Alois Riedler (1850-1936) was one of the most prominent professors of mechanical engineering in the Kaiserreich and in the early Republic. Under his influence, the ‘Technische Hochschulen’ built machine laboratories and received the right to confer doctorate degrees. Usually, Riedler is considered to be a proponent of a practice orientated approach in engineering education. In my paper, I shall give a revised version of this interpretation. I emphasize that Riedler tried to integrate theory and practice in engineering education in a new way in order to overcome the ongoing process of specialization.

Around 1900, Riedler succeeded in establishing new curricula in mechanical engineering at the ‘Technische Hochschule Berlin’. Nevertheless, he was not satisfied with the further development of engineering education. Therefore, after the First World War, he tried to institutionalize a competing second department at the ‘Hochschule’ in order to try out his concept. This failed finally due to his his colleagues’ opposition and the lacking support from the ministry of education and from industry.

My paper will integrate this case study in the general history of German engineering education in the 19th and 20th century. It will consider the various actor groups, their ideas, interests, and politics. The paper is based on research in the state archives and in the actors’ papers. Besides this qualitative approach, the transformations of the mechanical engineering curricula at the ‘Technische Hochschule Berlin’ will be analysed quantitatively.