Johann Peter Ernst von Scheffler

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Johann Peter Ernst von Scheffler ( Polish : Jan Piotr Ernest Scheffler or Jan Piotr Ernest Szefler; Latin : Johannes Petrus Ernestus a Scheffler), Equ [es] Polon [iae] ( Latin ; German: "Knight of Poland"), * 23. September 1739 in Danzig ; † around 1809 in Warsaw , was a German doctor and mineralogist . His father Johann Gottfried Scheffler fought as a " volunteer " against the Russian siege in 1734 and then went through a military career.

The Danzig city doctor and doctor of medicine Jan Ernest Scheffler (around 1604–1673), co-editor of a widely used pharmacopoeia ( Dispensatorium Gedanense ), may have been one of his ancestors.

life and work

Johann Peter Ernst von Scheffler is the namesake of the plant genus " Schefflera ". He received his doctorate in medicine, worked as a doctor and did research in the field of mineralogy. He later went to Poland and headed a mining commission. He appeared there as a member of a Masonic Lodge . His exact date of death is unknown.

The Herzog August Library in Wolfenbüttel shows a portrait of him.

Study and job

In 1766 Scheffler wrote in retrospect:

"My inclination to study made that I left the [military] path of my ancestors and preferred to sleep in bed rather than in the field of honor [!]."

True to this insight, he enrolled at the Albertus University in Königsberg after graduating from high school in Danzig . He first began to study law, but then switched to medicine and completed a course of study at the medical faculty, where he graduated on June 17, 1761, followed by a doctorate in medicine in 1762. The topic of his dissertation was: An quatuor flores cordiales sint vere cordialis? ("Are the four 'heart flowers' really heart [medium]?") (Königsberg 1762)

Then he returned to Gdansk, where he worked as a "Praktikus" (practicing doctor) and as a teacher of natural history. The fact that he is not listed in the teaching staff of the (Protestant) middle school that comes into question here could have been due to his denomination: His later career in Poland suggests that he was Roman Catholic.

Scientific societies

In 1763 he was accepted into the Europe-wide respected natural science society in Danzig . It counted some famous national and international research personalities among its members , u. a. Gottfried Reyger , Johann Reinhold Forster , Johann Ernst Immanuel Walch , Johann Bernoulli . In 1763 he initially held the position of "secretary". In the company's annual reports, Scheffler has been listed as "Thesaurarius" (treasurer) since 1775, and in 1779 (until 1780) he was promoted to "Vice-Director and Treasurer". In 1781 these posts were then filled with other scholars.

As a member of this society, Scheffler published the following articles:

  • Mr. Doct. von Scheffler's letters to Mr. Hofrath Walch in Danzig about the origin of the sand. Der Naturforscher, 11th Stck, pp. 122–127. Hall 1777.
  • Contributions to the investigations into the electrum [amber] and the lyncur (also: lyn e ur, "lynx stone") of the ancients . New collection of experiments and treatises of the Society of Natural Sciences in Gdansk. Vol. 1, 11th article (pp. 234-256). Wedel: Danzig 1778.
  • A “speech in memory of H. de Cuyper [s] held. Danzig 1777. “has not survived.

He gave several lectures at the meetings of the society:

  • Thoughts of the leaves of their herbs, shrubs and trees. Read on April 27, 1763 (Acta Societatis Physicae Experimentalis 1763, Commentarii Section C). Digitized   version of the manuscript: [2] , frames 134–140.
  • The life of Doctoris David Kade. Read on May 2, 1764 (Acta Societatis Physicae Experimentalis 1764, Commentarii Section C). Digitized version of the manuscript: [3] , frames 70–73.
  • Report of Mr. Schoppenhauer's experiments with hops. Read on March 17, 1773 (Acta Societatis Physicae Experimentalis 1773, Commentarii Section C). [4] (see frame 330).
  • Explanation of the Martial epigram “de phiala ex electro”. Read June 30, 1773 (Acta Societatis Physicae Experimentalis 1773, Commentarii Section F). [5] (see frame 330).
  • About the history of Lyncur. Read on January 22nd and February 5th, 1777. (Acta Societatis Physicae Experimentalis 1777, Commentarii Section B). [6] (see frame 77).
  • Description of the face knife invented by Bischoff. Read November 5, 1777 (Acta Societatis Physicae Experimentalis 1777, Commentarii Section E). [7] (see frame 77).

.

