Christian Reichart
Christian Reichart (also Reichardt , born July 4, 1685 in Erfurt ; † July 30, 1775 there ) was a German councilor and gardener. He was the founder of horticulture in Germany . Reichart is considered a pioneer and promoter of commercial horticulture in Erfurt and thus also established Erfurt's reputation as a city of flowers.
Christian Reichart operated what we call intensification in agriculture today. For example, he dealt with the cultivation of watercress . In Reichart's garden pond , this vitamin-rich fine vegetable grew by itself; however, it was about a planned extension. In the 18th century he determined the development of horticulture and agriculture in Germany.
Live and act
Christian Reichart was born on July 4, 1685 as the son of a wealthy Erfurt family who farmed and horticulture on their extensive land on the outskirts of the city. From 1705 it enabled him to study law at what was then Erfurt University. In 1716 he was placed in the service of the Erfurt city council. Four years later, Reichart took over the family's lands. In his autodidactic training in agriculture and horticulture he was helped by his sick stepfather, an "intelligent, skilful, wise and well-experienced economist", as can be read in Reichart's autobiography. By writing down his stepfather's questions and answers, the first little textbook on agriculture and horticulture was created.
After the death of his stepfather, Reichart began extensive experiments on the lands he had inherited and tried to scientifically penetrate his practical experience. He developed a number of new tools for horticulture that increased labor productivity and are still used today in an advanced form. In addition to the unicycle hoe, he invented a machine for thinning out plants and the spiked roller for loosening up the soil. Thanks to Reichart, intensive vegetable growing found its way into Erfurt, where until then mainly fruit and wine growing as well as kitchen and medicinal herbs were cultivated.
In the fertile Dreienbrunnen area on the outskirts of Erfurt, thanks to systematic and scientifically operated amelioration, many types of vegetables have found their home. Reichart acclimatized example, from Cyprus next cauliflower seeds and laid the foundation for the Erfurt cauliflower breeding. Christian Reichart laid watercress blades on a large part of the Dreienbrunnen area. The vitamin-rich vegetables that thrive in water were a welcome change, especially in winter. Erfurt's vegetable production was already supplying not only the city but also the surrounding area in Reichart's time. Reichart refined local forms of vegetables and gained them recognition far beyond the city limits through the development of seed cultivation that he pursued. As early as the middle of the 18th century, he was trading seeds from 93 different vegetable forms in Central Europe. The development of the 18-year crop rotation without fallow in contrast to the survived three-field economy as well as the increase in production were further merits.
The six-volume scientific main work of Reichart's "Land- und Gartenschatz" was published in 1753. The successful gardener also worked in public offices and non-profit institutions in the city. From 1752 he participated as a councilor in the management of urban affairs. During this time he campaigned for the scientifically and practically trained gardener and therefore called for a fundamental redesign of economics lessons at universities. Reichart left a number of records on the history of the city of Erfurt, especially his "Erfurt Chronicle" from 1700 to 1757. He died almost blind in 1775 in Erfurt.
The Reichart Prize has been awarded since 2014.
Works
- Land and garden treasure. 6 volumes. Erfurt 1753–1774 (6th edition there 1819/1820).
- Introduction to gardening and arable farming. 2 parts. Erfurt 1758/1759.
- Mixed fonts. Erfurt 1762.
literature
- Siegfried Müller: Reichart, Christian. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 21, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 2003, ISBN 3-428-11202-4 , p. 297 ( digitized version ).
- Eberhard Czekalla, Reiner Prass: Christian Reichart and commercial horticulture in the 18th century. In: Martin Baumann, Steffen Raßloff (eds.): City of flowers Erfurt. Waid - Horticulture - iga / egapark. Sutton, Erfurt 2011, ISBN 978-3-86680-812-6 , pp. 49-73.
- Katharina Trutz: Christian Reichart. In: Central German Life Pictures. Volume 4, 1929, pp. 75-87 (with picture).
- Gerhard Wuchold, Eberhard Rempel: Christian Reicharts work for the development of horticulture. In: Archives for Horticulture. Volume 29, 1981, pp. 255-262.
- Hans-Heinrich Müller: The Thaer of horticulture. Christian Reichart was born 300 years ago. In: New German farmers newspaper. No. 26, from June 28, 1985, p. 17 (with picture).
- Christian Reichart 1685–1775. Pioneer and promoter of Erfurt commercial horticulture . Special issue on the occasion of Christian Reichart's 300th birthday. Erfurt 1985. - Contributions by several authors (with picture and bibliography).
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Reichart, Christian |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Reichardt, Christian; Reichard, Christian |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German councilor and gardener, founder of horticulture in Germany |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 4th July 1685 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Erfurt |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 30, 1775 |
| Place of death | Erfurt |