Alexander Thielen
Alexander Thielen (1841-1897)
1897 Obituary [1]
ALEXANDER THIELEN died at Heidelberg on July 21, 1897. Born on May 3, 1841, at Dusseldorf, he received his technical education at the Clausthal School of Mines and at the Berlin High School.
In 1864 he was appointed assistant at the zinc works at Letmathe, and in 1865 entered the service of Sir Hussey Vivian at Swansea. He remained there until March 1870, when he proceeded to South Africa, in the interest of the Cape Copper Company.
In the spring of 1873 he returned to Germany, and was appointed director of the Phoenix Mining and Metallurgical Company at Laar near Ruhrort. In this responsible position he remained until his fatal illness.
In 1880 he founded the Rhenish Westphalian Pig Iron Association, and in 1884 and 1885 he was Vice-President of the International Steel Rail Association.
He was a member of the Society of German Ironmasters from its foundation, of which society he acted as president during the International meeting in the United States in 1890. His services on that occasion were recognised by the German Emperor by creating him a Knight of the fourth class of the Order of the Red Eagle, whilst in 1896 the third class of the same distinguished Order was conferred upon him.
He was elected a member of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1875, a Member of Council in 1890, and a Vice-President in 1896. He was a regular attendant at the meetings of the Institute, and contributed to its proceedings in 1890 a valuable paper on the Darby process of recarburisation.