Heinz Zemanek

Updated: 12/31/2020 by Computer Hope
Heinz Zemanek

Name: Heinz Zemanek

Born: January 1, 1920

Death: July 16, 2014 (Age: 94)

Computer-related contributions

  • Austrian computer pioneer best known for developing the first complete transistorized computer on the European continent. The computer was named Mailüfterl - German for "May breeze" - in reference to Whirlwind, a computer developed at MIT between 1945 and 1951.
  • First manager of the IBM Laboratory Vienna in Germany (1961).
  • Played a significant role in the formal definition of the programming language PL/I.

Honors and awards

  • Appointed an IBM Fellow (1976).
  • Eduard Rhein Ring of Honor from the German Eduard Rhein Foundation (1998).
  • Kardinal-Innitzer-Preis award (2003).