Kurt Josten

C. H. Josten was Curator of the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford (above).

Conrad Hermann Hubertus Maria Apollinaris Josten (7 June 1912 in Neuss, Germany – 10 July 1994 in Neuss), known as Kurt Josten or C. H. Josten, was a historian of science and Curator of the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford in England.

Life in Germany From 1921 to 1929, Jesuits educated Josten at Bad Godesberg in Germany.

Life in England After World War II, Josten returned to England, and in 1954 he became a naturalized United Kingdom citizen.

Josten became Curator of the Museum of the History of Science at Oxford in 1950. He was an expert on the early history of chemistry (alchemy), astronomy, and early astronomical instruments.

On his early retirement in 1964 aged 52, Josten took an emeritus curatorial position at the museum. He encouraged his successor, Francis Maddison, who was previously an assistant curator at the museum.

Josten was a member of Brasenose College, Oxford, which was also the college of Elias Ashmole. He was also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. He lived in rooms in St John Street, Oxford. He married Constanze Josten in 1962. She died in 1968.

Works

– five volumes