Dr. Wilhelm Pukall

Royal Ceramic Technical School in Bunzlau around 1897 

(Source & image rights: Oliver Söhlke, Berlin)

Dr Wilhelm Pukall was born on 27 April 1860 in Jakobsdorf in West Prussia. He was one of the greatest teachers in the European porcelain industry. After attending the agricultural school in Marienburg, he devoted himself to natural sciences and discovered his love of porcelain. On the recommendation of the Imperial Society for the Promotion of Science, Pukall moved to Berlin in 1878 and learned porcelain making at the Royal Prussian Porcelain Manufactory (KPM). There he quickly rose through the ranks of product development. After only a few years, Pukall advanced to the position of technical director at KPM and helped the company to a pioneering position at the turn of the century.  

Coming from the Königliche Porzellanmanufaktur Berlin (KPM), Pukall took over the management of the state technical school for pottery and ceramics in 1897. His endeavours and life's work included the further development of the ceramics and porcelain industry. He is the forefather of many of the insights, formulas and recipes that we still use today in modern porcelain production. 

As early as 1927, he wrote the fourth edition of the work "Leitfaden für den Unterricht in keramischen Fachschulen" (Guide to Teaching in Ceramic Technical Schools) and thus immortalised part of his enormous expertise in porcelain production. Many of Dr Wilhelm Pukall's teachings concerning porcelain production are still the basis for definitions, analyses as well as ceramic mineralogy today. 

Dr. Wilhelm Pukall - a forefather of the porcelain doctrine

With his science and research results, Dr. Pukall laid the foundation for many processes and definitions in today's porcelain industry. Furthermore, as early as 1927, Dr. Pukall laid the foundation for our present-day high-alumina porcelain with the fourth edition of his scientific guide.

Just as Hans Friedl did in 1996 - on behalf of Keramika Selb (today the Association of the Ceramic Industry VKI) - we also draw many insights and results of our work from the teachings of Dr. Wilhelm Pukall. At this point, we would like to set up this digital memorial to him as a sign of our appreciation and gratitude for his tireless research.