Alexander Tollmann

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Alexander Tollmann (born June 27, 1928 in Vienna ; † August 8, 2007 there ) was an Austrian geologist and politician ( United Greens Austria ).

academic career

In 1946, despite the war years, Tollmann was able to complete the Matura as planned. This was followed by a teaching degree in natural history and geography, which he completed in 1951, in order to immediately follow up with his doctorate in geology and paleontology. As part of his studies, he wrote the dissertation The Neogen on the southwestern edge of the Leithagebirge between Eisenstadt and Hornstein. On January 15, 1955, he brilliantly finished his studies at the University of Vienna sub auspiciis praesidentis and was then assistant at the University of Vienna. In the mid-1950s he mapped the Radstädter Tauern and cleared up their complicated ceiling structure, in continuation of the work of his teacher Eberhard Clar . In 1962 he completed his habilitation.

Tollmann was associate professor at the University of Vienna from 1969 and full professor from 1972 (as successor to Eberhard Clar) and from 1972 to 1984 director of the Institute for Geology. In 1996 he retired. Since 1987 he has been a corresponding member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and since 1992 of the Austrian Academy of Sciences .

He dealt mainly with the geology and tectonics of the Eastern Alps and published a multi-volume work on the geology of Austria. Already with his book Ostalpensynthese from 1963 he triggered violent controversies, which at the time were related to the dispute between neo- autochthonist and Nappist geology schools (the latter also included his teacher Leopold Kober and himself). A large part of his geology of Austria was an elaboration of this first draft. He also planned a shorter version for a broader readership, but this failed due to publishing reasons. Another focus was the geology of the Northern Limestone Alps , about which he wrote three large monographs.

He was committed to environmental protection and against nuclear energy and was chairman of the United Greens Austria (VGÖ) from 1982 to 1983 . However, in the Austrian National Council elections on April 24, 1983, the VGÖ achieved only 1.93% of the votes as the Tollmann list and thus missed the hurdle for entry into parliament. Tollmann then resigned as chairman (see History of the Greens - The Green Alternative ).

In his book Und die Sintflut there was , which was published in 1993, together with his wife, the geologist and paleontologist Edith Kristan-Tollmann , he argued that the Genesis ( Deluge ) and the Johannes Apocalypse were the litter impact of seven fragments describe a comet about ten thousand years ago and the state afterwards. According to the Tollmanns, this impact destroyed a hypothetical Atlantis high culture, which, however, was preserved in the tradition of other high cultures. Among other things, they saw a motive for building the Great Pyramid in the fact that it should withstand the next impact catastrophe, which statistically should take place at intervals of about 10,000 years.

In later years - after the death of his wife and research partner in 1995 - he turned more and more esoteric topics, which is why he was sharply criticized in scientific circles. Based on the prophecies of Nostradamus , the solar eclipse of August 11, 1999 and other omens, he predicted a worldwide catastrophe for August 1999, which he expected in a bunker in Albrechtsberg an der Große Krems in the Waldviertel in Lower Austria . His related book The World Year is Running Out , which was a bestseller in Austria, he developed with his wife Edith Kristan-Tollmann, who died before publication.

Grave at the Gersthofer cemetery

Alexander Tollmann died on August 8, 2007. His funeral took place on August 24, 2007 in the Gersthofer Friedhof in Vienna.

He was an honorary member of the Austrian Geological Society and received its Eduard Sueß commemorative coin in 1989 . From 1978 to 1991 he and his wife were the editor of the communications of the Austrian Geological Society.

He published with his wife Edith Kristan-Tollmann (1934-1995), a geologist and micropalaeontologist with whom he had been married since 1959.

Publications (selection)

  • Geology of Austria . Deuticke, Vienna (3 volumes; 1977–1986).
  • Basic principles of alpine tectonics. A system analysis using the example of the Northern Limestone Alps. Vienna, Deuticke 1973
  • Monograph of the Northern Limestone Alps. Deuticke, Vienna 1976
    • Volume 1: The construction of the Northern Limestone Alps
    • Volume 2: Analysis of the classical North Alpine Mesozoic. Stratigraphy, fauna and facies of the Northern Limestone Alps
  • Eastern Alps Synthesis. Vienna, Deuticke 1963
  • with Edith Tollmann: And the Flood did happen. From myth to historical truth . Droemer Knaur, Munich 1993, ISBN 3-426-26660-1 .
  • with Edith Tollmann: The world year is drawing to a close . Böhlau, Vienna 1998, ISBN 3-205-98898-1 .
  • And the truth wins after all! Alexander Tollmann's confession book with Alexander and Edith Tollmann's life story and Alexander Tollmann's evocative legacy to humanity . Verlag Kritische Wissenschaft, Windeck 2003, ISBN 3-925914-99-4 .

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Dietrich Herm : Alexander Tollmann (obituary) . In: Yearbook 2007 of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences . 2007, p. 167–170 ( online [PDF; accessed May 1, 2017]).
personal data
SURNAME Tollmann, Alexander
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian geologist and politician (United Greens Austria)
DATE OF BIRTH June 27, 1928
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna
DATE OF DEATH August 8, 2007
Place of death Albrechtsberg on the Great Krems