Wilhelm Christian Orphal

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wilhelm Christian Orphal (born October 5, 1773 in Zella ; † October 6, 1823 in Ohrdruf ) was a German lawyer who was known as an author of natural and forest science works.

Life

Wilhelm Christian Orphal came from a family naturalized in Waltershausen (Saxony-Gotha) and was born on October 5, 1773 in Zella St. Blasii, where his father held the post of ducal official commissioner.

After receiving his preparatory training at the grammar school in Gotha, he studied law in Jena , but also devoted himself to the natural sciences, to which the influence and role model of Johann Matthäus Bechstein, who lived in Schnepfenthal and Waltershausen from 1784 to 1801 , had inspired . After returning from the university, he first settled in Zella as a court lawyer , married there and moved to Ohrdruf in 1803 , where he worked as a lawyer until his death.

He used the free time left over from his practice for writing in his favorite subject. One of the first, the ornithological handbook for foresters and gardeners, or the natural history of all insects devouring birds in Germany (1805), won him the award of being a member of the Societät für Forst- und Jagdkunde in Drei 30acker near Meiningen and a gift of honor from the Duke August of Saxe-Gotha .

In addition to a few smaller writings and several articles in the Allgemeine Anzeiger der Deutschen he published a. a .:

  • The weather prophets in the animal kingdom, or sampling of all animals which indicate a change in weather. 1805
  • The hunter school, or brief but thorough instruction in all major, auxiliary and minor sciences, in which the hunter must be proficient according to the requirements of the present time. 3 volumes, 1806–1808
  • Examination of all animals in Germany hitherto rightly or wrongly considered poisonous. 1807
  • The philosopher in the forest, or frank investigations into the soul forces of the so-called unreasonable animals. 1807
  • Instructions to get different species of birds used to nesting in the room. 1807
  • The most useful, most interesting and indispensable from the vast field of natural history. 1st ribbon, 1808
  • Are animals merely sensual creatures, or are they also endowed with faculties which presuppose a soul in them? 1811

Orphal died in Ohrdruf on October 6, 1823, one day after his 50th birthday.

literature

personal data
SURNAME Orphal, Wilhelm Christian
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German lawyer and author of natural and forest science works
DATE OF BIRTH October 5, 1773
PLACE OF BIRTH Zella
DATE OF DEATH October 6, 1823
Place of death Ohrdruf