Ernst Koenig

Background

Ernst Koenig was born in 1869 in Flensburg, Germany.

Education

Ernst studied medicine at the University of Kiel in Kiel, Germany. Then he studied chemistry at the University of Leipzig in Leipzig, Germany.

Career

After completing his studies in 1893 Koenig joined the Farbwerke vorm Meister, Lucius & Bruening at Hoechst am Main near Frankfurt. He instigated the development of a photographic department there, which produced plates and the prepared rapid developer Pinakol.

Koenig had made his first photochemical discoveries as a student, developing a Kallitype paper. At Farbwerke he collaborated with Benno Homolka to develop the color process using pin-chrome.

Based on leuco dyes, it was marketed unsuccessfully in 1904, but set the stage for later work by Fischer and Siegrist and for modern color coupler photography. Koenig also contributed to the development of panchromatic emulsions through isocyanide dyes, and extended plate sensitivity from yellow into the extreme red and near-infrared of the spectrum through the use of such dyes as Priaverdol, Orthochrome, Pinachrome, and Pinacyanol blue.

Achievements

• PUBLICATIONS Books: Photographic Chemistry, 2 vols., Pierre Glafkides, 1960, 1958 (Fountain Press); March of Photography, Ewrich Stenger, 1958; History of Color Photography, Joseph S. Friedman, 1944.

Connections

coworker:

Benno Homolka

Ernst Koenig collaborated with Benno Homolka to develop the color process using pin-achrome.