Norbert Ryska

Together with Wolfgang Back (WDR), Ryska realized three WDR computer nights at the HNF in 1998, 1999 and 2001. In 2001, Ryska created a section on the history of cryptology; in 2004 he created a cryptology archive. In 2002 he initiated the multimedia presentation “Wall of Fame”, which was finished in 2004. In the same year, Ryska was able to convince the Nixdorf Foundation Board for his concept of an extensive expansion and update of the permanent exhibition to acquire and implement the areas of "Interfaces-Kommunikation mit der Maschine" ("interface communication with the machine"), "Künstliche Intelligenz und Robotik" ("artificial intelligence and robotics"), "Mobile Kommunikation" ("mobile communication"), "Digitale Welt" ("digital world"), "Showroom – Technik von morgen" ("showroom – technology of tomorrow"). In 2007, Ryska and the HNF participated in the Bletchley Park Computer Museum's Cipher Event. In the same year he created an exhibition on software and computer science. Between 2008 and 2012 he organized “Zahlen, bitte!” (“numbers/pay, please!”) a special exhibition on mathematics, “Codes und Clowns” (“Codes and Clowns”) on Claude Shannon and “Genial & Geheim” ("Ingenious & Secret") on Alan Turing. August 30, 2013 was Ryska's last day at HNF. He then engaged in private historical research.

With the exhibition designer Ludwig Thürmer and the architect Gerhard Diel, Ryska completed the transformation of the NCAG headquarters into the Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum. He led the team that selected exhibits and created texts, images and films. When it opened on October 24, 1996, he was one of the two managing directors alongside Theodor Rode and was responsible for the permanent exhibition, the media department and technical staff. From 1997 to 2017, his co-managing director Kurt Beiersdörfer was responsible for marketing, events and museum education as well as for several special exhibitions.

Even before the opening of the MuseumsForum by then Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl on October 24, 1996, the previous sponsoring company of the Westphalia Foundation renamed the computer museum to "HNF Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum GmbH" (1995), also as a consistent confirmation of Ryska's pursued interdisciplinary integration concept of technology presence and forum designed for dialogue. Ryska was appointed Managing Director of the HNF (1996–2013), where he was able to decisively advance the previous development concept and expand the subject areas.

The founding process of the development of a "computer museum" initiated by the Nixdorf Foundations (1992), which was to include the collection and product history of Nixdorf Computer AG (1992–1996), was moderated to a large extent by Ryska. In cooperation and consultation with more than 100 national and international experts (from science, technology, education, design and politics, including Rolf Oberliesen), he tried to combine the development and design of a museum with a public forum, for which previously there have been no models worldwide in relation to existing modern technology or company museums.

After the merger of NCAG with the data and information technology division of Siemens AG to form Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG (SNI) on October 1, 1990, Ryska continued to oversee funding projects at the SNI. From April 1, 1992 he worked on the project of a computer museum. The Westphalia Foundation, founded by Heinz Nixdorf, appointed Norbert Ryska to the project team for a computer museum in 1992. On April 1, 1993, he became managing director of the non-profit Forum für Informationstechnik GmbH.

On November 1, 1976, Ryska joined Nixdorf Computer AG (NCAG) in Paderborn. His most important work in the years that followed was a security system for ATMs. In doing so, he oriented himself to the Data Encryption Standard DES from IBM. He was then responsible for the coordination of national and European funding projects in the NCAG Research and Development department and was responsible for public relations.

Norbert Ryska (born August 9, 1948 in Hau) is a German mathematician and museum director. Ryska worked from 1976 to 1992 as an employee of Nixdorf Computer AG in the R&D department. Until 1996 as managing director and project manager on behalf of the Nixdorf Foundations mainly responsible for the construction of the Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum (HNF). From 1996 to 2013, Ryska was the managing director for the museum and technology departments of the HNF.

Ryska was born in Hau on the Lower Rhine in 1948, the son of the technician and operating engineer Ferdinand Ryska. He attended high school in Kleve. After graduating from high school in 1967, he completed his military service, e.g. in the communications center of the 1st Corps of the German Armed Forces in Münster where he learned how to use encryption technology. In the winter semester of 1968/69, Ryska studied English and Romance languages in Münster and from the summer of 1969 he continued his studies in philology for three further terms at Bonn University. From the winter semester of 1970/71 he studied mathematics and computer science. The mathematician Friedrich Hirzebruch was one of his professors. In the summer of 1976, Ryska received a diploma in mathematics. During his studies he had part-time jobs for Inter Nationes, the German Bundestag and the Reuters news agency.