Nuremberg: Town of Inventions

From The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine, January, 1946

Nuremberg: Town of Inventions

The quaint town of Nuremberg in Bavaria has been selected by the War Crimes' Commission as the scene of the war criminals' trials. It was in Nuremberg that the first watch was invented during the early 16th century. It was a large, bulky, eggshaped time-piece. The only way it possibly could be worn was by fastening it to a strap or girdle. Although it had only an hour hand, it proved to be the most useful invention at that time. The. minute hand wasn't perfected until late in the 17th century.
Nuremberg was a "first" in many contrivances, such as the clarinet, gun locks, air guns, toys, and it was there that the first optician's shop was opened the late 15th century.

The townspeople have always been industrious as well as ingenious. Many public gadgets were constructed in Nuremberg for the pleasures and benefits of its people. Take, for instance, the clock in one of their churches. This clock signaled the noon-hour by causing toy figures of seven electors, attended by trumpeters, to march three times around a figure representing Charles IV. Incidentally, according to the best sources available, Henry de Wyck, a German, invented the first clock which was erected in Paris for Charles V.

Messrs. Goering, Hess, Von Ribbentrop, Ley, Rosenberg, etc., won't be accorded rousing ovations when they visit Nuremberg; nor will they hear the tolling of church-bells. They will see a town shattered by the relentless B-29 bombings. And as quickly as seconds turn to minutes, justice eventually catches up with Time, ironically enough, where Time-recording first saw the light of day!

* * *

When the pitch of night is darkest, 
And I'm lying in my bed;
While I'm dozing there's a rumbling, 
But the source is not my head!
Up I raise my weary body 
To investigate the knock;
Soon enough my ears unravel 
Tiny gremlins in my clock!
Presently the gremlins vanish 
And the clock once more is sane;
Just as I go back to dreaming 
All those pests come back again!
Turning on their raucous pounding
Now my head feels like a rock;

Oh, for just a night of slumber 
Minus Gremlins in my clock!
-- Malcolm Hyatt