboratory. In this role, he was responsible for leading a “400-man staff engaged in research and development activities of space vehicles in the areas of aerothermodynamics, flight mechanics, theory of guidance and control, flight test evaluation, aerospace environment, [and] development of test facilities”. Geissler was responsible for the “direction and coordination of activities of 5 divisions and 2 project offices in supporting research and systems engineering for several space vehicle systems under development at the Center”. [5] While at MSFC, his work supported the development of the Saturn I, Saturn IB, and Saturn V launch vehicles. [8]

Geissler retired from the civil service in December of 1973. Speaking of his post-retirement interests, Geissler wrote that he was “devoted to getting a broader understanding of recent developments concerning the foundations of mathematics and physics, artificial intelligence as well as to keep aware of new developments in all natural sciences”. [2]

Geissler was professionally awarded numerous times throughout his career. In 1959, the US Army awarded him the Dept. of Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service. Several years later, in 1963, NASA granted him an Award for Exceptional Scientific Achievement. He received further accolades at NASA in 1965, when they awarded him a Certificate of Merit in Recognition of Performance and Outstanding Contribution to significant Program Accomplishment at Marshall. [5] Upon his retirement from NASA, he was also awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 1973. [9] Geissler also was an active member in the public rocketry community. In 1961, Geissler was selected as a charter Senior Member of the American Rocket Society, now known as the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). [10] Geissler holds four patents. Two of them are in Germany for his work on guided missiles, and two are in the United States for further work on missile stabilization. [2]

Dr. Geissler died on June 3, 1989 in Huntsville at the age of 73. [1]

Sources

[1] Ernst Geissler Find a Grave

[2] UAH Archives Ernst Geissler Collection - “Biographical Data for Ernst D. Geissler”, Box 2, Folder 22

[3] UAH Archives Ernst Geissler Collection - “Security Investigation Data for Sensitive Position”, Box 2, Folder 22

[4] UAH Archives Ernst Geissler Collection - “Who’s Who in Space: Personal and Space Career Data Record Form”, Box 2, Folder 22

[5] UAH Archives Ernst Geissler Collection - “Executive Inventory Record”, Box 1, Folder 49

[6] UAH Archives Ernst Geissler Collection - “Standard Form 57”, Box 2, Folder 22

[7] UAH Archives Ernst Geissler Collection - “Security Clearance Certification”, Box 2, Folder 22

[8] UAH Archives Ernst Geissler Collection - “Dr. Ernst D. Geissler, Public Affairs Office” Box 2, Folder 22

[9] SP-4012 Nasa Historical Data Book: Vol IV

[10] UAH Archives Ernst Geissler Collection - Letter to Ernst Geissler From the American Rocket Society, Box 1, Folder 19