Page - 26 - in Nikola Tesla and the Graz Tech

26 Nikola Tesla’s period of study at the I.R. College of Technology at Graz came to an end in the spring of 1878. Tesla had received a scholarship for his studies which had been authorised by the Imperial and Royal General Command at Agram (today’s Zagreb). In the letter relating to this (dated 22 September 1876) ‘to the laudable Rectorate of the Imperial and Royal College of Technology at Graz’, it is stated among other things: ‘A stipend of four hundred and twenty (420) guilders is granted to the teach- ing post candidate, Nikola Tesla, who comes from Gospic´ in the Lika-Otocˇac Border Region district, and attends the local higher education institution, and whose education is intended for the higher teaching profession, namely, in the mathematical and technical group and the French language for the duration of the specified triennium under the condition of constant, good progress in his studies to an amount in accordance with the academic laws under the obligation of carrying out a minimum of eight years service after completion of studies.’ Since Nikola Tesla had not paid the required teaching fee for the 1877-78 aca- demic year, he was removed from the register of the College of Technology at Graz. This was communicated to the military authorities in Agram by the Rec- torate in a letter dated 12 March, 1878. By return of post on 31 March, 1878, a letter asked at what point of time Tesla had drawn the stipend and what the relevant reasons were for the inadequate progress in his studies (e.g. illness). The answer from the Rectorate on 15 April 1878 was unambiguous: Tesla had drawn the stipend up until January 1878; he had not been in hospital. Due to these circumstances, the military authorities in Agram communicated in a letter of 4 May 1878 that payment of the stipend was to be discontinued. This marked an end to Nikola Tesla’s stay at the I.R. College of Technology at Graz. Nikola Tesla, who during his stay in Graz was resident at four different addresses, namely Neugasse 10 (today’s Hans-Sachs-Gasse), Attemsgasse 11, Jahngasse 5 and Heinrichstraße 11, returned home. However, he always remained in constant contact with the Graz Tech. In the commemorative publication on the occasion of the centenary of the Joan- neum (published by the Association of Former Graz Engineers in November 1911/11/), the following entry can be found (on page 182) among the mem- bers (with the number 576): Tesla Nikola (576) Electrical engineer, New York, USA.