Hans Conrad Escher von der Linth
( Ibid. † March 9, 1823, born August 24, 1767 in Zurich until 1823 only: Johannes Konrad Escher) Hans Conrad Escher von der Linth was a Swiss scientist, civil engineer, a silk manufacturer, painter, cartographer and politicians.
Life and work
As a descendant of the wealthy merchant family in Zurich Escher from the glass he spent a sheltered youth. After training in Geneva by Jean -Pierre Vaucher he stepped on an educational trip to France, England, Germany and Italy. In Göttingen, he studied technology (Beckmann ), Statistics ( Schlozer ) and philosophy (Lichtenberg ), and was active in the sequence as a universal scholar in many fields of knowledge, particularly in the political science and geology. He founded in Zurich in state academic teaching institution that came up in 1833 in the University of Zurich.
Escher was imbued with the spirit of the Enlightenment, he was trying to implement both politically and practically. In the course of the Helvetic Revolution he took an important leadership function for the Republicans and rose in spring 1802 to the Helvetian War Minister on. But after the fourth coup Unitarian on April 17, 1802, he came back from his office. He then worked as Education Committee and as a government agricultural policy advisor in Canton Zurich. With the establishment of the "Swiss Republican " ( with Paul Usteri ) and with the introduction of the « Official Gazette », he made major contributions to the development of a journalistic public.
His scientific interest was mainly in the fields of geology and mineralogy. So he explored, among other things 1806, the area around the Arosa Rothorn, the tip of which he ascended also. He left behind more than nine hundred views and panoramas of Switzerland and the adjacent upland areas. This extensive created by a Swiss artist watercolor landscape work is for the most part kept in the graphic collection of the ETH Zurich, a smaller part in the Central Library Zurich.
Escher was buried in the later abandoned St. Anna cemetery on the Hohe Promenade in Zurich. Since he had Verbeten a tomb, his grave was nowhere to be found, as it should be reburied.
The Linthwerk
His main work was the regulation of the river Linth. After he had dealt in the Helvetic Society back in the 1790s with the emergency on Lake Walen, he took over in 1804 on behalf of the Diet the management of Korrektionsprojektes. The construction according to plans by Tulla began in 1807 and lasted until 1816.
The successful improvement of living conditions in the region Linth Escher did in his own lifetime, especially but after his death in 1823 became an important symbol of Swiss.
Honors
In 1821, Escher was elected by the Linth a member of the Leopoldina Gelehrtenadademie. 1823 awarded the Zurich cantonal government of his family the right to the additional name " of the Linth " to wear. A commemorative coin was minted. The community Bilten made him an honorary citizen. The primary school building in town whales, the Lindth Escher streets in Bilten and low urns and the Linth -Escher- schoolhouse in Lower urns were dedicated to him. In Zurich him the Lintheschergasse dedicated. The channel directs the Glarus Linth in Lake Walen is called " Escher channel ".
Family
On his 22nd birthday Escher married the younger by a year Regula von Orelli. His son Arnold Escher von der Linth was Professor of Geology at the Polytechnic Institute (now ETH Zurich ). His grandson Arnold Bürkli did as Zurich's city engineer out in particular with Seeuferbauten.
Gallery
Herrliberg on May 21, 1786
Matt in Sernftal on July 13, 1811
Ilanz in Surselva on July 14, 1811
The Tschingelhörner and Martin's Hole; July 22, 1812