Ernst Klenk (viticulture technician)

Ernst Klenk (born January 6, 1905 in Sittenhardt , † July 19, 1996 in Wiesbaden ) was a German viticulture technician . From 1946 to 1970 he headed the state viticulture school in Weinsberg .

Life

Ernst Klenk's father Karl Klenk was a farmer in Gailenkirchen . After attending elementary school from 1912 to 1918, he gained practical experience in various agricultural businesses until 1923. Then he attended the two-year course at the Weinsberg viticulture school, which he graduated in 1924 as the best in his class. This was followed by two years as a supervisor at the Ruckhardtshausen estate near Öhringen , then Klenk was administrator of the Aschrott wine estate administration in Hochheim am Main for nine years . In 1937 he moved to the Schade und Füllgrabe wine wholesaler in Frankfurt am Main , where he attended evening classes at the commercial school deepened his commercial and business knowledge.

In September 1937, Friedrich Gräter , the head of the Weinsberg viticulture school, called him back to his training facility as cellar master and assistant director. On June 24, 1939, he married his wife, Finni, née Über. After Gräter's retirement, on November 18, 1946, Klenk was initially acting head of the viticulture school, and from January 1948 to March 25, 1970 he was its director.

In his 33 years in Weinsberg, Klenk made numerous contributions to viticulture , the city of Weinsberg and the viticulture school, which he made known far beyond Württemberg and Germany. Damage from the time of the Second World War was repaired, the winery was modernized, the school was significantly enlarged, and the number of students more than doubled compared to the pre-war period. The establishment of the Bundesküferfachschule based in Weinsberg in 1948 and the creation of a modern fruit growing test estate on the Heuchlingen domain in the 1950s go back to Klenk, as well as the establishment of the alumni association as a provider of professional adult education, the creation of reservoirs on the site of the Burg Wildeck wine-growing experimental estate belonging to the Viticulture School and the rehabilitation of the Weinsberg Castle Hill, which was damaged by gypsum mining in the 19th century, by creating new vineyards. In viticulture, he devoted himself, among other things, to the use of compost to improve soil and reduce erosion, irrigation and the use of ovens to prevent late frost damage and the improvement of red wine making through the use of new materials and new fermentation systems for better dye yield. He was also the chairman of the examination commission for the awarding of the Württemberg wines at the Württemberg winegrowing association and regional representative of the DLG .

After his retirement, Ernst Klenk moved to Wiesbaden in 1972, where he lived in retirement. However, he remained connected to the city of Weinsberg and promoted the Justinus Kerner Association. On July 24, 1996, he was buried in the Hochheim am Main cemetery.

Awards

On his 65th birthday on January 6, 1970, the city of Weinsberg made Ernst Klenk an honorary citizen . When he left as director of the viticulture school on March 25, 1970, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, 1st class. He also received the Bassermann-Jordan Medal of the DLG, became an honorary member of the Württemberg winegrowing association and honorary board member of the Weinsberger Former Association.

literature

• Gerhard Götz (Red.): Festschrift 1868–1993. 125 years National Training and Research Institute for vineyards and orchards vineyard . State Teaching and research institute for viticulture and fruit growing, Weinsberg 1993, DNB 931838657 , pp. 53-57
• Yearbook for the city of Weinsberg 1970. Röck, Weinsberg 1970, ZDB -ID 717014-2 , pp. 30, 33-34
• Yearbook for the city of Weinsberg 1996. Röck, Weinsberg 1996, ZDB -ID 717014-2 , pp. 93-94

Web links

• Gerhard Götz : Klenk, Ernst (1905–1996) among the personalities of the wine culture of the Society for the History of Wine
• Article on viticulture by Ernst Klenk in the bibliography on the history and culture of wine