Scheffler traveled to several university towns. In Berlin he met Friedrich Martini , who then founded the “ Society of Friends of Natural Sciences in Berlin ”, referring to the Danzig Natural Research Society as his “role model”. Scheffler then became an honorary member of the new Berlin foundation. The "Society of Sciences in Göttingen" (today " Academy of Sciences ") took him on as a correspondent (reporter). Scheffler's letter to Christoph Jacob Trew to lobby for his admission to the “Kayserliche Academie der Naturforscher” ( Leopoldina ) was unsuccessful.

In London, where Scheffler became a member of the “Society for the Promotion of Art, Manufacture and Commerce”, he met the young German natural scientist Georg Forster in 1771 , whom he obtained a professorship in Vilnius 13 years later through his good relations with Prince Bishop Poniatowski.

The time in Poland

Scheffler went to Poland in 1780 (on May 9, 1782 a Polish newspaper mentions his name). In Warsaw he lived with the regimental doctor and surgeon August Otto, whose niece Therese Otto he later married (probably in 1785). In 1784 he was then by the Polish king Stanislaus II. August Poniatowski "in the Frey Mr. Booth raised" and " Privy Council appointed". The title of “ baron ” did not include the rights of the Polish nobility.

When he arrived in Warsaw in 1780, he was appointed by the Polish king as "Bergrath". Obviously, his mineralogical knowledge was the main reason for his appointment, because he was commissioned to conduct a "mineralogical journey through Poland" as leader and expert advisor of an expedition, which was supposed to serve to explore possibilities for the development of new ore deposits. However, the action turned out to be a major failure, as Georg Forster, who was in Warsaw at the time, heard, since Scheffler (and his colleague Johann Jakob Ferber ) “had each made such a report, which proved that they were involved in practical mining understand nothing ".

The initiator and sponsor of the whole expedition was the Prince-Bishop and Primate of Poland, Michał Jerzy Poniatowski, brother of the ruling king and Minister of Education. Despite his failure, Scheffler became a favorite of the prince and even had access to his private circle. He also temporarily lived in a pavilion in the park of the princely country estate of Jabłonna. At the instigation of the primate, who wanted to transform the universities into scientific academies, Scheffler received the position of honorary professor at the University (today Jagiellonian University ) of Cracow in 1787 .

As a Warsaw contemporary witness reported in a letter to Georg Forster, Scheffler leased a plot of land in Warsaw in 1788. “He started a big building [...]. He wants to set up a steel factory, builds ovens and a grinding mill [!]. ”However, the project failed after the construction of an ore mill, and it is assumed that the political turmoil at the time prevented it from being carried out.

Freemasons and Rosicrucians

Georg Forster, who temporarily lived with Scheffler in Warsaw, was a member of several Masonic lodges and belonged to the Brotherhood of Rosicrucians . Scheffler himself was obviously already known to the Warsaw secret organizations. In addition, as soon as he arrived in Warsaw, he was appointed chairman of the German section of the Masonic Lodge "Goddess of Eleusis", in which many Warsaw Rosicrucians were organized. Both Forster and Scheffler were convinced that there were chemical or alchemical processes to create the philosopher's stone , which of course must have also interested the Polish king. There are several clear indications that Poniatowski was also a Freemason, which would explain the good relationship with the Freemason Scheffler. However, he never appeared publicly as a member of a lodge.

The last few years

After his political disempowerment in 1789, Poniatowski undertook a private two-year trip through Europe, on which Scheffler was allowed to accompany him. The primate died in 1794, causing Scheffler to lose his most prominent advocate.

After the founding of the “Royal Society of Warsaw Friends of Science” (Polish Towarzystwo Królewskie Warszawskie Przyjaciół Nauk ), he was invited to join a member meeting as an “experienced naturalist” on April 28, 1805, as a supporting member. Scheffler must have actually been included, because his name appears on a retrospective list of deceased members in 1822. Later sources, which Siemion joins, report that he died "around 1809" (according to others he is "died around 1808").

The generic name "Schefflera"

The Danzig meteorologist and botanist Gottfried Reyger , a member of the Natural Research Society, wrote a botanical work on the flora in the vicinity of Danzig. In this work, he explicitly mentions Johann Peter Ernst von Scheffler twice as a source of information about plant locations. (Strangely enough, this information is missing in the German translation of the work.) When Georg Forster and Johann Reinhold Forster (both also members of the Natural Research Society ) later renamed a plant genus, they chose the name Schefflera in honor of the “famous Danzig doctor and botanist” , referring to Reyger . From Reyger's explicit names it follows that this “Medicus et Botanicus” is Johann Peter Ernst von Scheffler and not , as is often stated, a fictional “Jacob Christian Scheffler”, for whose existence there is nowhere any evidence. This error has only recently been cleared up.

