Walter Zapp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walter Zapp
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Walter Zapp (2000)
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| Born | 4 September [O.S. 22 August] 1905 |
| Died | 17 July 2003 (aged 97) Binningen, Switzerland
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| Nationality | German, British, Latvian |
| Occupation | Inventor |
| Employer | Valsts Elektrotehniskā Fabrika (VEF) Minox GmbH |
| Known for | Invention of Minox subminiature camera |
Walter Zapp (Latvian: Valters Caps; September 4, 1905 – July 17, 2003) was a talented inventor. He was born in Latvia and was known for his amazing ideas. His most famous invention was the Minox camera. This camera was special because it was very, very small. Walter Zapp was granted more than 60 patents for his inventions during his lifetime.
Contents
Walter Zapp's Life Story
Walter Zapp was born in Riga, which is now the capital city of Latvia. His mother was from a German family living in the Baltic region, and his father was British.
In 1932, when he was living in Estonia, Walter started working on a new idea. He wanted to create a camera that was much smaller than any other. He began by making models out of wood. By 1936, he had built the very first working version of his tiny camera.
This amazing camera was first sold in 1938. It was called the Minox camera. A company in Latvia called VEF (Valsts Elektrotehniskā Fabrika) made these cameras. VEF produced 17,000 Minox cameras.
During World War II, in 1941, Walter Zapp moved to Germany. After the war ended in 1945, he started his own company. It was called Minox GmbH and was located in Wetzlar, Germany. This company still exists today!
Walter Zapp visited Latvia one last time in 2001. He had hoped to celebrate his 100th birthday there. He passed away in 2003, at the age of 97, in Binningen, Switzerland.
His Clever Inventions and Patents
Walter Zapp's camera had a very smart design and many new technical ideas. Because of this, he received many patents around the world. A patent is like a special legal right that protects an invention. It means no one else can make or sell your invention without your permission.
The VEF company received 66 patents for Walter Zapp's inventions in 18 different countries. Later, in the 1960s, Walter Zapp was still listed as the inventor on new patents. These patents were for improvements and changes to his small Minox camera.
In the early 1990s, Walter Zapp patented his very last invention. It was a small telescope called the Minox T8 pocket telescope.
Awards and Special Recognition
Walter Zapp received many awards for his important work. In 2001, he was given an honorary doctorate by the Latvian Academy of Sciences. This is a special title given to people who have achieved great things, even if they didn't go to that university.
He also received the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana. This is a high honor from Estonia, given for special services to the country.
In 1994, the Estonian postal service, Eesti Post, even issued a special Europa postage stamp to honor Walter Zapp. The stamp celebrated him and his patented invention, the Minox subminiature camera.
See also
- Minox
- VEF
