Kurt Josten

In 1934 Josten worked in the office of the then Vice-Chancellor Franz von Papen, where he was involved in conservative plots to use the extensive powers of the aging President von Hindenburg – in particular his supreme command over the army – in order to prevent a complete grab of power by the Nazi members of the Government.

When those aspirations came to a bloody end in the occupation of Papen's offices by the SS during the Night of the Long Knives on 30 June 1934, Josten scarcely managed to escape while his immediate superior Herbert von Bose was shot and other members of the Papen staff were arrested and taken to Lichtenburg concentration camp.

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

Also, a tramp ship owner, Jack Billmeir, in 1957 gave his entire private collection of 280 scientific instruments to the museum.

It included topographical and drawing instruments; armillary spheres; globes; quadrants; compasses; telescopes; nearly 50 astrolabes; and 135 sundials.