Julius von Haast

Sir Johann Franz Julius von Haast, KCMG, ( born May 1, 1822 in Bonn, † August 16 1887 in Christchurch, New Zealand ) was a German geologist, naturalist and professor of the Department of Geology at Canterbury College in New Zealand, who later became a British citizen accepted. Julius Haast was in the English-speaking world under the name of John Francis Julius von Haast known. [Note 1]

Life and work

Youth and Education

Julius Haast was born on 1 May 1822 son of Mr and Mrs Anna Eva Theodora Ruth and the merchant Mathias Haast in Bonn. The family was said to be wealthy. Haast grew up with eight siblings, was raised Catholic and received his education until 1838 in Bonn and then in Cologne, outgoing. His grammar school was described as mediocre. Already at school age, he is said to have already interested in geology and collected minerals.

To begin a two -year apprenticeship, he returned to Bonn. In his book, Julius Haast in the Southern Alps suspected the author Colin James Burrows that Haast began training towards mining and simultaneously attended some lectures in geology at the University of Bonn. Haast is, without having been enrolled, have visited some geological College with Professor Johann Jacob Noeggerath and have come with Ernst Heinrich Carl von Dechen in contact, a professor of Mining Engineering, who came in 1841 to Bonn and took over as chief mining the Mining Office in Bonn. How intense was Haasts interest in the study of his time, is not known; a degree from the university, he did not get anyway.

Germany

1841 moved Haast, urged by his father, to Verviers in Belgium, where he was a member of the Masonic Lodge 1842 Philadelphia, a Masonic lodge of the Grand Orient of Belgium on May 11. In 1844 he returned to Germany and settled in Frankfurt am Main. There he earned in the years to 1852, his livelihood as a flower seller, negotiated with textiles, worked as a transport contractor and most recently as a bookseller in the Jügel'schen bookstore in Frankfurt.

Artistically gifted, he took in Frankfurt vocal and violin lessons and got about contact with the appropriate company. In this, he learned very likely also Antonia Schmidt know who came from a musical family. On October 26, 1846, both were married in Frankfurt. Just over a year later, on January 10, 1848 her only child and son Robert was born.

From 1852 to Haast have been traveling and have earned from door-to -door selling his living as a peddler. During this time he traveled around in the countries Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and also in Russia. The reasons for and the circumstances of his travels are not known. In England Haast must have been. 1857 to Haast in any case on a translation of the book New Zealand, the "Britain Of The South ," according to Langner have been involved With A Chapter On The Native War And Our Future Native Policy of Charles Hurst House. But to what extent Haast had been involved in the translation, which was published by the London shipping company Willis Gann & Co, is not clear at present. Haast 1858 but was then hired by Willis Gann & Co with a mission to travel to New Zealand and to prepare a report on the suitability of the British colony of German immigrants.

New Zealand

On December 21, 1858 Julius Haast reached via the port of Auckland, the North Island of New Zealand. It is not known why Haast not took his family to New Zealand. But after his wife Antonia died on 14 October 1859, his son was taken from the in-laws and Haast remained in New Zealand.

Shortly after his arrival in New Zealand Haast met on Ferdinand von Hochstetter, an Austrian geologist and naturalist. Haast accompanied Hochstetter around on his geological expeditions to the Drury coal field, for Aucklandfeld to the gold fields of the Coromandel Peninsula, the copper fields of the Great Barrier Island and Kawau and the area around Nelson. So could Haast, having to accept without a responsible tasks, learn from Hochstetter and make his own experiences through independent observations. The collaboration lasted until Hochstetters departure in October 1859. Despite their separation, they shared a lifelong friendship. Haast remained in New Zealand, although his report to his client Willis Gann & Co had not been positive about New Zealand. In the report, he complained about the weak financial situation of the colony, and problems with the Maori, who spoke from his perspective against a successful immigration of German settlers. Despite his lack of qualifications as a trained geologist commissioned him the provincial government of Nelson and acquired in February 1861, the Provincial Government of Canterbury with further geological investigations in the South Island, because during the joint research with Hochstetter to Haast had an extensive geological knowledge and ways of working that took him to departure Hochstetters offset in the position to independently continue working. His research findings, he quickly made a name for himself and became the first recognized professional scientists in New Zealand. His glaciological research in the Southern Alps continued the Austrian naturalist Robert of Lendenfeld.

1861 settled in Haast Christchurch and was in the same year since New Zealand was still a British colony, a British citizen. He also began this year already put together a small museum collection, which took place in a room of the provincial government building. On July 24, 1862, founded on his initiative, the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, whose first president he was. The Institute supported his idea to establish a museum.

25 June 1863 married Haast Mary Dobson, daughter of Edward Dobson, an engineer of the province of Canterbury. From this marriage four sons and one daughter were born. Edward Dobson was a founding member of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, to build their president and supporter of the idea of ​​a geological museum in Christchurch later.

In 1863, Haast Canterbury Museum. In December 1867 the first time its geological and archaeological collection was summarized and presented in the building of the provincial government to the public. Quickly found more supporters to build a museum building. Haasts collection included at this time already 7887 exhibits. In 1868 he was elected director of the Canterbury Museum initiated by him. Just two years later, the new building was opened with his collection.

1871 founded Haast together with Bishop H.J.C. Harper Canterbury Collegiate Union in advancing the establishment of the Canterbury College in 1873. Haast has taught at the college geology and paleontology, was appointed in 1876 as professor of geology and retained the professorship at the college until his death. In 1879 he became a member of the Senate of the University of New Zealand.

Over the years his work in New Zealand Julius Haast has received numerous honors and awards at home and abroad. In 1885, two years before his sudden death, he was awarded for his services by the Queen with the Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George ( KCMG ). Julius von Haast died aged 65 in the early morning of 16 August 1887 of heart disease.

Awards and Memberships

Works

• John Francis Julius von Haast, Nelson Provincial government (ed.): Report of a topographical and geological exploration of the western districts of the Nelson Province. Nelson, 1861.
• John Francis Julius von Haast, Johann Franz Julius von Haast (ed.): On the Southern Alps of Canterbury, Middle Iceland, New Zealand. Christchurch 1864 (presented on February 8, 1864, off the Royal Geographical Society of New Zealand).
• John Francis Julius von Haast, Province of Canterbury (ed.): Geology of the provinces of Canterbury and Westland, New Zealand: a report Comprising the results of official explorations. Christchurch in 1879.

Named after Haast

Were named after Julius Haast:

• Haast, a place on the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand,
• Haast River, a river of the regions of Otago and West Coast flows,
• Haast Pass, the southern pass over the Southern Alps,
• Mount Haast, a 3140m high mountain in the South Island of New Zealand,
• Haastadler, the largest bird of prey in modern times who lived in New Zealand,
• Haastkiwi, one classified as endangered Kiwi style in New Zealand,
• Haast Schist Group, a lithostratigraphic unit in the geological structure of New Zealand's South Island,
• Julius von Haast Fellowship Award, created in 2004 in New Zealand is a science award.
• Cepola haastii, a red ribbon fish
• Olearia haastii, a daisy bush