Edmund Reitter

Edmund Reitter ( born October 22, 1845 in Müglitz, † March 15, 1920 in Paskau ) was an Austrian entomologist, writer and businessman.

Life

Reitter can serve as an example of a self-taught artist of the late 19th century. His qualifications for this purpose called his friend Ludwig Ganglbauer as downright awesome.

His father was a forester at Count Larisch Moennich in Karwin. Edmund would have this profession also desired, but had no prospect of a job. So he went after people, and four years of secondary school in Opava in 1859 as an agronomist at the service of the count, but was it enough time to diligent training and employment with nature, eg collecting butterflies. Shortly thereafter, he moved to the beetles, 1867, he undertook a collecting trip with the already well-known beetle researchers Ludwig Miller and Marian of Lomnicki in the Ostkarpathen. The insect collecting was at that time - such as the " botanizing " (or the "Philately" ) - become a popular " passion " wider recognition, so many " missing piece " was also available for purchase. Reitter, now since 1869 in Paskau Pond managers ( and financial advisors ) of the Count Saint- Genois and married since 1871, was undoubtedly very good at business - he opened in 1879 in Vienna an insect and insect literature - action, initially called " Natural History Institute ," and so funded further collecting trips - his agents came to the Caucasus, Armenia, Siberia and Mongolia. Numerous collecting expeditions led him particularly to Eastern and Southeastern Europe. As a collector, he was immensely successful, partly because he like in many areas first with the insect screen the beetles from leaf litter omit - a method that he has just made ​​too many colleagues " tasty ." - In 1881 he moved his business to Mödling and from there in 1891 at the request of his second wife, with whom he had five children, finally back to Paskau. He tried for a while also to an academic career, such as in Munich, where a branch of his business is still -. With his pure ( open, even loud ), straightforward way, he has initiated many developments of entomology his time or as a catalyst for them made to prevail, even at an academic level and a museum, as these areas yes (then zBin Vienna) worked together very closely. Publikatorisch he saw his task as all native beetle families in tables ( to determine ) and catalogs (most recently in 1906 culminating in the Catalogus Coleopterorum Europae, Caucasi et Armeniae Rossicae von Heyden, Reitter, and manner, 3rd edition, self-published ) and for amateurs to open up.

In mature age, he began to be interested in the occult. Towards the end of his life expressed Reitter spiritualistic tendencies and experiences. So he wants to have in 1911 learned from the spirit realm that his friend Ganglbauer threatened great danger in June. This then actually died in June - although only in 1912. - The final years were limited by bronchitis and emphysema, but he worked from bed practically to the end.

Edmund Reitter was known primarily as an expert on beetles of the Palearctic. He was (since 1900) Imperial Council and co-founder (1881 ) and editor of the " Viennese Entomological newspaper". He was a member and honorary member of the German Entomological Society in Berlin, the Association for Silesian entomology in Wroclaw, the Museum Francisco - Carolinum in Linz, the Association for entomology in Austria above the Enns, the Société entomologique de Russie in Saint Petersburg, Société entomologique d' Égypte and the Nederlandsche entomological Vereenigung in Rotterdam. As a corresponding member, he worked at the Science Club in Opava, the Societas pro Fauna et Flora fennica in Helsingfors and the Sociedad Espanola de Historia Natural Réal Madrid.

The collection of beetles Reitter is now part of the zoological collections of the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Budapest, where he sold it for 30,000 Kr - was from the United States an offer for the same amount in $ before! It contains more than 30, 000 identified species, including the type specimens of about 5000 species, subspecies or varieties.

Main work

• Fauna Germanica. The beetles of the German Reich. 5 volumes, Stuttgart KG Lutz 1908-1916 ( digital: Edmund Reitter: Fauna Germanica - Die Käfer the German Empire, Digital Library Volume 134, Direct Media Publishing GmbH, Berlin 2006, ISBN 3-89853-534-7. )

This work, written with numerous specialists and about 170 illustrated panels, based Reitter's fame today. He created it on behalf of the German Natural History Teachers Association, it was printed in an edition of 35 000 copies, was therefore cheaply and lacking in almost any secondary school library. Although the detail panel pictures are often quite faulty - but what about the usefulness does not fundamentally demolition - Sigmund Schenkling published to 1917 »Explanation of the scientific beetle name of Reitter 's Fauna Germanica " - In addition: .. Adolf Horion: Addendum to the Fauna Germanica, The beetles of the German Empire from Edmund Reitter, Hans Verlag Goecke, Krefeld 1935.