Source criticism

The German Biographical Archive (DBA) uses the following sources for Johann Peter Ernst Scheffler :

  • Goldbeck, Johann Friedrich (ed.): Litterary news from Prussia . Vol. 1-2. Self-published: Leipzig, Dessau 1781–1783.
  • Poggendorf, Johann Christian: Biographical-literary concise dictionary for the history of the exact sciences . Barth: Leipzig 1863.
  • The learned Teutschland or lexicon of the now living German writers. Starting with Georg Christoph Hamberger, continued by Johann Georg Meusel. 7th volume ( S ). 5., quite increased u. improved edition. Meyersche Buchhandlung: Lemgo 1798. [Reprograf. Reprint d. 5th ed. Lemgo 1798-1834]. Olms: Hildesheim 19XX-.

These sources are not photocopied page by page, but in the form of smaller sections, which are then put together to form “fiches”. Due to the fragmentation of the original texts, the DBA mixed up the text references to Johann Peter Ernst Scheffler and those of the follow-up article by Goldbeck , namely Gottlieb Schlegel (1739–1810, theologian and educator). Among other things, Schlegel's writings (numerous smaller essays, tracts, sermons, etc.) are assigned to Scheffler (!) And vice versa. So it happens that Scheffler is added the label theologian in the DBA as well as in the latest edition of the German Biographical Index 1998 . Johann Peter Ernst Scheffler was never a theologian. He did not receive his doctorate in theology in Erlangen, nor was he rector of the Riga Cathedral School, as can be read in the DBA. The German National Library classifies him as "Bergrat", "Further information: Secretary". Poggendorf last reported that he was a doctor and had a doctorate in medicine in 1863 (incorrect volume and page indication in the DBA).

Fonts

  • An quatuor flores cordiales sint vere cordiales? Königsberg 1762 (dissertation).
  • Letters (received: two letters to Christoph Jacob Trew (see web links) and 10 letters from Danzig, Jabłonna and Warsaw to Johann III Bernoulli from October 24, 1777 - January 1, 1784).

For further publications see section “Scientific societies” .

literature

  • Siemion, Ignacy Z .: Piotr Ernest Jan Scheffler, XVIII-wieczny gdaṅsko-warszawski przyrodnik i expert górnicz: "Piotr Ernest Jan [Johann Peter Ernst von] Scheffler, Danzig-Warsaw naturalist and mining expert." ( Polish with English summary) Analecta 7 / 2 (14): 141-154 (1998). online: S

For further literature see section "Source criticism"

Web links

  • Letter from Johann Peter Ernst von Scheffler to Christoph Jacob Trew dated April 21, 1766 (The letter contains the exact description of Scheffler's family relationships requested by Trew.)
  • Letter from Johann Peter Ernst von Scheffler to Christoph Jacob Trew dated October 23, 1767

