Biographical details of people from the Habsburg Empire that appeared in the album of German and Austrian scientists sent to Darwin on 12 February 1877.

We are grateful to Johannes Mattes for providing these details and for permission to make his research available.

 

Bartsch, F. (Franz)

1836–1910

Official and collector

Around 1865 he got the position of an administrative officer in the Finanz-Landesdirektion in Vienna; Oberfinanzrat (1892); Hofrat and retirement (1899). In 1859, Bartsch became member of the Zoological-Botanical Society in Vienna, served there as librarian (1874–95) and built up a private collection of plants and rare papers.

F. Schmidt, S. Feiler: Franz Bartsch. Papiersammler aus Wien. Rekonstruktion seiner Ausstellung Stuttgart 1909. Deutsches Buch- und Schriftmuseum, Begleitmaterialien zur gleichnamigen Ausstellung 5. Februar bis 18. April 1998. Leipzig: Deutsche Bibliothek 1998.

 

Bergenstamm, Julius von

1837/38–96

Official and collector

He studied at the Theresianische Akademie, entered the civil service and became an official in the state-owned pawn office (Dorotheum). Through an inheritance, Bergenstamm retired early, built up a private entomological collection of Dipteria and Tachinariia and volunteered at the Imperial Natural Cabinet. Between 1865 and 1872, he served as librarian of the Zoological-Botanical Society in Vienna and later became a board member of the association.

F. Brauer: Julius Edler v. Bergenstamm. In: Annalen des Naturhistorischen Hofmuseums 11, 1896. p. 55.

 

Berggruen, Oskar

1843–1903

Lawyer, art historian and music writer

He studied jurisprudence (Dr.) and worked as a lawyer in Vienna. Additionally, Berggruen became a music writer and editor of the journal “Die graphischen Künste”. He co-founded the Scientific Club in Vienna (1876) and moved from Vienna to Paris in 1889.

N.N.: Dr. Oskar Berggruen. In: Neue Freie Presse 14068 (26^th October), 1903. p. 7.

N.N.: † Oskar Berggruen. In: Die Graphischen Künste 27, 1904. p. 46.

 

Brauer, Friedrich

See name register.

 

Brunner von Wattenwyl, Carl (Karl) Friedrich

1823–1914

Physicist, official and entomologist

He studied physics and geology in Genève, Bern and Berlin (Dr., 1846). Habilitation in physics (1847) and professor in Bern (1849). Brunner was responsible for the introduction of telegraphy in Switzerland, became director of the Imperial Telegraph Office (1857) in Vienna and high official (Ministerialrat) in the Ministry of Commerce (1872). Additionally, he built up an extensive collection of Orthoptera.

C. v. Wurzbach: Brunner von Wattenwyl, Karl. In: Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich. 53. Theil. Wien: Kaiserlich-königliche Hof- und Staatsdruckerei 1886. p. 149–151. 

M. Beier: Brunner von Wattenwyl, Karl Ritter. In: Neue Deutsche Biographie (NDB). Vol. 2. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot 1955. p. 684.

 

Equevilley(-Montjustin), Victor Vicomte de

1844– ca. 1897

Austrian/Mexican military officer

Born in Lisbon, he entered the Austrian Army as an officer, accompanied Maximilian I. to Mexico and received the rank of a major in the Mexican Army. In 1867, Equevilley went back to Vienna, where he lived as an independent gentlemen and became member of several scientific societies. Due to spying affairs, he was forced to leave the city in 1878 and went to Budapest, where he ran an illegal casino.

N.N.: Die Spielbank-Aufhebung in Budapest. In: Neuigkeits-Welt-Blatt 42 (20^th February) 1884. p. 5. 

N.N.: Die Spielhölle in der Walfischgasse. In: Wiener Extrablatt 64 (29^th May) 1872. p. 9.

N.N.: Die Spielhölle in der Kärntnerstraße. In: Neues Wiener Blatt 270 (2^nd October) 1874. p. 4.

N.N.: Zur Waffen-Confiscation im Heinrichshofe. In: Local-Anzeiger der „Presse“ 19 (19^th January) 1878. p. 9. 

 

Gagern, Carlos (Karlos) Baron von

1826–84

Mexican military officer, diplomat and writer

In 1852, he emigrated from Prussia to Mexico, became military officer in the republican Mexican Army and was sent back to Europe as a military attaché. Since 1876, Gagern served as secretary of the Scientific Club in Vienna.

U. Jütte: Carlos de Gagern. Ein preußischer Emigrant in Mexiko. 1853–1870. In: Jahrbuch für Geschichte von Staat, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft Lateinamerikas 8, 1971. p. 275–283.

 

Groeger (Gröger), Franz

1830–1912

Mining official and geologist

After graduating from the Mining Academy in Banská Štiavnica (1862), he hold the position of a Bergingenieur-Expectant at the Imperial Geological Survey (1864–67) in Vienna. Afterwards, Groeger traveled to South Africa, Borneo and America, where he conducted not only geological, but also ethnographic studies. From 1887 to his retirement in 1900, he worked as a high mining official (Oberhüttenverwalter) in Idrija.

