Adolf Stieler

Adolf Stieler ( born February 26, 1775 in Gotha, † March 13, 1836 ) was a German cartographer, who contributed significantly to the development of cartography in Germany.

Life

Stieler was born the son of a privy councilor and mayor. He attended the Gotha school and then studied law in Jena and Göttingen. He was hired in 1796 as an official of the Gotha court.

Under the Duke Ernst II of Saxe Gotha and Altenburg (1745/1772-1804) to Gotha had become the " Weimar in Science ", also going about scientific hobbies in the various court officials in addition to their official duties. It may be mentioned here only Karl Ernst Adolf von Hoff (1771-1837), the founder of modern geology, and Ernst Friedrich von Schlotheim (1764-1832) called, who founded the paleobotany scientifically.

Here also Stieler was able to pursue his interests in geography and cartography and ultimately develop the founder of Atlaskartografie in Gotha.

On the erected by Franz Xaver von Zach observatory Gotha card designs created at that time in Central Europe were tested by Zach himself and judged. This was now aware of the talent of the young Stieler and gave this instruction and suggestions. He also published his first map displays in the under his direction in Weimar under Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1747-1822) appearing generally Geographic ephemeris. (Fig.). For the same publisher Stieler drew maps for the major German hand atlas of the time, the "General Hand Atlas of the world " and for the " Topographic- militairische Charter of Teutschland in 204 autopsies ."

For other authors drew Stieler generally accepted cards, including a map of Germany in scale 1:2900000 for a book by EA von Hoff. Through this work, did the contact to the publisher Justus Perthes, which should continue throughout life.

Already in 1812 Stieler took with Christian Gottlieb Reichard ( 1758-1837 ) to contact in order to conceive with him an atlas. The result was in 1815 presented to the publisher Perthes. The plan was an atlas, which is characterized by ... Comfortable format greatest possible accuracy, clarity and completeness, but dabey expedient choice, uniformity of the projection and the scale, nice paper, good print, careful illumination, cheaper price. ought to be distinguished. The first shipment of this atlas was then published in 1817, 1823 was this Atlas with 50 maps ( actually only 47 sheets) provisionally completely. Reichard had contributed almost a third of the cards by then 16 cards. This Stieler's Hand Atlas underwent numerous editions, which continued even after leaving Reichard and death Stielers on March 13, 1836 under the leadership of Friedrich von Stülpnagel ( 1787-1865 ).

The centennial edition has grown to 108 cards was released in 1920 and 1925. The Atlas was published until 1945. Stieler thus continuing successfully the type of hand atlases continued, which was first developed in Weimar jointly by Adam Christian Gaspari ( 1752-1830 ) and Friedrich Justin Bertuch.

The house Stieler in the Karl-Schwarzschild -Straße, corner Gold Straße in Gotha was demolished in the fall of 2005. It was also the plaque that was attached to the front of the house, destroyed.

Literature (selection )

• Jürgen Horst Espen: Andree, Stieler, Meyer & Co, atlases hand the German language area (1800-1945) along with precursors and descendants at home and abroad, Bibliographical Guide. Sword 1994, pp. 44-137. (ISBN 978-3-930401-33-8 )
• Jürgen Espen Horst Petermann 's Planet, A Guide to German Hand Atlases And Their Siblings Throughout the Wordl 1800-1950, Vol I: The Great Hand Atlases. Sword 2003, pp. 179-346. (ISBN 978-3-930401-35-2 )
• Gottfried Suchy (ed.): Gotha geographers and cartographers. Gotha, 1985.
• Steffen Siegel, Petra Weigel: ". , The red pencil of the cartographer boundary modifications in ' Stieler's Hand - Atlas .'" In: Image Worlds of Knowledge. Art History Yearbook for image critique 6.2 (2008), topics band "border images ", p 58-65.