Jahan Retzius is different

Bust of Anders Jahan Retzius in front of the main building of Lund University

Anders Jahan Retzius (born October 3, 1742 in Kristianstad , † October 6, 1821 in Stockholm ) was a Swedish naturalist. Its official botanical author's abbreviation is “ Retz. “Like his son Anders Adolf Retzius , he is often only called Anders Retzius .

Life

Retzius belonged to an old family of priests whose name was derived from the lake Ressen in the province of Kalmar Lan . He was the son of the district doctor Nils Retzius (1712–1757). He studied at Lund University from 1758 to 1759 , but due to economic difficulties he had to give up his studies temporarily and work as a pharmacist. In 1762 he founded a pharmacy in Simrishamn. After he had sold this to Linder Ballenstedt, he resumed his studies and was appointed lecturer in chemistry in 1764, and in 1766 he received his doctorate. In 1767 he also became a lecturer in natural history . Between 1768 and 1772 he was employed by the Swedish Mining Authority in Stockholm. At the same time he was commissioned to write a book on pharmaceutical science , which was completed in 1769 ( Korrt begrepp af grunderna till Pharmacien ).

Back in Lund, Retzius founded the Physiographical Society there in 1772 , after having been appointed as an adjunct in natural history in 1771 . By founding the society, he sparked new life in the field of natural sciences. In 1777 Retzius was appointed associate professor and in 1787 full professor and, after his retirement in 1795, followed Erik Gustaf Lidbeck in his post for natural history and economics. In 1798 he was given the task of teaching chemistry. His official retirement began in 1821, but he continued to look after the university's botanical garden for a long time . In addition, Retzius donated his collections of prehistoric stone tools and natural preparations to the university, which gave him a great reputation among his colleagues.

Linnaeus is said to have regarded Anders Retzius as one of his best apprentices. For example, Retzius was the first to pay attention to the zoological finds in Skåne peat bogs . The following books can be cited as representative examples of his scientific works.

Inledning till djurriket , Introduction to the Animal Kingdom (Stockholm, 1772),
Observationes botanicae (Leipzig, 1778–1791),
Florae Scandinaviae prodromus (Stockholm, 2 volumes, 1779),
Försök till mineralrikets uppställning , attempt to subdivide the mineral kingdom (Lund, 1795; German translation 1798),
Faunae Sueciae a Linné inchoatae pars I (Leipzig, 1800),

In 1782 he became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences , from 1778 the Royal Science and Learning Society in Gothenburg and from 1812 the Royal Swedish Academy of Forestry and Agriculture . He was also a member of several international scientific associations. In 1792 he was elected to the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina .

Retzius has been married to Ulrika Beata (nee Prytz) since July 10, 1792, with whom he had several sons. Niels Matthias Retzius (* 1793), Magnus Christian Retzius (1795–1871), Anders Adolf Retzius (1796–1860) and Carl Gustaf Retzius (1798–1833), as well as the older brother of the priest and author Lorens Kristoffer Retzius (1745–1818 ).

Taxonomic honor

The genus Retzia Thunb was named in his honor . of the Stilbaceae plant family.

