Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
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Online Publication Date: 04 Apr 2013

Grigory (Gotthelf) Fischer Von Waldheim (1771-1853): Author of the First Scientific Works on Russian Geology and Palæontology

Page Range: 102 – 120
DOI: 10.17704/eshi.32.1.n68416x30q1l4916
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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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Bessudnova, Z. A. 2002. Evolution of the views of G. I. Fischer von Waldheim on the classification of minerals in the museum catalogues of 1806, 1811, 1824. In: Mineralogical Museums, 34-35. St Petersburg: NIIZK SPbSU (in Russian).

Bessudnova, Z. A. 2004. G. I. Fischer von Waldheim: Director of the Natural History Museum of IMU. In: Tombstones of the Vvedensky Acropolis, 15-21. Moscow: Volslov (in Russian).

Bessudnova, Z. A. 2006. Geological research in Moscow University Natural History Museum 1759-1930. Moscow: Nauka (in Russian).

Bessudnova, Z. A. 2011. Johann Gotthelf Fischer (1771-1853)—Director of the Moscow University Natural History Museum. In: Germans in Russia: Meetings at the Crossroads of Cultures, edited by D. Dalmann and G. Smagina, 294-310. St Petersburg: Rostok (in Russian).

Barsanov, G. P. 1953. Mineralogical museums of Russia in the XVIIIth and the beginning of the XIXth century. In: Essays on the History of Geological Knowledge, edited by Vladimir Tikhomirov, 205-218. Moscow: USSR Academy of Sciences (in Russian).

Blainville, H. M. D. de. 1822. Analyse des principaux travaux dans les sciences physiques, publiés dans l'année 1821. Journal de physique 94: v-lxxvii.

Büttner, J. W. E. 1956. Fischer von Waldheim: Leben und Wirken des Naturforschers Johann Gotthelf Fischer v. Waldheim (1771 bis 1853). Berlin: Akademie-Verlag.

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.

Fischer von Waldheim, A. G. 1855. A. G. Fischer. In: Biographical Dictionary of Professors and Teachers of Moscow University. Vol. 1, 530-535. Moscow: University Press. (in Russian).

Gümbel, W. 1878. Fischer von Waldheim Gotthelf in: Algemeine deutsche Biographie. 7: 84-85. Leipzig, Duncker & Humblot. (in German).

Heiman R. 1871. Reminiscences of the Late Founder of the Imperial Moscow Society of Naturalists, G. I. Fischer von Waldheim: A Speech Delivered on December 28, 1855, at the General Meeting of the Society, on the Occasion of its 50th anniversary. 2nd edn. Moscow: Society of Natural History, Moscow (in Russian).

Krishtophovich, A. N. et al. (eds). 1955. Geological Dictionary 2: 116. Moscow: State Scientific/Technical Publishing House (in Russian).

Murchison, R. I. 1841. Geological observations in Russia. Murchison's letter to G. Fischer von Waldheim. Translated by Koksharov. Mining Journal. 11-12: 160-169 (in Russian).

Mazarovich, A. N., Dobrov, S. A. and Menner, V. V. 1940. Geological sciences at Moscow University, 1755-1940. Proceedings of the Moscow State University 56: 25-44 (in Russian).

Naugolnykh, S. V. 2001. Permian fossil plants from the F. F. Wangenheim von Qualen Collection at the Vernadsky State Geological Museum. Vernadsky Museum-Novitates 6: 32 (in Russian).

Romanova, M. M. 1976. Die wissenschaftliche und organisatorische Tätigkeit Fischer von Waldheims in Russland. Zeitschrift für geologische Wissenschaften 4: 309-315 (in German).

Roullier C. 1855. G. I. Fischer von Waldheim. Biographichesky Slovar' Professorov i Prepodavateley Moskovskogo Universiteta (Biographical Dictionary of Professors and Teachers of Moscow University). Moscow, Vol. 1: 520-528 (in Russian).

Shchurovsky, G. E. 1871. Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim and his Contributions in Mineralogy, Geology and Paleontology: An Address Delivered on the Occasion of his Centenary (1771- 1871) at the Formal Meeting of the Imperial Moscow Society of Naturalists. Moscow: University Press (in Russian).

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Teichert, K.-H. 2008. Leben und Wirken des Naturforschers Prof. Dr. Fischer von Waldheim 1771-1853. Waldheimer Heimatblätter 25: 1-30 (in German).

Zaunick, R. 1961. Fischer von Waldheim Johann Gotthelf in: Neue deutsche Biographie 5: 212-213. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot (in German).

Zhegallo, V., Kalandadze, Shapovalov, N. A., Bessudnova, Z., Noskova, N. and Tesakova. E. 2005. On the fossil rhinoceros Elasmotherium (including the collections of the Russian Academy of Sciences). Cranium 1: 17-40 (in Russian).

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