BRUNINGS

NETHERLANDS (see also List of Individuals)

\

3.11.1736 Neckarau/D - 16.5.1805 s'Gravenhage/NL

\

Christian Brunings (Brünings) came as a young boy to the Netherlands, moved around in Central Europe with his parents and graduated from Amsterdam University in natural sciences. He then was driven to hydraulic engineering and from 1765 involved in dam works in the Rhineland, and in the erection of sluices in Zwanenburg. In 1769 he was appointed a state engineer in the position of a general inspector. In 1771, he participated in negotiations between Prussia and the Netherlands on the common border. Two years later, Brunings presented designs of the Bijland, and nine years later of the Pannerdensche Canals close to Arnhem. The latter connects the Rivers Rhine and Waal and served in the Napoleon wars also for military purposes. Once Brunings had passed away, his services towards the kingdom of the Netherlands were acknowledged by the Dutch King who erected a commemoration plaque in the Great Church of Haarlem.

\

The writings of Brunings are numerous. In 1780 he presented a work on the rainfall intensities of Holland, one of the first accounts on this topic in Europe. A further work published in 1784 relate to methods in hydrometry, because he aimed to evaluate the discharge of the major water courses in Holland. A work published in 1793 used knowledge of Karl Adolf von Wiebeking (1762-1842) and related to the usefulness of dikes erected along rivers for flood protection.

\

_{Aa, A.J. van der (1969). Christian Brunings. Biographisch Wordenboek der Nederlanden: 466-}

_{467. Israel: Amsterdam.}

_{Brunings, C. (1795). Verhandling over de onschadelykheid der paal-werken, voor de sluizen op Halfwegen, mit betrekking tot de ontlasting van Rhynlands water. Plaat: Haarlem.}

_{Brunings, C. (1798). Abhandlung über die Geschwindigkeit des fliessenden Wassers und von den Mitteln, dieselbe auf allen Tiefen zu bestimmen. Behrens: Frankfurt/M.}

_{Dirkzwager, J.M. (1977). Water - van natuurgebeuren tot dienstbaarheid. Nijhoff: s'Gravenhage. P}

_{Molhuysen, P.C., Blok, P.J. (1911). Brunings, Christian. Nieuw Nederlandsch Biografisch Woordenboek 1: 498-501. Sijthoff's: Leiden.}

_{Poggendorff, J.C. (1863). Brunings, Christian. Biographisch-Literarisches Handwörterbuch 1: 314-315. Barth: Leipzig, with bibliography.}

_{Schaik, P. van (1984). Christiaan Brunings - Waterstaat in opkomst. De Walburg: Pers. P}

_{Vinkeles, R. (1809). Brunings. Vaderlaendisch Historie ten vervolge op Wagenaar 45: 284. P}