literature

Retzius (Andreas Jahannes). In: Johann Emanuel Wikström: Conspectus Litteraturae Botanicae in Suecia. Norstedt et Filii, 1831, pp. 214-221, (list of publications, digitized ).
R. Tigerstedt: 1. Retzius, Anders Jahan . In: John Rosén, Theodor Westrin (ed.): Nordisk familjebok konversationslexikon och realencyklopedi . 1st edition. tape 13 : Pontin – Ruete . Gernandts boktryckeri, Stockholm 1889, Sp. 968 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).
Retzius, Anders Johan . In: Herman Hofberg, Frithiof Heurlin, Viktor Millqvist, Olof Rubenson (eds.): Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon . 2nd Edition. tape 2 : L – Z, including supplement . Albert Bonniers Verlag, Stockholm 1906, p. 329 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).
R. Tigerstedt: Retzius. 1. Anders Jahan R. In: Theodor Westrin, Ruben Gustafsson Berg (eds.): Nordisk familjebok konversationslexikon och realencyklopedi . 2nd Edition. tape 23 : Retzius – Ryssland . Nordisk familjeboks förlag, Stockholm 1916, Sp. 1-2 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).
RH tribe: Retzius ['re.tsius], Anders Jahan . In: Christian Blangstrup (Ed.): Salmonsens Konversationsleksikon . 2nd Edition. tape 20 : Renden – Schinkel . JH Schultz Forlag, Copenhagen 1926, p. 69 (Danish, runeberg.org ).
Gunnar Eriksson: Anders Jahan Retzius. In: Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Volume 30, 1998, p. 1 ( sok.riksarkivet.se ).

Web links

Author entry and list of the plant names described for Anders Jahan Retzius at the IPNI

Anders Jahan Retzius exchanged letters with Carl von Linné

Individual evidence

^ Nils Sjöberg: Retzius, Niels (Nicolaus) . In: Portrait of svenska läkare och apotekare . tape 1 , 1910, pp. 81 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).
↑ Magnus Laurentius Ståhl: Anders Jahan Retzius . In: Biographiske underrättelser om professorer vid kongl. universitetet i Lund, ifrån des inrättning till närvarande tid . 1834, p. 242–248 (Swedish, runeberg.org - Niels Matthias in his father's contribution on p. 248).
^ Retzius, Magnus Christian . In: Herman Hofberg, Frithiof Heurlin, Viktor Millqvist, Olof Rubenson (eds.): Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon . 2nd Edition. tape 2 : L – Z, including supplement . Albert Bonniers Verlag, Stockholm 1906, p. 330 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).
↑ Retzius, Lorens Kristoffer . In: Herman Hofberg, Frithiof Heurlin, Viktor Millqvist, Olof Rubenson (eds.): Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon . 2nd Edition. tape 2 : L – Z, including supplement . Albert Bonniers Verlag, Stockholm 1906, p. 329-330 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).
↑ Lotte Burkhardt: Directory of eponymous plant names - Extended Edition. Part I and II. Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin , Freie Universität Berlin , Berlin 2018, ISBN 978-3-946292-26-5 doi: 10.3372 / epolist2018 .

personal data
SURNAME	Retzius, Anders Jahan
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Swedish naturalist
DATE OF BIRTH	October 3, 1742
PLACE OF BIRTH	Kristianstad
DATE OF DEATH	October 6, 1821
Place of death	Stockholm

[1] Nils Sjöberg: Retzius, Niels (Nicolaus) . In: Portrait of svenska läkare och apotekare . tape 1 , 1910, pp. 81 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).

[2] Magnus Laurentius Ståhl: Anders Jahan Retzius . In: Biographiske underrättelser om professorer vid kongl. universitetet i Lund, ifrån des inrättning till närvarande tid . 1834, p. 242–248 (Swedish, runeberg.org - Niels Matthias in his father's contribution on p. 248).

[3] Retzius, Magnus Christian . In: Herman Hofberg, Frithiof Heurlin, Viktor Millqvist, Olof Rubenson (eds.): Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon . 2nd Edition. tape 2 : L – Z, including supplement . Albert Bonniers Verlag, Stockholm 1906, p. 330 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).

[4] Retzius, Lorens Kristoffer . In: Herman Hofberg, Frithiof Heurlin, Viktor Millqvist, Olof Rubenson (eds.): Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon . 2nd Edition. tape 2 : L – Z, including supplement . Albert Bonniers Verlag, Stockholm 1906, p. 329-330 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).

[Burkhardt_2018-5] Lotte Burkhardt: Directory of eponymous plant names - Extended Edition. Part I and II. Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin , Freie Universität Berlin , Berlin 2018, ISBN 978-3-946292-26-5 doi: 10.3372 / epolist2018 .