Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
| Online Publication Date: 04 Apr 2013
Grigory (Gotthelf) Fischer Von Waldheim (1771-1853): Author of the First Scientific Works on Russian Geology and Palæontology
Grigory (Gotthelf) Fischer Von Waldheim (1771-1853): Author of the First Scientific Works on Russian Geology and Palæontology
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Sometimes called the 'Russian Cuvier', Grigory Fischer von Waldheim was born in 1771 in Waldheim near Freiberg in Saxony and graduated in 1792 from the Freiberg Mining Academy, where he studied under Werner and became friends with von Buch and von Humboldt. In Paris, he studied under Cuvier and the two became friends. In Russia, Fischer became Director of the Moscow University Natural History Museum (1804-1832), founder of the Moscow Society of Naturalists at Moscow University (1805), Corresponding Member (1805) and Honorary Member (1819) of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, and Professor (later President) of the Moscow Medical-Surgical Academy (1837), where he established its Natural History Museum. He gave systematic descriptions of materials in the Paris National Natural History Museum (1802-1803) and Moscow University's Natural History Museum (1805-1806). Using binomial nomenclature, he published the first scientific descriptions of the fossil fauna of Russia (1809) and the first descriptions of the fossil flora from around Moscow (1826) and the southwestern Urals (1840). He also wrote the first Russian monograph on geology and palaeontology (Oryctography of the Province of Moscow, 1830-1837). In effect, he founded palaeontology in Russia. His achievements were recognized during his lifetime and are remembered today in Germany and Russia, but are rather little known in the Anglophone world.
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Fischer von Waldheim, G. 1850. An den Ausschuss des Wernerfestes in Freiberg. In: Dem Ausschusse des Werner-Festes zur Feier des hundertjährigen Geburtstags Abraham Gottlob Werner's am 25sten September 1850, 4-5. Moscow: University Press.
Fischer G. 1798. J. Ingenhousz. Über die Ernährung der Pflanzen, und die Fruchtbarkeit des Bodens. Aus dem Englischen übersetzt mit Anmerkungen vers. von Gotthelf Fischer; Nebst einer Einleitung über einige Gegenstände der Pflanzenphysiologie von F. A. v. Humboldt. Leipzig: Schäfer.
Fischer, G. 1802-1803. Das Nationalmuseum der Naturgeschichte zu Paris. Von seinem Ursprunge bis zu seinem jetzigen Glanze. 2 vols. Frankfurt am Main: Friedrich Esslinger.
Fischer, G. 1806a. Addition au mémoire de Mr. Dr. John sur la turquoise orientale. Mémoires de la Société des Naturalistes, Moscou 1: 179-182.
Fischer, G. 1806b. Muséum d'histoire naturelle de l'Université Impériale de Moscou. Mis en ordre et descrit. Vol. 1. Contenant les mammifères. Moscow: Schildbach.
Fischer, G. 1806c. Museum Demidoff. Vol. 1. Catalogue systématique des livres de la bibliothèque de Paul Démidoff. Moscow: Schildbach.
Fischer, G. 1806d. Museum Demidoff. Mis en ordre systématique et décrit. Vol. 2. Minéraux et pétrifications. Moscow: Typis Universitatis Caesareae.
Fischer G. 1806e. Notice sur la thallite d'Ekathérinebourg. Mémoires de la Société des Naturalistes, Moscou 1: 257-259.
Fischer G. 1806f. Notice sur la vraie cristallisation de la sibérité. Mémoires de la Société des Naturalistes, Moscou 1: 253-256.
Fischer, G. 1807. Museum Demidoff: Catalogue systématique et raisonné des curiosités de la nature et de l'art. Données à l'Université Impériale de Moscou. Vol. 3. Végétaux et animaux. Moscow, University Press.
Fischer, G. 1808. Notice d'un animal fossile de Sibérie inconnu aux naturalistes (l'Elasmotherium de Sibérie) In: Programme d'invitation à la Séance publique de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes. Moscow, 5-28.
Fischer, G. 1809. Lettre à S. E. M. le comte Alexandre de Stroganoff sur le Trogonthérium, animal fossile et inconnu, de son cabinet. Moscow: University Press.
Fischer, G. 1809. Recherches sur les coquiles fossiles dites Terebratules. Notice des fossiles du gouvernement de Moscou 1: 1-36.
Fischer, G. 1811a. Onomasticon du système d'oryctognosie. Moscow: University Press.
Fischer, G. 1811b. Recherches sur les encrinites, les polycères et les ombellulaires Moscou. Notice des fossiles du gouvernement de Moscou. Vol. 3. Moscow: University Press.
Fischer G. 1812. Notice sur la ratofkite, nouvelle substance de chaux phosphatofluatée du gouvernement de Moscou. Mémoires de la Société des Naturalistes, Moscou 3: 303-310.
Fischer G. 1815. Onomasticon sistematis orictognosie. In usum lectionum. Moscow: University Press.
Fischer, G. 1818-1820. Oryctognosy. 2 vols. Moscow: Academy of Medicine and Surgery (in Russian).
Fischer, G. 1824. Museum historiae naturalis Universitatis Caesareae Mosquensis. Pars 3. Mineralia. Petrefacta. Artefacta. Moscow: University Press.
Fischer, G. 1826. Notice sur les végétaux fossiles du gouvernement de Moscou. Moscow: A. Semen.
Fischer, G. 1829. Prodromus petromatognosiae animalium systematicae continens. Bibliographiam animalium, fossilium. Notae bibliographicae in petromatognosiam sive cognitionem animalium fossilium. Nouvaux mémoires de la Société des Naturalistes de Moscou. 1: 301-374.
Fischer de Waldheim, G. 1833. Projet d'un Musée National, proposé aux membres de la Sociéte Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou. Bulletin de la Société des Naturalistes de Moscou 6: 10-18.
Fischer von Waldheim, G. 1834a. Bibliographia palaeontologica animalium systematica. Moscow: Typis Universitatis Caesareae.
Fischer von Waldheim, G. 1834b. Notice sur les fossiles etc. I. De l'origine des fossiles Bulletin de la Société des Naturalistes de Moscou 7: 255-266.
Fischer de Waldheim, G. 1830-1837. Oryctographie du gouvernement de Moscou. Moscow: Augusti Semen for the Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou.
Fischer de Waldheim, G. 1840. Notice sur quelques plantes fossiles de la Russie. Bulletin de la Société des Naturalistes de Moscou 13: 234-240.
Fischer de Waldheim G. 1841. Lettre à monsieur Rodérick Impey Murchison sur le Rhopalodon, genre de saurian fossile du versant occidental de l'Ural. Moscow: Imperial University (in Russian).
Fischer von Waldheim, G. 1820-1851. Entomographia imperii rossici: genera insectorum systematice exposita et analysi iconographica instructa. 5 vols. Moscow: Augusti Semen.
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