Gottlieb von Koch

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Gottlieb von Koch
Born
Gottlieb Karl David von Koch

(1849-10-15)15 October 1849
Died21 November 1914(1914-11-21) (aged 65)
EducationTrade school in Hof, Bavaria, study of mechanical engineering and zoology at the Polytechnikum Nuremberg, study of ancient languages in Nuremberg and Hirschberg, studies in Heidelberg and Jena, medicine and natural sciences; doctorate in philosophy at Jena university, topic "Anatomie der Orgelkoralle Tubipora hemprichi" (the anatomy of organ coral t. hemprichi [1] ).
Known forJung-Koch-Quentell Wall Charts, Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt
Spouse(s)Elise von Koch, born Jäger
AwardsKnight's Cross I. class of the Order of Merits Philip the Magnanimous (Ritterkreuz I. Klasse des Verdienstordens Philipps des Großmütigen), Imperial Russian Order St. Stanislaus II. class (Kaiserlich Russischer St. Stanislausordens II. Klasse)

Gottlieb von Koch was a zoologist, painter, sculptor, and museum curator. He was involved in the construction of the Hessische Landesmuseum building opened in 1906 and was the scientific designer of Darmstadt's unique and internationally important zoological dioramas. [2] He is also known for his work on the Jung–Koch–Quentell educational wall charts.

Contents

Life

Born 15 October 1849 [3] in Hirschberg, Thuringia as son of a factory owner, [4] he was educated by private tutors and a school at Ebersdorf until 1864. [1] After attending a trade school in Hof, Bavaria from 18641866, he studied mechanical engineering and zoology at the Polytechnikum Nuremberg from 18671870. There he lived in the former house of engraver and botanist Jacob Sturm and was inspired to study biology by Sturm's natural history collections. [4]

After leaving the Polytechnikum in 1868, he studied ancient languages in Nuremberg and Hirschberg till 1869. [1]

From 1870 to 1872, he studied medicine and natural sciences in Heidelberg and Jena. He earned his doctorate in philosophy in Jena on 26 July 1872 with the topic "Anatomie der Orgelkoralle tubipora hemprichi" (the anatomy of organ coral t. hemprichi. [1] ) While at the university in Jena, he worked as assistant to Ernst Haeckel. [1] In 1873 he did scientific work in Naples and Messina, at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn. Anton Dohrn offered him an assistant position which he declined. [4] On 16 December 1874, he earned his Magister grade in Jena and habilitated there.

From 3 May 1875, [5] he was appointed inspector of the Natural History Cabinet in Darmstadt and began lectureship in zoology at the Polytechnikum Darmstadt. [6] After the Polytechnikum became the Technische Hochschule, he was appointed as professor on 18 October 1877. [7] In addition to his teaching positions, he became zoological curator of the Landesmuseum on 20.12.1890, which succeeded the Natural history Cabinet.

During his Darmstadt years, he visited the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (1891 Description of Cereopsis studeri Koch [8] ) again, visited artist and museums, and worked in sculptor Adolf von Hildebrand's atelier in Florence, visiting Carrara to select marble for his own works. [4]

Starting in 1892, he published a series of educational wall charts, [9] together with teacher Heinrich Jung and Dr Friedrich Quentell.

He was involved in planning the Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, which opened in 1906 and resigned from his teaching duties in 1905.

Gottlieb von Koch died 1914, Alsbach, Germany.

The bird species Mindanao cuckooshrike (Coracina striata kochi) and Whiskered Pitta (Erythropitta kochi) are named after von Koch.

Publications (incomplete)

1869 Ornithologische Notizen aus dem Jahre 1869 (ornithological notes of the year 1869) [10]

1871 Synopsis der Vögel Deutschlands : kurze Beschreibung aller in Deutschland vorkommenden Arten (Synopsis of Germany's birds : short description of all species present in Germany).

Briefliches von den Moorweihern bei Erlangen (Letters from the moor ponds near Erlangen) [11]

Die Stellungen der Vögel : für Präparatoren, Ausstopfer und Freunde der Vögel (The poses of birds : for taxidermists and friends)

1873 Bemerkungen über das Halten von niederen Seethieren (Remarks on the keeping of lower sea animals) [12]

1874 Grundriss der Zoologie (Basics of zoology) [13]

1877 Mittheilungen über Cölenteraten (Notes on coelenterates). [14]

1878 Aufstellung der Spirituspräparate (Presentation of spirit preparations) [15]

1880 Beschreibung eines Apparats zur Entfettung von Knochen (Description of an apparatus for the de-greasing of bones) [16]

1882 Über die Entwicklung des Kalkskeletts von Asteroides calycularis (On the development of the calcareous skeleton of Asteroides calycularis) [17]

Anatomie der Clavularia prolifera n. sp. nebst einigen vergleichenden Bemerkungen (Anatomy of Clavularia prolifera n. sp. with some comparing remarks) [18]

1884 Verfahren um Cement für stereochromatische Bemalung tauglich zu machen (Process to make cement suitable for stereochromatic painting); imperial patent nr 29670.