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Name affix / nobility on the title page of the dissertation
  2. ^ A b Letter from Johann Peter Ernst von Scheffler to Christoph Jacob Trew dated April 21, 1766.
  3. ^ Siemion, Ignacy Z .: Piotr Ernest Jan Scheffler, XVIII-wieczny gdaṅsko-warszawski przyrodnik i expert górniczy . Analecta 7/2 (14): 141-154 (1998). onlne: http://bazhum.muzhp.pl/media/files/Analecta_studia_i_materialy_z_dziejow_nauki/Analecta_studia_i_materialy_z_dziejow_nauki-r1998-t7-n2_(14)/Analecta_studia_i_materialy_z_dziejow_nauki-r1998-t7-n2_(14)-s141-154/Analecta_studia_i_materialy_z_dziejow_nauki-r1998-t7- n2_ (14) -s141-154.pdf (Polish with English summary) "Piotr Ernest Jan [Johann Peter Ernst von] Scheffler, Danzig-Warsaw natural scientist and mining expert."
  4. ^ German Biographical Archive II : Polski słownik biograficzny. - Kraków [et al.]: Polska Akademja Umietętności, 1935–1991. - T [om] 1–38 (Polish.)
  5. ^ Siemion, Ignacy Z .: Piotr Ernest Jan Sheffler, XVIII-wieczny gdaṅsko-warszawski przyrodnik i expert górniczy . P. 141
  6. ↑ P
  7. ↑ a b Festschrift to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Society of Natural Sciences in Gdansk. [[E [duard] Schumann]]: History of the Natural Research Society 1743-1892. , therein: The native members of society, résumés . Writings of the Natural Research Society in Danzig 8 (2). Danzig 1892, p. 83.
  8. ^ Siemion, Ignacy Z .: Piotr Ernest Jan Scheffler, XVIII-wieczny gdaṅsko-warszawski przyrodnik i expert górniczy , p. 141
  9. ↑ a b c d Goldbeck, Johann Friedrich (Ed.): Litterarian News from Prussia , Vol. 1–2. Self-published: Leipzig, Dessau 1781–1783; Vol. 1, p. 190.
  10. ↑ Digitized online via hathitrust.org: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044107262248&view=1up&seq=5
  11. ^ Siemion, Ignacy Z .: Piotr Ernest Jan Scheffler, XVIII-wieczny gdaṅsko-warszawski przyrodnik i expert górniczy . P. 144
  12. ^ Letter from Johann Peter Ernst von Scheffler to Christoph Jacob Trew dated April 21, 1766
  13. ↑ "Acta Societatis Physicae Experimentalis" [1]
  14. ↑ This work is a reply to Walch's article: Johann Ernst Immanuel Walch's treatise on the origin of the sand. Der Naturforscher III, essay 9. p.156. 6th
  15. ↑ Digitized version : 5
  16. ↑ Adelung: Grammatical-Critical Dictionary of High German Dialect. 1811.
  17. ↑ See also: Jacob u. Wilhelm Grimm: German Dictionary
  18. ↑ Digitized version : 7
  19. ↑ M
  20. ^ Siemion, Ignacy Z .: Piotr Ernest Jan Scheffler, XVIII-wieczny gdaṅsko-warszawski przyrodnik i expert górniczy , p. 143.
  21. ^ Letter from Johann Peter Ernst von Scheffler to Christoph Jacob Trew dated October 23, 1767
  22. ^ "Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce"
  23. ^ Siemion, Ignacy Z .: Piotr Ernest Jan Scheffler, XVIII-wieczny gdaṅsko-warszawski przyrodnik i expert górniczy. P. 144
  24. ↑ Georg Forster's letter to Theresa Heyne v. October 13, 1784: Forster, Johann Georg: Johann Georg Forster's correspondence. Along with some news from his life. Edited by Th [eresa] H [uber], geb. H [eyne] In two parts. 2 vols. Leipzig 1829 part 1, pp. 448–450. 1
  25. ^ A b c Goldbeck, Johann Friedrich: Litterarian news from Prussia. Self-published: Leipzig, Dessau 1781–1783. Vol. 2, p. 175
  26. ^ Siemion, Ignacy Z .: Piotr Ernest Jan Scheffler, XVIII-wieczny gdaṅsko-warszawski przyrodnik i expert górniczy . P. 147
  27. ↑ a b Georg Forster's works. Vol. 14: Letters 1784-June 1787. Ed. Brigitte Leuschner. Akademie-Verlag: Berlin 1978, letter to Christian Gottlob Heyne, p. 388.
  28. ^ Georg Forster's works. Vol. 18, p. 855, also called "Mademoiselle Teri" by Forster (p. 158). She must have been very young because the 30-year-old Forster “played” and “raved” with her (Forster's works, vol. 12, pp. 160, 161). Scheffler's marriage was sometimes viewed critically (p. 178).
  29. ↑ According to Forster's letters, Scheffler was already married on November 1, 1785, but still lived with Forster on October 13, 17784
  30. ^ The learned Teutschland or Lexicon of the German writers now living. Starting with Georg Christoph Hamberger, continued by Johann Georg Meusel. 7th volume (S). 5., quite increased u. improved edition. Meyersche Buchhandlung: Lemgo 1798. [Reprograf. Reprint d. 5th ed. Lemgo 1798-1834]. Olms: Hildesheim 19XX-
