State agency for the preservation of natural monuments in Prussia

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Seal of the State Agency for the Preservation of Natural Monuments in Prussia

The State Agency for the Preservation of Natural Monuments in Prussia was the earliest nature conservation authority in Prussia . The institution founded in 1906 with its seat in Danzig - with Hugo Conwentz as State Commissioner - had the task of ascertaining, researching and continuously observing the Prussian natural monuments , endangered animal and plant species and parts of the landscape worth preserving. She discussed the measures suitable for protection and gave the bodies involved suggestions for proper maintenance. A particular concern of the authority was the promotion of nature conservation. In 1936 this government agency handed over its task to the Reich.

history

The creation of the first Prussian nature conservation authority goes back to a memorandum by the museum director Conwentz, which he published in 1904 after a comprehensive analysis of the natural damage caused by industry, agriculture and population growth. In 1911 the authority moved to Berlin-Schöneberg . The Prussian minister of education, as the employer of the new authority, passed laws on the aims and principles of this position. In particular, it said: "... that commissions for the preservation of natural monuments are to be created in all provinces and districts of Prussia, which are to be headed by the presidents of the provincial governments or the district administrators." In 1922, twelve provincial and ten district commissions were created. One of the visible activities was an extensive publication of writings. Conwentz also attended the first international conferences for nature and landscape protection , for example in Paris in 1909. After his death in 1922 Walther Schoenichen became the new head of the position, Franz Moewes became the editor-in-chief of the official magazine (see below). On April 1, 1923, the Study Group for Scientific Local Studies was incorporated into this position. The agency maintained contact with the nature conservation associations and organized the German Nature Conservation Day from 1925 onwards. Because of the uncertain property issues, no nature conservation law was passed in Prussia.

In 1934/35 the new Reich Forestry Office was given competencies in nature conservation by Göring , here the teacher Hans Klose took over a lecture in 1935 to work out a Reich Nature Conservation Act . Göring had the Reich Ministry of Culture (by phone call) transferred responsibility to him and set up a Reich Agency for Nature Conservation , the management of which remained with Schoenichen until 1938 (after the fall of State Secretary von Keudell ), which was formally transferred to Klose. In the Reich Forestry Office, the Berlin zoo director Lutz Heck was put in front of him, who ensured the priority of economic use under the sign of armaments.

By 1927, the Brandenburg Provincial Commission for the Preservation of Natural Monuments had also taken care of the imperial capital Berlin. However, since this city got bigger and bigger problems due to the formation of Greater Berlin , the rapid population growth and the advancing industrialization, a separate commission for Berlin had to be created. The magistrate of Berlin decided on 23 March 1927, the formation of a separate urban site which was officially founded on February 7 1928th The first chairman was the city counsel Friedrich CA Lange (SPD), the city councilor and mayor a. D. Buhrow was his deputy. Members of the Berlin Commission were representatives of public bodies and people from organizations interested in nature conservation. It was also a standing committee of the deputation for arts and education in the magistrate. Max Hilzheimer , who was head of department at the Märkisches Museum at the time, was appointed managing director . It was thanks to the work of the Berlin Agency for Natural Monument Preservation that scenic and botanically valuable areas such as the Grunewaldmoore , the Pfaueninsel , the Groß-Lichterfelde Castle Park, the Krumme Lake near Rahnsdorf , the tufa area around Lake Tegel and the area around the Lazy seas were adequately taken into account in the city expansion plans. For a better presentation of the work and good proximity to the citizen, the magistrate set up information points in the administrative districts of Kreuzberg , Charlottenburg , Spandau , Wilmersdorf , Schöneberg , Steglitz , Tempelhof , Neukölln , Treptow , Köpenick , Weißensee , Pankow , Zehlendorf and Reinickendorf .

After the takeover of the Nazi regime Berlin's Commission on April 1, 1936, other institutions of the Reich Agency for Nature Conservation assumed in the Reich Forestry Office. Soon afterwards, all nature conservation agencies had to stop their work, and with it the Berlin commission. Hilzheimer lost his German citizenship and all offices because of Jewish ancestors.

Publications

  • The newsletter for natural monument preservation , which appeared monthly as a supplement to the journal Der Naturforscher in Berlin-Lichterfelde , was the organ of the state agency for natural monument preservation about new laws and ordinances.
  • Conservation (monthly)
  • Contributions to the preservation of natural monuments (published in loose series)
  • Home Education Handbook (Berlin 1924)
  • Paths to nature conservation (Breslau 1926)
  • Conservation calendar

literature

  • Handbook on the Prussian State , published by the Prussian State Ministry for 1931, Berlin 1931, p. 239
  • Michael Wettengel : State and Nature Conservation 1906 - 1945. On the history of the State Agency for the Preservation of Natural Monuments in Prussia and the Reich Agency for Nature Conservation. In: Historische Zeitschrift, Volume 257, 1993, pp. 355-399.
  • Andreas Knaut: The beginnings of state nature protection: The early governmental organization of nature and landscape protection in Prussia, Bavaria and Württemberg , in: History and Society , special issue, Vol. 15, environmental history. Environmentally compatible economic activity in a historical perspective (1994), pp. 143–162.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c Hainer Weißpflug: First Berlin Nature Conservation Commission. In: Berlin Calendar 1998 , Verlag Haude and Spener / Edition Luisenstadt, 1998, p. 46/47, ISBN 3-7759-0417-4 .
  2. ↑ Michael Wettengel: State and Nature Conservation 1906 - 1945: On the history of the State Agency for the Preservation of Natural Monuments in Prussia and the Reich Agency for Nature Conservation . In: Historical magazine . No. 257 , 1993, pp. 355–399 ( uni-tuebingen.de [accessed April 27, 2020]).