August Mertens

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Heinrich Friedrich August Mertens (born January 3, 1864 in Gardelegen ; † January 1, 1931 in Magdeburg ) was a German teacher, conservationist and museum director. From 1906 he was director of the Museum of Natural History and Local History in Magdeburg, which he expanded into the German central office for beaver research.

Life

After attending the high school in his native Gardelegen, August Mertens went to the first class secondary school in Magdeburg. He then studied natural sciences and mathematics from 1882 to 1886 at the Friedrich Wilhelms University in Berlin . He was qualified to teach zoology, botany, mineralogy, chemistry, mathematics and geography.

In 1888 he returned to Magdeburg, the capital of the Prussian province of Saxony , where he worked as an assistant teacher, teacher and senior teacher at various schools. On June 2, 1891, he received his doctorate from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg with the dissertation The southern Altmark for Dr. phil. In 1900 August Mertens became head of the collections of the Magdeburg Natural Science Association. When this extensive collection was handed over to the city of Magdeburg in 1906, August Mertens was appointed museum director on October 1, 1898. Two years later he was also Provincial Commissioner for Natural Monument Preservation of the Province of Saxony. He held this position until his death in 1931, although, due to his illness, business in the last few years from 1929 onwards was taken over by his deputy Albert Krüger.

He carried the title of professor, which was awarded to him when he took office as museum director in 1906.

August Mertens became a member of the Leopoldina on July 20, 1908 .

Works (selection)

Important results of August Mertens' research on nature conservation work in the Magdeburg area and the province of Saxony are documented in numerous articles.

literature

  • Institute for Environmental History and Regional Development eV at the University of Neubrandenburg (Hrsg.): Mertens, August, Prof. Dr. In: Lexikon der Naturschutzbeauftragten , Volume 2 Sachsen-Anhalt , 2006, pp. 240–242.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Biography at the University of Magdeburg
personal data
SURNAME Mertens, August
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Mertens, Heinrich Friedrich August (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German teacher, conservationist and museum director
DATE OF BIRTH January 3, 1864
PLACE OF BIRTH Guards
DATE OF DEATH January 1, 1931
Place of death Magdeburg