1865 – Charles Proteus Steinmetz was born in Breslau, Germany. A hunchback, he took the name “Proteus” to express his wish that he could change his shape, as the Greek god did. He was forced to Flee Germany because of his political activities as a socialist, and he came to America to work for General Electric. A brilliant physicist and electrical engineer, Steinmetz invented many processes, mostly improving the delivery of alternative electrical current. He was an active layman in the Schenectady Unitarian Church.