1886 Untersuchung über das Wachsthum von Antipathes (Study on the growth of Antipathes) [19]

1887 Die Gorgoniden des Golfes von Neapel und der angrenzenden Meeresabschnitte (The gorgonides of the Gulf of Naples and adjacent sea sections).

1888 Über Flabellum (On Flabellum) [20]

1890 Über Krügeners Taschenbuch-Camera (On Krügener's pocket book camera) [21]

1892 Über naturgeschichtliche Sammlungen (On natural history collections) [22]

Personal life

In summer 1879, Gottlieb von Koch married his wife Elise [23] . As the marriage remained child-less, the couple opened up their house for children of the neighborhood to let them play there. [4] He published several books with children's stories and songs. [24] [25] In 1909, he founded an association for the "performance of von Koch's children's games"(Verein zur Ausführung der G. v. Koch'schen Kinderspiele). [26]

He bequeathed his house to the city of Darmstadt under the condition it would be used for child care. As of 2025, the house is used by the communal Day Care Center Koch'sches Haus. [3]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Anatomie der Orgelkoralle, Dissertation
  2. Köhler, Jörn; Hita Garcia, Francisco (2018), Beck, Lothar A. (ed.), "DARMSTADT: The Zoological Collections of the Hessische Landesmuseum Darmstadt", Zoological Collections of Germany, Cham: Springer International Publishing, p. 237, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-44321-8_20, ISBN   978-3-319-44319-5 , retrieved 2025-01-04
  3. 1 2 Darmstadt Stadtlexikon
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Dr Georg Scheer, Gottlieb von Koch, Museumsleiter, Naturwissenschaftler und Kinderfreund
  5. Großherzoglich-Hessisches Regierungsblatt 1875, p 319
  6. Arcinsys Serial case file von Koch, Gottlieb
  7. Großherzoglich-Hessisches Regierungsblatt. 1877 p 373 }
  8. Rediscovery of Cereopsis studeri Koch, 1891, a forgotten Mediterranean soft coral species, and its inclusion in the genus Nidalia Gray, 1835 (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea, Nidaliidae)
  9. Database of scientific illustrators, Gottlieb von Koch
  10. Journal für Ornithologie. 18. 1870 = Folge 3, Bd. 1, p 393
  11. Journal für Ornithologie. 20. 1872 = Folge 3, Bd. 3, p 138 (https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb11047122?q=%28%22Gottlieb+von+Koch%22%29&page=150,151]
  12. Der Zoologische Garten, November 1873, p 401; description of an apparatus to aerate water for transporting of lower sea animals
  13. Jenaer Literaturzeitung. 1. 1874 ; Verzeichniss, 1874
  14. Jenaische Zeitschrift für Naturwissenschaft – NF_4: 375 - 381.
  15. Zoologischer Anzeiger – 1: 154 - 155.
  16. Zoologischer Anzeiger Jahrgang 1880, p 595
  17. Stazione Zoologica di Napoli: Mitteilungen aus der Zoologischen Station zu Neapel. 6. 1886
  18. Gegenbaurs Morphologisches Jahrbuch - Eine Zeitschrift für Anatomie und Entwicklungsgeschichte – 7: 467 - 487.
  19. Festschrift zu der Jubelfeier des fünfzigjährigen Bestehens der Grossherzoglichen Technischen Hochschule zu Darmstadt, p 63 - 69
  20. Morphologisches Jahrbuch. 14. 1888
  21. Versammlung Deutscher Naturforscher und Ärzte: Tageblatt der ... Versammlung Deutscher Naturforscher und Ärzte. 62. 1889. 18. - 23. Sept. in Heidelberg. - 1890
  22. Verlag Arnold Bergsträsser, 1892
  23. Engagement 14 March 1879, Darmstädter Tagblatt 22.3.1879, p 523, ; mention of marriage 9 July 1879, Darmstädter Tagblatt, 9.7.1879, p 1268
  24. Kinderspiele / von Gottlieb von Koch ; mit einem Nachwort der Verfassers für Eltern und Freunde der Kinder, Nürnberg, Stroefer 1897
  25. Das Buch der Fabeln / zsgest. C. H. Kleukens. Eingel. von Otto Crusius , Leipzig, Inselverlag, 1913, p 182
  26. Gottlieb von Koch, Naturwissenschaftler, Inspektor der Zoologischen Abteilung des Museums von 1875-1914, Künstler und Kinderfreund, und der Darmstädter Jugendstil : Sonderausstellung in der Zoologische Schausammlung vom 22.10.1976-30.1.1977 : [Führer]