In the years 1929-1935, he began the study of natural sciences, in particular geology, mineralogy and chemistry at the Universities of Halle, Berlin, and Göttingen. In
Halle, he became a member of the
Corps Guestphalia Halle. He received his doctorate on September 18, 1935, from the mineralogist
Victor Moritz Goldschmidt with the topic geochemistry of
barium. From 1935 to 1938 he worked as a research assistant at the Mineralogical Institute of the University of Rostock. On July 12, 1939, he obtained the habilitation at the
University of Göttingen where he studied decay and construction of minerals in northern German
Fuller's earth. From 1939 to 1944 he was a scientific assistant at the Mineralogical Institute of the University of Göttingen with the mineralogist Carl Wilhelm Correns. From 1939 he was also employed at the University of Göttingen as a
Privatdozent. He was appointed lecturer in 1944. With the representation at a chair in 1944, the appointment as associate professor. From 1947 to 1952 he led the research and development department at the oil company union Elwerath in
Hanover. From 1952 to 1957 he was able to work at the University of Göttingen as honorary professor, and then from 1 November 1957 as full professor to take over the management of the Mineralogical-Petrographic Institute of the University of Tübingen. From 1963 to 1964 Engelhardt was rector of the University of Tübingen. He retired in 1978. He then continued journalistic work in his field of
mineralogy. == Military service and Political affiliation. ==