  31. ^ Johann Georg Forster's correspondence. Edited by Therese Huber. Vol. 1-2. Brockhaus: Leipzig 1829. Vol. 1. S. 460-465: Forster's letter to his father (November 22, 1784) 10
  32. ^ Georg Forster: Works. Vol. 14: Letters 1784-June 1787. Akademie-Verlag: Berlin 1978, letter to Samuel Thomas Sömmering, p. 112.
  33. ↑ Chairman of the "Education Commission" (The great Ploetz, 33rd edition (2002), p. 1063.).
  34. ^ Siemion, Ignacy Z .: Piotr Ernest Jan Scheffler, XVIII-wieczny gdaṅsko-warszawski przyrodnik i expert górniczy , p. 148.
  35. ^ Siemion, Ignacy Z .: Piotr Ernest Jan Scheffler, XVIII-wieczny gdaṅsko-warszawski przyrodnik i expert górniczy , p. 150
  36. ^ Letter from Chief Postmaster Zimmermann to Georg Forster dated August 20, 1788 ( G. Forster's Briefwechsel, Vol. 1 , Leipzig 1829. pp. 696–700)
  37. ↑ Ambiguous term. "Up to the 18th century [designation] of various directions in the field of Freemasonry" (Brockhaus Enzyklopädie, 19th edition, Volume 18, p. 563 (1992))
  38. ^ Siemion, Ignacy Z .: Piotr Ernest Jan Scheffler, XVIII-wieczny gdaṅsko-warszawski przyrodnik i expert górniczy, p. 149.
  39. ↑ Karaskiewicz, Katarzyna: Prymas Michał Poniatowski a wolnomularstwo: Zarys problematyki. ("Primate Michał Poniatowski and Freemasonry. Overview of the Problems".). Ars regia 11/18 (2008/2009), pp. 147-156.
  40. ^ Poggendorf, Johann C .: Biographical-literary concise dictionary. Vol. 1-2. 1st ed. 1863, Vol. 2 (MZ), Col. 780-781
  41. ↑ Reyger, Gottfried: Tentamen florae Gedanensis methodo sexuali adcommodatae . Wedel: Danzig 1764. Digital copy: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/23365#page/1/mode/1up
  42. ↑ Gottfried Reyger: Tentamen Florae Gedanensis 1766, Volume 2, P. 132 (Inula helenium): 3
  43. ↑ Gottfried Reyger: Tentamen Florae Gedanensis 1766, Volume 2, p. 112 (Geranium pratense): 4
  44. ↑ The [!] Plants growing wild around Danzig, classified according to their genitals, and described by Gottfried Reyger. Wedel: Danzig 1768.
  45. ↑ See pp . 289, 239.
  46. ^ Forster, Johann Reinhold u. Forster, Georg: Characteres Generum Plantarum. 1772-1775, p.46 : "Medicus et Botanicus Gedanense, Naturae indefesso studio praeclarus, qui plures novas, Florae Gedanensi a REYGERO editae plantas inseruit."
  47. ↑ Helmut Genaust: Etymological dictionary of botanical plant names. 3rd, completely revised and expanded edition. Nikol, Hamburg 2005, ISBN 3-937872-16-7 (reprint from 1996).
  48. ↑ Lotte Burkhardt: Directory of eponymous plant names - Extended Edition. Part I and II. Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin 2018, ISBN 978-3-946292-26-5 doi: 10.3372 / epolist2018.
  49. ↑ Digitized: Volume 1: https://reader.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/fs1/object/display/bsb10732713_00003.html , Volume 2: https://reader.digitale-sammlungen.de//resolve/display/ bsb10732714.html .
  50. ↑ Digitized: Volume 1: http://diglib.uibk.ac.at/ulbtirol/periodical/pageview/235532 , Volume 2: http://diglib.uibk.ac.at/ulbtirol/periodical/pageview/285016
  51. ↑ digitized version of Vol. 7: https://goobi.tib.eu/viewer/image/1679983385/6/
  52. ^ German Biographical Index. Edited by Axel Frey et al. Willi Gorzny. 2., accumulated u. exp. Ed., Vol. 7. Saur: Munich 1998.
  53. ↑ * DBA, entry on Scheffler : From Fiche 399 only lines 1–2 refer to Scheffler , lines 3–33 to Schlegel (!)
    Fiche 400 a . 401 all refer to Schlegel (!)
    From Fiche 402 , lines 1–8 refer to Schlegel (!), Lines 9–15 to Scheffler .
    * DBA, entry Schlegel : From Fiche 333 , lines 1–8 refer to Schlegel, lines 9–21 to Scheffler (!)
  54. ↑ http://d-nb.info/gnd/117749001 >
  55. ^ Poggendorf, Johann C .: Biographical-literary concise dictionary. Vol. 1-2. 1st ed. 1863, Vol. 2 (MZ), Col. 780-781.
  56. ^ Digitized version of the manuscript B1
  57. ^ Digitized version of the manuscript B2
personal data
SURNAME Scheffler, Johann Peter Ernst von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Scheffler, Jan Piotr Ernest
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German doctor and mineralogist
DATE OF BIRTH September 23, 1739
PLACE OF BIRTH Danzig
DATE OF DEATH around 1809
Place of death Warsaw