Heinrich von Nathusius (farmer)

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Heinrich Engelhard von Nathusius, ca.1885
Luise von Nathusius, b. Behmer (1827–1876), wife of Heinrich Engelhard von Nathusius
The residential building of the former monastery in Althaldensleben from the garden side, around 1850
Farm yard of the estate in Althaldensleben, around 1980
Glüsig, hand-colored lithograph, ca.1820
Clydesdale breed, mare, painted by Thomas von Nathusius , 1904

Heinrich Engelhard Nathusius , from 1861 by Nathusius , (born September 14, 1824 in Althaldensleben ; † September 12, 1890 in Westerland , Sylt ) was a manor owner, breeder and politician. He was raised to the nobility in 1861.

Youth and education

Heinrich von Nathusius was the seventh child and sixth son of Johann Gottlob Nathusius (1760–1835). His father was a very wealthy businessman and factory owner from Magdeburg , the ancestors of the family lived in Upper and Lower Lusatia . In the first half of the 19th century, Nathusius' father had acquired several goods in the greater Magdeburg area. The first to be bought in June 1810 was the Althaldensleben monastery, which had just been secularized. Since then, the large family has lived here and the son Heinrich was born here. His mother was Luise, b. Engelhard (1827–1876), a daughter of the poet Philippine Engelhard (1756–1831), b. Gatterer, and a granddaughter of the polymath and historian Johann Christoph Gatterer (1727–1799).

Nathusius and his siblings had a carefree childhood in Althaldensleben and the nearby Hundisburg Castle , also owned by their father. As was customary at the time, he was brought up by private tutors. From 1842 to 1843 he studied at the agricultural and forestry academy in Tharandt . As a result, he went on a one-year research trip to Switzerland and Italy / Sicily. He stayed in Rome for a long time ; Sketchbooks of the artistically talented student have survived from this period.

From the spring of 1845, Nathusius continued his agricultural studies at the University of Berlin . He also undertook art studies there and received training in the high riding school . In the summer of 1846 he stayed in Copenhagen to study. According to family tradition, he “rode a model” to the old master Christian Daniel Rauch during his studies for the equestrian statue of Frederick the Great .

Work on the former Althaldensleben monastery

After his father had died in 1835, the older brother Philipp von Nathusius took over the Althaldensleben estate. Since he wanted to devote himself increasingly to his journalistic interests and the implementation of his ideas on the Inner Mission , the brothers agreed in 1849 that Heinrich von Nathusius (who was not yet ennobled at the time) should take over the estate and manor house. The Althaldenslebener Vorwerk Glüsig initially remained in the property of Philipp von Nathusius, it was only leased by him.

In 1852 Nathusius made a trip to England to get ideas for modern agriculture in what was then the most agriculturally advanced country in Europe. In England he bought several Shorthorn cattle as well as the newly developed, complicated drilling and hoeing machines, the use of which (and with it the drilling culture) he was the first to introduce in Prussia. Nathusius was also one of the pioneers of steam soil culture (the cultivation of the soil with the steam plow ). So he developed the company in Althaldensleben (which also included the Heinrich von Nathusius brewery ) into a widely recognized and well-known model agricultural estate .

Together with his brother Hermann von Nathusius (1809–1879), who farmed at Schloss Hundisburg , he completed the approximately 100 hectare landscaped park between the two family houses, which his father had planned and which had already been laid out in the basic structure . He had a new palm house built in Althaldensleben Park . He shifted the focus of the garden design from the castle site to the lowlands and designed the Bleichhof garden in front of the west front of the manor house, which has been reconstructed today.

Animal breeding

In addition to modernizing agriculture, Nathusius also made a name for himself in livestock breeding. In cooperation with his brothers Hermann Engelhard and August Engelhard von Nathusius (1818–1884), he was primarily concerned with improving certain breeds of sheep and horses and was successful in doing so. His activity in pig breeding, on the other hand, was probably not sustainable. In 1882 he imported the Poland-China pig from North America, a medium-sized breed of pig bred there that was the result of crossbreeding of indigenous pigs with Chinese and Berkshire pigs. This breed seemed to him suitable for breeding because of its high fertility. However, it turned out to be susceptible to epidemics and could not prevail in Germany.

