Adolf Leonhard’s work on control engineering is particularly significant. His book “Die selbsttätige Regelung in der Elektrotechnik” (Automatic Control in Electrical Engineering), published by Springer in 1940, was reprinted in the USA in 1944 during the war. In Japan, the book became a standard work.
After completing his studies, he began working for the Siemens Schuckert-Werke in Berlin, where he was responsible for the commissioning of large-scale plants. In 1936, the electrical engineering department at the Technical University of Stuttgart was reorganized, in which Leonhard played a major role. He was appointed to the chair of electrical systems even before completing his habilitation.
In 1952, Leonhard gave lectures in Stuttgart dealing exclusively with the subject of control engineering, thus acting as a pioneer of control engineering education. In 1962, the new study model “Electrical Control Engineering” was introduced in Stuttgart. Leonhard’s work was characterized by the fact that he switched several times between industrial and academic activities.