Hans Linser

Hans Linser (born July 4, 1907 in Linz on the Danube ; † November 2, 1991 during a train journey from Linz to Gießen) was an Austrian agricultural chemist in the field of plant nutrition . From 1960 to 1975 he taught at the University of Giessen . His research focus was the nutritional physiology of agricultural crops .

Life

Hans Linser, the son of a master mason, studied natural sciences at the University of Vienna and received his doctorate there in 1930 with a dissertation on fluorescence analytical studies of plants. Until 1945 he was engaged in biological research at the IG paint industry. From 1947 to 1959 he headed the newly established biological research department of the Austrian nitrogen works.

In 1949 Scharrer qualified as a professor at the Technical University in Vienna in the field of plant nutrition. At this university, since 1951 also at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna , he gave lectures on the then new field of growth substances . In 1959 he was awarded the title of associate professor. In 1960 Linser followed a call to the chair for plant nutrition at the University of Giessen . He worked here until 1975.

One of his students was Karl-Hermann Neumann .

Research and Teaching

During his work at the University of Giessen, Linser played a key role in the development of the field of plant nutrition. For him, the central field of work in modern plant nutrition theory was the nutritional physiology of cultivated plants. His research on growth regulators is one of the scientific milestones of his work at the University of Giessen . His original conception about the yield formation of agricultural crops, which he wrote in 1984 in his book “ System und Produkt. Factors of Plant Yield Formation ”published. He also continued the " Handbook of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization " founded by Karl Scharrer in 1958 and published three extensive volumes between 1965 and 1972.

Linser has repeatedly commented on current agricultural problems around the world. Noteworthy are his contributions " Securing the life of mankind by securing food " (1975) and " Contemporary problems in agricultural sciences " (1982). He has also given a lot of thought to the basic questions of life and the meaning of scientific activity, and has published numerous articles and books on them. He was therefore often referred to as "the philosopher on the chair for plant nutrition". Noteworthy thoughts on research can be found in the article “ On the Necessity and Different Types of Research ” (1977). His last book “ Dynamism of Life. The Event Becomes Being ”(1988) contains a complete bibliography of his scientific publications.

Honors

• Honorary doctorate from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna
• Honorary Senator of the Johannes Kepler University Linz
• Carrier of the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art, 1st class

Publications (selection)

• Chemism of Life. The biological worldview of the present . Universum Verlagsgesellschaft Vienna 1948.
• Can we know Biological and philosophical in the circle of knowledge . Verlag Brüder Hollinek Vienna 1954 = Collection "Biologie" Vol. 17.
• Methods for determining plant growth substances (together with Oswald Kiermayer). Springer-Verlag Vienna 1957.
• Isotopes in Agriculture. Methods and results of the use of radioactive and stable isotopes in agricultural research and practice (together with Karl Kaindl). Paul Parey publishing house in Berlin and Hamburg 1960.
• Science and ethics . In: Nachrichten der Gießener Hochschulgesellschaft Vol. 33, 1964, pp. 91–115.
• Handbook of plant nutrition and fertilization . Founded by Karl Scharer and Hans Linser. 3 volumes of two parts each, Springer-Verlag Vienna and New York 1965-1972.
• Can natural sciences provide answers to questions of meaning? . In: Universitas Vol. 28, 1973, pp. 423-431.
• Securing the life of mankind by securing food . In: Landwirtschaftliche Forschung, special issue 31 / I, 1975, pp. 7-20.
• The necessity and the different types of research . In. Gießener Universitätsblätter Vol. 10, 1977, H. 1, pp. 16-24.
• Present problems of the agricultural sciences . In: Die Bodenkultur Vol. 33, 1982, pp. 351-362.
• Realizing the improbable - a human instinctual goal? In: Journal for Whole Research (Vienna), New Series Vol. 28, 1984, pp. 154–162.
• System and product. Factors of crop production . Paul Parey Publishing House Berlin and Hamburg 1984.
• Dynamism of life. The event becomes being . Publisher Paul Parey Berlin and Hamburg 1988.

literature

• Otto Steineck: Speech on the awarding of the academic title of an honorary doctorate to Prof. Dr. H. Linser, Giessen . In: 100 Years of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna 1872-1972. Vol. 2, 100th anniversary. Vienna 1973, pp. 53–55 (with picture).
• Konrad Mengel: Professor Dr. phil. Dr. hc Hans Linser on completion of the 75th year of life . In: Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, Vol. 145, 1982, pp. 227-228 (with picture).
• Konrad Mengel: Prof. Dr. phil. Dr. hc Hans Linser † . In: UNI-Forum (University newspaper of Justus Liebig University Gießen) Vol. 6, No. 7 of December 12, 1991, p. 10.