Sheep farming

Probably through his father-in-law, Friedrich Albert Behmer (1790–1856), Nathusius became one of the most important breeders of merino sheep in Germany. He was also supported by his brother-in-law, Rudolf Behmer (1831–1907). He kept Saxon Merino sheep in a herd of up to 3,000 animals and bred for high-quality wool. From 1863 he also used Rambouillet rams to cross with French Merino dams. He often made trips to other merino breeders, so in 1879 he visited the French herd, whose animals he bred.

Horse breeding

In horse breeding , he initially dealt with half-blood races. Later he concentrated on the breeding of heavy horses , which were of greater importance for the domestic agriculture - here he dealt mainly with the Clydesdale breed. Nathusius held the Clydesdale stud book for Germany. His love for the nobler half-blood, however, lasted until the end of his life.

Breeding animal exhibitions

Through breeding, Nathusius came into contact with the show creature of the time , the presentation of breeding animals, from around the beginning of the 1860s . At that time, the regional agricultural local and central associations increasingly received funds to organize such exhibitions, initially only for horses and cattle, later also for sheep. Even under Nathusius' influence, district shows emerged , organized more professionally than previous festival shows , and shortly afterwards also provincial shows . The first was held in Magdeburg in 1880 and Nathusius was co-organizer. He benefited from his experience and knowledge of comparable exhibitions abroad.

Working at the DLG

In 1883 Max Eyth (1838–1906), who a short time later was to found the German Agricultural Society (DLG), visited the Althaldensleben model estate and its owner. Eyth succeeded in convincing Nathusius to work with the DLG he was planning, so that he became a co-founder of the DLG. After the company was founded in 1885, Nathusius took on a board position at DLG and was responsible for the animal breeding department. From 1886 to 1890 he was the first chairman of this area. He drafted the first exhibition regulations for animals, which are essentially still valid today.

In the four years of his activity, he made considerable contributions to the DLG. Max Eyth wrote in a letter in Berlin on October 6, 1890: “... which was followed a few days later by a doubly painful anniversary of his death. Heinrich von Nathusius-Althaldensleben, whom the DLG and I have so much to thank, died of a stroke in the seaside resort of Sylt. It is a great loss for all of us. "

Politics and functions

In 1854 Nathusius became a member of the Saxon provincial council . From 1854 to 1863 he was district administrator of the Neuhaldensleben district . In 1860 he became general secretary of the Magdeburg Jockey Club , later its managing director. For many years he was head of office in Althaldensleben. In addition, Nathusius was an honorary director of the agricultural (local) association in the district of Neuhaldensleben and the surrounding area (founded in 1847, members in 138 localities), as a member of the board of the Agricultural Central Association of the Province of Saxony, as a member of the Magdeburg Association for Agriculture and agricultural mechanical engineering , as chairman of the committee for the Berlin beef cattle exhibition and chairman or president of the German Cattle Breeding and Heerdbuch Society . After all, he was a committee member of the Magdeburg-Halberstädter-Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft and head of the rescue houses for morally neglected children in Althaldensleben and Hillersleben .

family

On September 13, 1847, Heinrich Engelhard von Nathusius married Luise, b. Behmer (1827-1876). Their father was the aforementioned Merziener Oberamtmann Friedrich Albert Behmer, a well-known domain tenant and sheep farmer, the mother was Elise Engelhard (1800–1869), a sister of Nathusius' mother Luise, born. Engelhard.

A younger sister of Luise Nathusius, b. Behmer, the Johanne Behmer (1830–1903) married the merchant and consul in Alexandria ( Egypt ), Karl Reuter (1822–1872), son of a brewery owner and mayor in Treptow . His daughter was the writer Gabriele Reuter (1859-1941), who took up the history of her family and that of Nathusius in the novel Green tendrils about old pictures .

Further siblings of Luise von Nathusius, b. Behmer were the twin brothers, the aforementioned Rudolf Behmer, Shepherd's Director of Berlin and Hermann Carl Behmer (1831-1915), who worked as a professor, portrait and history painter. A son of the latter was Marcus Behmer (1879-1958), a graphic artist and artist.

