Career
In 1911, he designed the first cross-country tank with swiveling turret, based on American agricultural tractors, which he called the Motorgeschütz (literally motor-gun). The draft design, more advanced than some of the tank designs of the First World War, was rejected both by Austria-Hungary and by the German Empire and no prototype was ever produced. He later sought to patent his design, but was told that it might infringe existing patents, so he dropped all plans.
At the end World World War II (April, 1945) he committed suicide because he feared Soviet captivity.
Burstyn was christened "Günther," but in later life chose to omit the umlaut and use the name "Gunther.".