The Origins of Computer Graphics in Europe: Part 1-The Beginnings in Germany

"The Origins of Computer Graphics in Europe," is being published in two parts: Part 1, in this issue of IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, is subtitled "The Beginnings in Germany"; Part 2, to be published in the May/June issue, is subtitled "The Spreading of Computer Graphics in Europe." I was a participant, contributor, and witness to the events reported here and I relate my personal story along with the broader history. Part 1 describes the origins and successful evolution of computer graphics in Germany, starting in 1965, and includes details of the people and subject matter of the earliest research groups. It describes the efforts undertaken to establish computer graphics as a proper academic discipline, including the founding of EUROGRAPHICS, and creation of institutes for both basic and applied research in computer graphics. Part 2 continues the story with a focus on activities contributing to the growth of the academic and industrial computer graphics communities across Europe and documents the two IFIP workshops at Seillac and the development of the GKS Graphics Standard. Over these years, computer graphics gained respect and importance as a component of the computer science curricula and became an important tool and enabling technology for applications for industry and for the IT market in Europe.