The couple Heinrich Engelhard and Luise von Nathusius had 13 children, one of whom died young. The daughter Anna Elisabeth von Nathusius (1855–1914) married Ernst von Sommerfeld (1850–1917), who later became a major general , in 1874 . The husband of the daughter Hanna Barbara von Nathusius (1859–1922) was Georg Friedrich von Kleist (1852–1923), general of the cavalry and member of the Prussian mansion . The eleventh child of Heinrich von Nathusius was Simon von Nathusius (1865–1913), who was a university professor in Halle and the author of many scientific works on domestic animal breeding.

In addition to the aforementioned brothers, Hermann Engelhard, Philipp Engelhard and August Engelhard von Nathusius, two other siblings have been successful in politics and science or with social engagement: Wilhelm Engelhard von Nathusius (1821–1899) and Johanne Philippine Nathusius (1828–1885) .

Publications

  • Agricultural animal album in photographs. The International Agricultural Exhibition in Hamburg 1863. With the participation of Wiegandt, Hempel and Parey (Hrsg./Verlag), Berlin 1863.
  • Remarks on Photographs of Animals. In: Journal of the agricultural Central Association of the Province of Saxony. No. 21, 1864, pp. 82-84.
  • About the situation of state horse breeding in Prussia. Wiegandt and Hempel, Berlin 1872.
  • Communications about steam soil culture at the Congress of German Farmers. In: Journal of the agricultural Central Association of the Province of Saxony. No. 31, 1874, pp. 101-104.
  • The heavy workhorse with special consideration for the Clydesdale. Travel impressions, experiences and considerations. Parey, Berlin 1882.
  • The tobacco monopoly as proposed by the government. 1882.
  • The agricultural conditions in the area around Magdeburg. In: Festschrift for the members and participants of the 57th Assembly of German Natural Scientists and Doctors. Published on behalf of the executive committee of Rosenthal, Faber'sche Buchdruckerei, 1884, pp. 135–145.
  • About the breeding of heavy workhorses and the means of transporting them in Prussia. Parey, 1885
  • Animal husbandry and knowledge of race. Berlin 1890. Quoted in: Simon von Nathusius (Ed.): Schwarzenecker's horse breeding. 5th edition. Parey, Berlin / Halle 1910, p. 1.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Drawing (1897) by the painter Hermann Behmer (1831–1915) based on a portrait (1851) of the Graz painter Josef Achter (1822–1867)
  2. ^ Duncker Collection, Berlin, around 1860
  3. ↑ Carl August Eyraud (1790–1872), lithographer and founder of the Neuhaldensleber Wochenblatt , see also: Siglinde Bandoly, in: Jahresschrift der Museen des Ohrekreises , Volume 5, Haldensleben, 1998
  4. ↑ in: Simon von Nathusius : Atlas of the races and forms of our domestic animals, I. Series, The horse races, with 24 plates, based on original drawings by animal painter Thomas von Nathusius . Ulmer, Stuttgart; Publishing house for agriculture, fruit growing and horticulture, Stuttgart, 1904
  5. ^ Nathusius (1840, 1861), V line, Heinrich Engelhard v. Nathusius (Prussian nobility in Königsberg i. Pr., October 18, 1861). In: Genealogical manual of the nobility . Volume 57 of the complete series, Noble Houses B Volume XI. Starke, Limburg ad Lahn 1974, p. 320
  6. ↑ according to Lilly von Nathusius: Johann Gottlob Nathusius and his descendants ... p. 176, see bibliography
  7. ↑ a b c according to Heinz Nowack: Magdeburg Biographical Lexicon . see bibliography
  8. ↑ a b according to Ulrich Hauer : Of art gardeners and garden art . P. 75, see bibliography
  9. ↑ according to Ulrich Hauer: An enchanted corner in the Althaldensleben monastery park
  10. ↑ according to Lilly von Nathusius: Johann Gottlob and his descendants ... p. 177, see bibliography
  11. ↑ A great son of the Magdeburg Börde. Heinrich von Nathusius, a pioneer of agricultural machinery and horse breeding , on the 50th anniversary of his death (author's note), October 15, 1940
  12. ↑ according to Max Eyth: Collected Writings . see bibliography [1]
  13. ↑ according to Max Eyth: Im Strom unsrer Zeit (autobiography), Part Three, Section Four, 1890–1891, a total of 3 volumes, 1904/1905 (p. 87, Bremen )
  14. ↑ according to Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, No. 18650, 12.1 f., P. 2, see bibliography
  15. ↑ a b c d acc. Wolfgang Ollrog (arrangement): Johann Christoph Gatterer, the founder of scientific genealogy . In: Archives for kin research and all related areas with practical research assistance . 47th year, issue 81/82. Starke, Limburg ad Lahn 1981, p. 42 ff.
  16. ↑ Gabriele Reuter: Green tendrils around old pictures. A German family novel . G. Grote, Berlin 1937
  17. ↑ according to Lilly von Nathusius, Johann Gottlob Nathusius and his descendants …, p. 195 ff., See bibliography

