Karl Kroemer

Karl Kroemer (born September 25, 1871 in Leobschütz ( Silesia ), † November 26, 1956 in Wipperfürth ) was a German viticulture scientist . For more than thirty years he headed the plant physiological research station at the teaching and research institute for viticulture, fruit growing and horticulture in Geisenheim .

Life path

Karl Kroemer attended a humanistic grammar school and studied pharmacy and botany at the University of Breslau from 1895 and at the University of Marburg from 1897 . There he was in 1902 with an award-winning thesis on the anatomy of plant roots to Dr. phil. PhD. In the same year he got a job as a research assistant at the teaching and research institute for viticulture, fruit growing and horticulture in Geisenheim . In 1903 he was appointed as the successor to Julius Wortmann as professor and head of the plant physiological research station. He headed this station until 1935.

Research and Teaching

Kroemer's research focus in Geisenheim was viticulture . As early as 1904, he founded a scientific department for vine grafting at his research station . Here he carried out basic research and initially examined the intergrowth processes involved in grafting the vines. As a result of his initiative, "cut vine gardens" were laid out in Germany and placed under the control of the Prussian vine refinement commission. He summarized the most important results of this experimental activity in the book " Das Staatliche Rebenveredlungswesen in Preußen ", published in 1918 .

Kroemer recognized at an early stage the practical value of scientifically based grapevine research and promoted the establishment of variety testing centers. As a wine microbiologist , he became known for his work on the fermentation yeast found in sulphurized musts and the yeast flora in Trockenbeerenauslese .

The list of publications Krömers approx includes 275 publications, including several books . One of the most important book publications is " Die Rebe. Ihr Bau und ihr Leben " (1923). His instructions on professional fruit and berry vinification (1932), which he worked out together with Gottfried Krumbholz, are considered a noteworthy specialist book. Kroemer published numerous articles in the "Geisenheim Annual Reports on Viticulture and Wine Fermentation". He made a name for himself as a root researcher with two extensive treatises (1918) on the root growth of the vine and on the root development of vegetables.

At the Geisenheim teaching and research institute, Kroemer gave lectures on general and special botany , plant geography and fermentation science . He also carried out botanical and microbiological internships .

Main publications

• Periodontal membrane, hypodermis and endodermis of the angiosperm root . Diss. Phil. Univ. Marburg 1902. - Zugl .: Bibliotheca Botanica Vol. 59, 1903.
• Investigations into the root growth of the vine . In: Landwirtschaftliche Jahrbücher Vol. 51, 1918, pp. 673–729.
• Observations on the root development of the vegetable plants . In: Landwirtschaftliche Jahrbücher Vol. 51, 1918, pp. 731–745.
• The state vine grafting system in Prussia . Verlag Paul Parey Berlin 1918. - Zugl .: Landwirtschaftliche Jahrbücher Vol. 51, 2nd supplementary volume.
• The vine. Your construction and your life . Publishing house Paul Parey Berlin 1923.
• Julius Neßler: The preparation, care and examination of wine , 9th edition. Revised by K. von der Heide and K. Kroemer. Publisher Eugen Ulmer Stuttgart 1930.
• Karl Kroemer and Heinrich Moog: The vine grafting. An introduction to grafting and its basics . Paul Parey Berlin 1932.
• Karl Kroemer and Gottfried Krumbholz: fruit and berry wines. Specialist book on commercial fruit and berry vinification . Publishing house Serger & Hempel Braunschweig 1932.

literature

• Hugo Schanderl : Professor Dr. Karl Kroemer in memory . In: Die Gartenbauwissenschaft Vol. 21 (3), 1956, pp. 261–264.
• Gerhard Troost : Dr. phil. Karl Kroemer . In: Personalities to whom Geisenheim was and became home. Edited by Paul Claus = Contributions to the culture and history of the city of Geisenheim Vol. 2, Eltville / Rheingau 1992, pp. 41–42 (with picture and selected list of publications)