Powerful and efficient, diesel engines are the mechanical hearts of many of the world’s trucks, trains, and ships, as well as construction, farm, and military equipment.
The creation of the internal combustion engine in the late 1800s revolutionized worldwide industries. History hasn’t heralded its inventor to the extent that it has with Thomas Edison or Henry Ford for their contributions.
Author Douglas Brunt wants to give Rudolf Diesel his due.
In “The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I,” Mr. Brunt gives readers a riveting account of Diesel’s life, combining science, history, biography, and, perhaps the most alluring aspect, mystery.
Diesel’s Disruptive Disappearance
At the pinnacle of his career, Diesel made worldwide headlines. On Sept. 30, 1913, it was reported that he had vanished. Supposedly onboard the steamship Dresden traveling to England from Belgium, he never reached the port. A neatly folded coat was left behind. His bed was unslept in. Weeks later, a body was found floating in the ocean with several of his possessions. Speculation ran rampant. Was his disappearance the result of an accident or a suicide, or was he murdered?Diesel had reached a point where his invention had given him international celebrity status. The diesel engine had licensing agreements in several countries. However, he had also garnered the ire of several powerful individuals. Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany wanted Diesel’s engines to power a fleet of submarines to challenge Great Britain’s Royal Navy. Tensions were building. World War I was just a few years away.
Meanwhile, in America, a burgeoning young nation at that time, John D. Rockefeller was building his own empire with Standard Oil. This new engine could pose a threat.
A Genius in the Making
As a young boy, Diesel grew up impoverished in Paris. His parents had moved to France from Bavaria for a better life. His father had his own workshop as a craftsman. Diesel was a keen observer of the human condition. Keeping a journal, he made copious notes. He had a burning desire to know how things, particularly machines, worked and whether they could work better.Forced to leave France, the family found themselves in the poorer sections of London. Fortunately for young Diesel, through relations, he was invited to return to Europe and stayed with a family in Germany to be educated. Brilliant and determined, Diesel enjoyed the arts, music, and the joy of inventing. He wasn’t always prepared for consequences.
Diesel power became a power struggle between nations. Rudolf Diesel found himself as a crucial piece in the escalating conflict between Wilhelm and Churchill. Both leaders were kept abreast of new technologies, particularly as they affected the balance of military power. Diesel had his own set of sensibilities, which often didn’t align with Wilhelm and Churchill. His affinity was to help mankind, not harm them.
Hardworking, and a stickler for structure, Diesel was a refined gentleman and a gracious and generous host. His connections were vast and varied. He built a lavish home in Munich, where he spoiled his wife, Martha Flasche Diesel, and three children. Some considered it too opulent, but as Mr. Brunt writes: “For Diesel, art and beauty were more than ornamental, they served a purpose. He believed as the ancient Greeks believed—that art can raise the aspirations of humankind.”
Diesel incorporated an expansive workshop in his home. There, he could work and be close to his family at the same time. Surrounding his environs with art stimulated him to new heights. He kept a hectic schedule, often compromising his health, between lectures, public appearances, and business negotiations.
His disappearance shocked the world.
Mr. Brunt’s conclusion as to what happened to Diesel in one of history’s most compelling vanishing acts will leave readers speculating and weighing his research. This read is thoroughly suspenseful, entertaining, informative, and insightful.
As I write this, I’d relish sharing the ending, but that would be a spoiler and rob readers of a deceptively brilliant and enthralling narrative.
