Bach’s life story resembles that from rags to riches. The son of a saddler, he made it to an ennobled university professor who became a prominent figure in the field of mechanical engineering. Bach’s impact was far-reaching; his technical book “Die Maschinenelemente,” published in 1881, sold 30,000 copies and was translated into Swedish, French and Russian.
Carl von Bach is regarded as a pioneer of modern engineering education; among other things, the introduction of the one-year compulsory internship in the workshop can be traced back to him. He also founded the first German materials testing institute as well as numerous scientific institutions.
Bach visited Great Britain in 1873 and suffered from severe seasickness during the crossing. This and the fact that he wanted to optimize the exchange of goods between the mainland and the island prompted him to start planning a tunnel. He replied to doubters: “Since almost anything is possible, the engineer must ask himself whether it is also probable.