# What are "Krieg \[sp?\] lights"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-krieg-sp-lights/230357>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 21, 2004, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-krieg-sp-lights/230357 "2004-02-21T11:01:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-krieg-sp-lights/230357/1 "2004-02-21T11:01:17Z")

</div>

A little half-remembered bit of information has been rolling around my head for a couple of days…“Krieg lights.”

I’m not sure about the spelling, but I seem to recall that it’s some kind of spotlight. A [Google search](http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Krieg+light%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&lr=lang_en&sa=X&oi=lrtip8) has revealed a handfull of brief references to such a light, but no detailed information. Which suggests that, at the very least, I’ve mispelled “Krieg.” But it does leave me with the glimmer of hope that I didn’t just imagine the phrase.

So, I ask you, fellow dopers…what the heck _is_ a “Krieg light”?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-krieg-sp-lights/230357/2 "2004-02-21T11:17:05Z")

</div>

What you’re after are “klieg lights.” Traditionally, they’re carbon arc lamps that produce a very intense light in the center. In short, intense spot lights.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-krieg-sp-lights/230357/3 "2004-02-21T11:19:39Z")

</div>

BTW, derived from the names of John H. (1869-1959) and Anton T. Kleigl (1872-1927), American lighting experts, according to [this source](http://members.aol.com/gulfhigh2/words16.html).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-krieg-sp-lights/230357/4 "2004-02-21T11:26:50Z")

</div>

Klieg lights are carbon-arc lamps.  
They’re used in theatre and in film making where an intense lightsource is needed. Searchlights are a variant form of Klieg light.