Asta Hampe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Asta Hampe
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Aste Hampe in 1935
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Asta Hampe
24 May 1907 Helmstedt
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| Died | 22 October 2003 (aged 96) Hamburg (presumably)
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| Partner(s) | Andy Röper (librarian) |
| Parent(s) | Emmy Busch, Hans Hampe |
Asta Hampe (born May 24, 1907 – died October 22, 2003) was a brilliant German woman. She was an expert in many fields. She worked as an electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, physicist, economist, and statistician. She was also the first German woman to join the Women's Engineering Society in 1929. This group supports women in engineering.
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A Young Engineer's Start
Asta Hampe was born on May 24, 1907, in Helmstedt, Germany. She was one of four children. Her family owned a spinning mill and a soap factory. Her father and uncle encouraged her to learn about their businesses from a young age.
In 1924, Asta found plans for a small radio set. She loved tinkering with it. This new technology fascinated her. She decided she wanted to become an engineer. Her father, however, wanted her to learn typing and get married instead.
Asta went to high school at the Klosterschule in Hamburg. She graduated in 1926. Then, she went to the Technical University of Munich. There, she studied physics and engineering. She was one of only five women among 500 male students.
After some exams and internships, she moved to the Technical University of Berlin. She studied telecommunications engineering there. This time, the male students were more welcoming to the three female students. While still a student, Asta started a group called the Gemeinschaft Deutscher Ingenieurinnen. This means the "Association of German Women Engineers." In 1931, she earned her diploma in telecommunications engineering. Between 1929 and 1935, she also improved her English skills. She did this by living in London, Exeter, and Sheffield. Her grandfather and uncle helped pay for her studies.
Her Amazing Career
Working as an Engineer
Asta Hampe first worked as an assistant. This was at a research lab at Friedrich Krupp AG in Essen. But in 1933, things changed in Germany. Women's rights began to be limited. Asta was fired from her job at Barmbek Hospital. The reason given was: "Physics is no profession for a woman."
After this, Asta joined an export company called Kunst and Albers. She worked there as a supply engineer. In 1938, she wrote to the Women's Engineering Society. She told them about her job at Philips' radio company. During World War II, Asta was asked to work for the German navy. She was a physicist at a special research center in Kiel. She did important lab work. But a man always had to do the field tests for her. This often made her feel annoyed.
Becoming an Economist
In 1943, Asta returned to Hamburg. She started a new career in economics at the University of Hamburg. After World War II ended, Germany was reorganizing. Asta's skills helped her continue her career easily. In 1947, she earned her doctorate degree. Her research was about how war damage affected land credit in cities.
She then worked for important housing groups. From 1951, she became an assistant and a lecturer in statistics at the University of Hamburg.
In 1957, Asta completed more advanced studies. This was called a "Habilitation." Her paper was about how rent prices are set freely. After this, she became an associate professor at the University of Hamburg. In 1962, she received a new special position. It was called the "Chair of Economic Statistics." This was at the Philipps University in Marburg. She had a unique chance to build this subject from scratch. She did this with great passion. Many economists learned from her during this time. From 1968 to 1969, she held a full professor position at the Philips University in Marburg.
Being Part of the Women's Engineering Society
Asta Hampe was a very active member of the Women's Engineering Society (WES). She listed herself in their 1935 Register of Women Engineers. In the same year, she attended their annual conference. She spoke to other engineers about her experiences in Germany.
At the conference, Amy Johnson, a famous pilot, gave a toast to women engineers worldwide. Asta Hampe then spoke about changes for women in engineering in Germany. She mentioned that there were training and job opportunities for women. In 1986, Professor Dr. Asta Hampe was still listed as a full member in The Woman Engineer magazine.
