Franz Joseph Würtenberger

Franz Joseph Würtenberger (born September 3, 1818 in Dettighofen , Klettgau ; † July 28, 1889 there ) was a Baden farmer, local researcher and collector.

Life

Franz Joseph Würtenberger already tried to get an artistic or scientific education in his youth, but he was only able to attend the village school. At the age of about 30 he discovered the diverse geological natural phenomena of his homeland and began to be a passionate collector. As a result, he self-taught extensive geological knowledge. Acquaintance and excursions brought him together with important researchers and collectors of the time. B. with Oswald Heer , Arnold Escher von der Linth , Karl Mayer-Eymar or Ferdinand Schalch . As a member of the Karlsruhe Natural Research Society, he met other scientists such as Emil von Kageneck . Julius Schill recommended him as the only competent researcher for the geological survey of the Stühlingen section; however, it was not accepted.

His collection, which he had built up together with his younger brother Thomas Würtenberger and his son Leopold Würtenberger , reached 17,000 pieces. The sale to the Baden state in 1869 for the natural history cabinet in Karlsruhe , which was completed in 1875 , was not easy for him. Unfortunately, most of the collection was destroyed during World War II. He continued collecting after the sale, and a second small collection was created. His work received full recognition in specialist circles and formed the basis for the subsequent geological survey of the land.

family

Franz Joseph Würtenberger was married to Maria Anna Indlekofer (1827-1892) from Bühl. They had five children:

• Heinrich Würtenberger (1852–1926), local writer and castle administrator at Eberstein Castle
• Alexander Würtenberger (1854–1933), local poet and rose breeder
• Leopold Würtenberger (1846–1886), geologist
• Anna Würtenberger ∞
• Luise Würtenberger ∞

His nephew was the artist Ernst Würtenberger (1868–1934).

Publications

• Directory of fossil plant remains from the Tertiary of the Klettgau . In: New Yearbook for Mineralogy 1862, pp. 719–722 (together with his brother Thomas)
• The white Jura in Klettgau and the adjacent Randen Mountains . In: Negotiations of the natural science association in Carlsruhe Volume 2, 1866, pp. 11–68 (together with his son Leopold Württenberger) ( Google Books ).
• The tertiary formation in Klettgau . In: Journal of the German Geological Society 22, 1870, pp. 471-581.
• The oldest traces of the people in Germany (manuscript)
• The Alpine glaciers of today and then (manuscript)
• The erratic formations in Klettgau (manuscript)
• Results of the geological investigations for the railway construction from Waldshut to Gottmadingen (manuscript)
• Something about the origin, purpose and condition of the collection . In: Directory of the paleontological-geognostic collection of the FJ Würtenberger in Dettighofen in Klettgau 1867 (manuscript)

literature

• Gaston Mayer: The Würtenberger family of geologists from Dettighofen / Baden (1818–1956) . In: Reports of the Natural Research Society in Freiburg im Breisgau 53, 1963, pp. 241-257 ( digitized version ).
• Hubert Matt-Willmatt, Klaus Isele : The Würtenberger. Three poets from the Klettgau . Edition Isele, Eggingen 1986, ISBN 3-925016-16-3 (on the family).
• Hubert Matt-Willmatt: Dettighofen . Dettighofen 1992.