Founding of the Royal Materials Testing Office by Adolf Martens (1904 - 1936)

1904: The Merger of the Testing Offices

The Königliche Materialprüfungsamt (Royal Institute for Materials Testing), headed by Adolf Martens was established in Berlin Dahlem at the current location at Unter den Eichen by uniting the Preußischen Versuchsanstalten MTV (Prussian testing stations), Königliche Prüfungsstation für Baumaterialien (Royal Testing Station for Building Materials) and Königlich Chemisch-Technischen Versuchsanstalt (Royal Chemical Technical Testing Office). From 1919, the newly named State Materials Testing Office (MPA) was responsible to the Prussian Ministry of Science, Art and National Education.

1920: Chemisch-Technische Reichsanstalt

The Chemisch-Technische Reichsanstalt (State Chemical Technical Institute) was created in 1920 after the end of World War I from the Military Testing Office and was subordinated to the Reichsministerium des Innern (Interior Ministry).

1936: Reichsröntgenstelle

The Reichsröntgenstelle (Reich X-ray Station) was attached to State Materials Testing Office (MPA). This was the starting point of the development of non-destructive testing methods using X-ray technology at MPA and the German Society for Non-Destructive Testing (DGZfP). Industrialisation created an increasing number of steel structures where material failure could be visualised by means of X-ray methods.