August Borsig

Borsig was born in Breslau (Wrocław), the son of cuirassier and carpenter foreman Johann George Borsig. After learning his father's trade, he first attended the Königliche Provinzial-Kunst- und Bauschule (Royal Provincial Art and Building school), then until fall of 1825 the Königliche Gewerbe-Institut (Royal Institute of Trade).

He received his practical training in engine construction at the Neue Berliner Eisengießerei (New Iron Foundry of Berlin) of Franz Anton Egells at Chausseestraße 3/4. One of his first tasks was the assembly of a steam engine in Waldenburg, Silesia.

After the successful completion of this task, Borsig was made factory manager for eight years.

From early on, Borsig was a supporter of railroads. Despite the lack of experience with railroads in Germany and the risks involved in the founding of a railroad machinery manufacturing company, Borsig used his savings to buy a site in Berlin at Chausseestraße (in the Feuerland) near the Oranienburger Tor, neighboring his old company's factory, and founded his own machine factory, focusing on locomotives. The founding date was declared to be 22 July 1837, the day of the first successful casting in the foundry.

Despite tremendous costs, the first locomotive, bearing factory number 1 and the name BORSIG, was finished in 1840. This locomotive had an interior frame, a two-axle front pivoted bogie and an extra dead axle behind the only drive axle. On 21 July 1840, Borsig let it compete against a Stephenson-built locomotive on the Berlin-Jüterbog railroad. The Borsig locomotive won by 10 minutes, proving that in spite of the lack of experience, Germans could build locomotives that were at least as good as the British models, and so the import of locomotives and engineers was no longer necessary. After this victory, the number of orders rose quickly. A further six machines of this type were sold to the Berlin-Stettiner Eisenbahn and the Oberschlesische Eisenbahn in 1842.

In the beginning, the Borsig company also built steam engines for their own needs and machines for other companies as well as cast parts for art and construction. However, the focus soon shifted to locomotive building, and the name Borsig is connected with locomotives to this day. By 1843, railway companies in Prussia had ordered 18 locomotives, and in 1844, Borsig could exhibit his 24th locomotive at the Berlin industrial fair. The one hundredth locomotive was finished in 1846. Meanwhile, Borsig built the steam pump for the fountain at Sanssouci and participated in the building of the domes of the Nicolai Church in Potsdam and the Berliner Stadtschloss (Berlin City Palace). The company was expanding rapidly in those years, since new railways were being built all over Germany. In 1847, construction of the new Moabit ironworks started and they became operational in 1849. Borsig had become sufficiently important by the end of the 1840s that he was able to weather the economic crisis of 1848-1852 with little damage.

In 1850, he bought he machine factory and iron foundry in Kirchstraße which put the total number of employees at the three Berlin factories at 1800, making Borsig's company one of the large-scale enterprises of its time.

Starting 1851, foreign railway companies also began to order Borsig locomotives, among them the Warsaw–Vienna Railway and the Seeländische Eisenbahn. After the 500th locomotive had been completed in 1854, Borsig was made Geheimer Kommerzienrat (Privy Councillor of Commerce). This allowed him to tighten his monopoly position, and in 1854, 67 of the 68 new Prussian locomotives came from Borsig factories.

The increasing number of orders had also increased Borsig's private wealth, and he soon became a rich entrepreneur who was not averse to splendor and a patron for many artists. Some years earlier, his magnificent villa (de:Villa Borsig, built 1842–1845 in Berlin-Moabit) had been completed, fulfilling a dream of Borsig's.

August Borsig was said to be a strict but fair boss, with a zest for action. For his workers, he set up a non-profit health insurance (aka "sickness fund"), a funeral expenses fund (Bestattungskasse), and a savings bank (Sparkasse). His company had an instruction room, a dining room and a spa with swimming pools.

In 1828, he married Louise Pahl; they had one son, Albert.

He could not enjoy his wealth for very long. He died in Berlin on 6 July 1854, at the height of his power.