PROF. ALEKSA STEINER (1906.–1986.) OSNIVAČ ZAVODA ZA FIZIKU MEDICINSKOG FAKULTETA U RIJECI

Abstract

Aleksa Steiner was born in Ljubešćica near Varaždinske Toplice, Croatia on 5 November 1906. At the age of ten he left for Varaždin, where he attended the local grammar school until 1919, then moved to Zagreb, where he finished secondary school in 1924. In 1935, he graduated in electrical engineering from the Faculty of Technology. He worked in a couple of institutes and plants in Vienna and Zagreb, and then in 1941, he and his family had to flee from the fascist regime in Zagreb. In 1943, he joined the partisan movement and successfully set up a radio broadcasting station on Mt Mosor, a weapon repair workshop, hand grenade production, a hydroelectric power plant, and a carbide factory by the end of WW2. After demobilisation in 1945, with a group of people Steiner established Rade Končar, and became the factory’s first general manager. When he started Končar counted 150 workers, and by the time Steiner moved on, it already employed over 2000 people. Steiner moved to Rijeka, jumping at an opportunity to dedicate himself to scientific research. First he taught at the two-year School of Maritime Studies (1950-1960), at which time, that is, between 1957 and 1960, he already held classes at the University School of Medicine in Rijeka. From habilitation in 1960 through to retirement in 1977, he was the head of the school’s newly found Institute of Physics. Meanwhile he advanced from lecturer to full professor. He also taught at the  Technical Faculty in Rijeka between 1960 and 1974, and ran a postgraduate programme. His areas of interest were physics, mathematics, theory of electrical engineering, as well as issues related to regulation, ionisation, ferromagnetism and electromagnetic field induction in metal and non-metal conductors. As a youngster, Steiner pursued athletics, trekking, alpinism and skiing. All his life he remained a passionate nature lover and a skilful amateur photographer.

Key words: history of medicine, history of physics, 20th century, Aleksa Steiner, University School of Medicine, Rijeka, Croatia