Gunther Burstyn

Gunther Adolf Burstyn (6 July 1879 in Bad Aussee, Steiermark - 15 April 1945 in Korneuburg, Lower Austria) was an inventor, technician, and officer of the Austro-Hungarian Army.

In 1911, he produced the first design of a cross-country fighting vehicle with swiveling gun turret (a tank), based on American agricultural tractor. He called the Motorgeschütz (literally "motor-gun"). His draft design, more advanced than some of the tank designs of World War I, was rejected both by Austria-Hungary and by the German Empire and no prototype was ever produced. He later sought to patent his design, but was told that it might infringe existing patents, so he dropped all plans.

In 1941 Burstyn was awarded the War Merit Cross, 1st and 2nd class, with Swords. At the end of World War II (April, 1945) he committed suicide because he feared Soviet captivity.

Name
Burstyn was christened "Günther," but in later life chose to omit the umlaut and use the name "Gunther".