The Life and Activities of Professor Gottfried Albrecht Germann, the First Natural History Professor at the University of Tartu
The Life and Activities of Professor Gottfried Albrecht Germann, the First Natural History Professor at the University of Tartu

Summary/Abstract: The article analyses the life and work of Gottfried Albrecht Germann (1773–1809), the first professor of natural history in general and botany in particular at the University of Tartu after its reopening in 1802. He was born in Riga in 1773. After graduating from the local Cathedral School, he went on to the University of Jena. Next, he studied at the universities of Würzburg, Berlin and Kiel. At the latter institution, he also defended his doctoral dissertation. After return from Germany, Germann worked as a medical doctor with Count Jacob Johann Sievers, whose home manor was at Bauņi, Livonia. While in Sievers’ employ, he resided in St. Petersburg, Bauņi and Valmiera, and accompanied the former on his trips. On 24 February 1802, Germann was selected to serve at the University of Tartu. His main occupation was teaching, but he also bore the burden of founding the Chair of Natural History and the Botanical Garden. At the University, Germann lectured general natural history and various narrower specialities for 12–16 hours per week. In addition, he took an active part in the life of the University and in the diverse activities of the professors. While at the University, Germann also undertook several trips. These covered the provinces of Estonia and Livonia and the Finnish part of Russia. Germann’s research involved ornithology and botany. In addition, he compiled catalogues of botanical garden collections. He died young, yet was able to leave an altogether meritorious mark as a teacher of the University of Tartu with his work and activities.

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