E. Tietze: Jahresbericht für 1912. In: Verhandlungen der k. k. Geologischen Reichsanstalt 1, 1913. p. 1–48 (see p. 6).

N.N.: k. k. Oberhüttenverwalter Franz Gröger. In: Österreichische Zeitschrift für Berg- und Hüttenwesen 61, 1913. p. 111–112. 

 

Grunow, A. (Albert)

1826–1914

Chemist, botanist and collector

Born in Berlin, he studied chemistry, got a position in the company “Krupp & Schoeller” (Berndorfer Metallwarenfabrik) and moved to Lower Austria in 1897. Besides his job, Grunow became a member of the Zoological-Botanical Society in Vienna, collected algae (particularly diatoms) and published several botanical articles.

K. Rechinger: Albert Grunow. In: Verhandlungen der Zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien 65, 1915. p. 321–328.

G. B. de Toni: Albert Grunow. In: Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums Wien 38, 1925. p. 1–6.

 

Hausner, J. (Josef)

ca. 1828–1907

Austrian military officer

After technical studies, he became an infantry officer in the Austrian Army, participated in campaigns in Italy (1848–49, 1859) and was later assigned to the uniform depot in the casern Arsenal in Vienna. There, Hausner became member of (popular) scientific societies and author of the book “Darstellung der Textil-, Kautschuk- und Leder-Industrie mit besonderer Rücksicht auf Militärzwecke”. Raised to the peerage and promoted to the rank of major general, he became commander of the uniform depot in Brno (ca. 1881) and moved back to Vienna after retirement.

J. Hausner: Darstellung der Textil-, Kautschuk- und Leder-Industrie. 2^nd issue. Wien: Manz 1876.

N.N.: GM Josef Edler von Hausner. In: Wiener Zeitung 261 (12^th November) 1907. p. 4.

 

Heller, Karl B.

1824–80

Botanist, traveler and teacher

In the name of the Viennese Horticultural Society, he traveled to Mexico (1845–48) and collected botanical and zoological specimens. After serving as a volunteer in the Imperial Natural Cabinet in Vienna, Heller obtained a position as school teacher in the Gymnasium in Graz (1851) and Olomouc (1856). From 1858 to 1880, he taught natural history in the Theresianische Akademie in Vienna and published the books “Darwin und der Darwinismus” (1869) and “Leitfaden der Naturgeschichte” (1871).

N.N.: Heller Karl Bartholomäus. In: Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Vol. 2. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 1959. p. 260–261. 

C. v. Wurzbach: Heller, Karl Bartholomäus. In: Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich. 8. Theil. Wien: Kaiserlich-königliche Hof- und Staatsdruckerei 1862. p. 275–277.

 

Hoblhoff, Baron (Doblhoff-Dier, Josef von)

1844–1928

Traveler, writer and bureaucrat

After studying jurisprudence at the University of Vienna (1863–68) and working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1868–70), he became a world-traveler, successful writer and got engaged with popular scientific issues. Doblhoff co-founded the archaeological society Carnuntum (1884) and the Scientific Club (1876) in Vienna.

Doblhoff-Dier J. v.: Doblhoff-Dier, Josef von. In: Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Vol. 1. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 1957. p. 189. 

F. Martin: Josef Freiherr von Doblhoff. In: Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft für Salzburger Landeskunde 48, 1928. p. 180–181.

 

Hochstetter, Ferdinand von

See name register.

 

Jeitteles, L. H.

See name register.

 

Kaufmann, Josef

1836–1913

Official and collector

After working as a clerk of the Southern Railway Company, he retired in 1873, devoted himself to coleopterology and cooperated with the Natural History Museum in Vienna. Keller undertook long collecting journeys to Croatia, Bosnia, the Alps and Southern Carpathians and served as board member of the Zoological-Botanical Society in Vienna for 25 years.

F. Spaeth: Josef Kaufmann. In: Verhandlungen der Zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien 64, 1914. p. 89–91.

 

Marenzeller, Emil von

1845–1918

Zoologist

He studied medicine (Dr., 1868), worked as the assistant of Ludwig Schmarda at the University of Vienna and finally got a position at the Imperial Natural Cabinet (1873). Subsequently, Marenzeller became secretary (1873) and vice-president (1896) of the Zoological-Botanical Society in Vienna, extraordinary professor at the Technical College in Vienna (1896) and corresponding member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences (1892).

W. Kühnelt: Marenzeller Emil von. In: Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Vol. 6. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 1975. p. 77.

 

Le Monnier, Francis Knight of (Le Monnier, Franz Ritter von)

1854–1925

Geographer

As the son of Vienna’s chief constable, he studied geography at the University of Vienna (Dr., 1884), obtained a position in the Imperial Royal Schoolbook Publishing Houses and finally became its director (retirement in 1911). Additionally, Monnier served as librarian (1875), general secretary (1884–89) and vice-president of the Geographical Society in Vienna.

N.N.: Sektionschef Le Monnier. In: Neues Wiener Tagblatt 335 (6^th December) 1924. p. 9. 