literature

  • Brockhaus Konversations-Lexikon . Volume 12, 1894, p. 192
  • German Agricultural Society (Hrsg.): Yearbook of the German Agricultural Society . Volume 1, A. Voerster, Paul Parey, Berlin 1905
  • JC Funch and Heinrich von Mendel (eds.): German Poland-China-pig herdbook . Hintzen, Oldenburg 1886
  • Max von Eyth: Collected writings . German publishing house, 1909
  • Ulrich Hauer : Of art gardeners and garden art. The gardeners and gardens of the Nathusius family in Althaldensleben and Hundisburg . KULTUR-Landschaft Haldensleben-Hundisburg eV and Museum Haldensleben , Haldensleben-Hundisburg 2005, p. 75
  • H. Haushofer: The furrow of the DLG . 1885–1960, DLG-Verlag, Frankfurt / Main 1960, pp. 91–93
  • Agricultural weekly in Halle / Saale . Summer issue for the DLG exhibition, sponsors of domestic agriculture , Leipzig 1928, pp. 33–35
  • Max Maercker : Heinrich von Nathusius - Althaldensleben . In: Magdeburg newspaper . No. 660, December 30, 1890
  • Max Maercker: Heinrich von Nathusius - Althaldensleben . In: Agricultural animal breeding . No. 39, 1890
  • Heinrich von Mendel: Heinrich von Nathusius - Althaldensleben ( †). In: Journal of the agricultural Central Association of the Province of Saxony . No. 11, B, 1890, p. 321 ff.
  • Heinrich von Mendel: Heinrich von Nathusius (†) . In: DLG Yearbook No. 6, B, 1891, pp. 251–262
  • Meyers Konversations-Lexikon , author collective, Verlag des Bibliographisches Institut, fourth edition, 1885-1892, volume 12: Nathusius - Phlegmone . Leipzig and Vienna 1888, p. 2
  • Lilly von Nathusius: Johann Gottlob Nathusius and his descendants as well as his nephew Moritz Nathusius . Ms. Detmold, 1964
  • Simon von Nathusius: The Althaldensleber Clydesdale breed . In: German agricultural press . No. 28, 1901, pp. 1149 ff.
  • Wilhelm von Nathusius: Heinrich von Nathusius (†). A picture of life . In: Agricultural yearbooks . No. 20, 1891, pp. 237-260
  • Heinz Nowack . In: Magdeburger Biographisches Lexikon , status: June 9, 2004, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, 1990, see also: Guido Heinrich, Gunter Schandera (Ed.): Magdeburger Biographisches Lexikon 19th and 20th centuries. Biographical lexicon for the state capital Magdeburg and the districts of Bördekreis, Jerichower Land, Ohrekreis and Schönebeck. Scriptum, Magdeburg 2002, ISBN 3-933046-49-1 .
  • H. Thiel: Heinrich von Nathusius - Althaldensleben. Obituary . In: German agricultural press . No. 17, 1890, pp. 679-680

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Commons : Heinrich von Nathusius  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Nathusius, Heinrich von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Nathusius, Heinrich Engelhard von (full name); Nathusius, Heinrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German manor owner, breeder and politician
DATE OF BIRTH September 14, 1824
PLACE OF BIRTH Althaldensleben
DATE OF DEATH September 12, 1890
Place of death Westerland , Sylt