H. Leitner: Bericht des Generalsekretärs in der Hauptversammlung am 18. Mai 1925. In: Mitteilungen der Geographischen Gesellschaft in Wien 68, 1925. p. 69–72. 

 

Neumayr, Melchior

See name register.

 

Nussbaumer (Nußbaumer), J. (most probably Fidelis Alois Nußbaumer; his brother Johann Nußbaumer (b. 1846) was never president of the Academic Society of Natural Historians)

1848–1916

Philosopher and private scholar

Student of philosophy at the University of Vienna during the 1870s, co-founder and president of the Academic Society of Natural Historians. Published an account of his and his brother’s (Johann Nußbaumer, b. 1846) experience of colour hearing in 1873 that contributed to the investigation of synaesthesia in science. In later years, Nußbaumer became board member of Vienna's society for women’s rights and education.

N.N.: Jahresbericht. In: Jahresbericht des Vereines für erweiterte Frauenbildung in Wien (1909/10) 22, 1910. p. 8, 12. 

N.N.: Auflösung des Akademischen Vereins der Naturhistoriker. In: Das Vaterland 321 (20^th November) 1882. p. 3.

N.N.: Der Akademische Verein der Naturhistoriker an der Universität Wien. In: Wiener Zeitung (13^th February) 1872. p. 623. 

F.A. Nussbaumer: Ton und Farbe. Separatabdruck aus dem 2. Hefte der Wissenschaftlichen Mittheilungen aus dem Akademischen Vereine der Naturhistoriker in Wien. Wien: Braumüller & Sohn 1874. 

 

Pablasek, M. (Matthias)

1810–1863

Teacher, writer and archivist

Born the son of a farmer, he studied jurisprudence at the University of Olomouc and obtained a position as teacher at the Akademisches Gymnasium (1830). In 1837, he became Amanuensis of the Imperial Library in Vienna and four years later archivist in the Hofkammer (ministry of finance). Professor of grammar and writing at the Polytechnic Institute in Vienna (1847), editor-in-chief of the “Pressburger Zeitung” and director of the municipal Oberrealschule in Bratislava (1850), and since 1862 director of the Imperial Institute for the Education of Blind (Blinden-Erziehungsinstitut) in Vienna.

A. Melhuber: Pablasek, Matthias. In: Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Vol. 7. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 1977. p. 276–277.

C. v. Wurzbach: Pablasek, Matthias. In: Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich. 21. Theil. Wien: Kaiserlich-königliche Hof- und Staatsdruckerei 1870. p. 151–153. 

 

Pichler, Johann

ca. 1848–1891

Teacher

After studying natural sciences and mathematics at the University of Vienna, he became teacher at different Ober-Staatsrealschulen in Linz (1871), Vienna (1873) and Prostějov (1877).

M. Pichler: Notice of death. In: Societas entomologica 6, 1891. p. 117.

N.N.: Prof. Johann Pichler. In: Jahresbericht der deutschen Landes-Oberrealschule in Prossnitz 17, 1892. p. 17–18.

 

Reichart, Heinrich Willhelm

See name register.

 

Rogenhofer, Alois F. (Friedrich)

1831–97

Entomologist

After studying jurisprudence at the University of Vienna, he volunteered in the Imperial Natural Cabinet, specialized in Lepidoptera and became assistant (1860) and finally curator (1867). Additionally, Rogenhofer was board member of the Zoological-Botanical Society in Vienna.

W. Heß: Rogenhofer, Alois. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Vol. 53. Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot 1907. p. 423.

 

Toula, Franz

1845–1920

Geologist and palaeontologist

Born into poor conditions, he studied geology and palaeontology at the Technical College and University of Vienna (Dr., 1873). Habilitation in palaeontology (1877) and geology (1880) at the Technical College in Vienna, extraordinary professor (1881), full professor (1884) and president (1893–94).

J. Seidl: Toula Franz Edler von. In: Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Vol. 14. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 2012. p. 419–420.

 

Wolf, Gerson

1823–92

Teacher and historian

Studying theology at several Jewish schools, he actively took part in the revolution of 1848/49 and later obtained a position of a religious education teacher in a Viennese Oberschule. Subsequently, Wolf became the official teacher of the Wiener israelitische Cultusgemeinde (1854) and inspector of all Jewish schools in Vienna (1884).

C. v. Wurzbach: Wolf, Gerson. In: Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich. 57. Theil. Wien: Kaiserlich-königliche Hof- und Staatsdruckerei 1889. p. 284–290.

A. Brüll: Wolf, Gerson. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Vol. 43. Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot 1898. p. 750–751.

 

Wolf, Heinrich

1825–83

Geologist and palaeontologist

Born into poor conditions, he learned shoemaking. After the foundation of the Imperial Geological Survey (1849), Wolf obtained there a position of a servant and got engaged with scientific questions. After studying geology at the Polytechnic Institute in Vienna, he became trainee (1859), geologist (1873) and finally chief geologist (1877) and Bergrat of the Imperial Geological Survey.

F. v. Hauer (1882): Heinrich Wolf. Verhandlungen der k.k. Geologischen Reichsanstalt, 1882. p. 253–255.