Johannes Walther

Johannes Walther ( born July 20, 1860 in Neustadt an der Orla, † May 4, 1937 in Bad Hofgastein ) was a German geologist and paleontologist.

Life and work

Walther came from a religious home and studied botany in Jena, philosophy, and zoology. In 1882 he completed this program successfully with a PhD. Subsequently, he studied in Leipzig geology and paleontology, and later moved in the same subjects to Munich.

The following year, the University of Naples called him for two years at the Naples Zoological Station as a lecturer. In the Gulf of Naples, he ran extensive sedimentological and biological studies. In 1885 he returned to Jena and his habilitation in 1886 with a thesis on crinoids. Only Walther brought his experience gained in the application of Italy by Charles Lyell (1797-1875) established akutalistischen principle ( Walther described it as ontological ' way of working ) in the sedimentological research in Central Europe to advantage. In addition, through him learned the marine geology in Germany a strong upswing. Walther also recognized the interplay of eustatic and tectonic sea-level fluctuations.

In the following years, Walther made ​​numerous research trips, including to Egypt, Ceylon, Greece and Scotland. 1890 appointed him to the University of Jena ao, four years later to full professor of geology and paleontology. 1892 took him the German Academy of Natural Scientists Leopoldina on as a full member.

For a long time remained Walther in the Urals and in the desert of Turkmenistan. The knowledge gained through the formation of terrestrial sediments, he turned again to the actualism following, on the sedimentary formations of the " Urwüsten " of the Palaeozoic ( Palaeozoic ) to. He then moved to the University of Halle and worked there from 1906 until 1929. Leopoldina Walther chose 1924 as the successor of August Gutzmer its president. He held until 1931 this office. He was succeeded by Emil Abderhalden.

At the age of 77 years Prof. Dr. Johannes Walther died on 4 May 1937 in Hofgastein, Salzburg.

Works (selection)

  • Introduction to geology as a science of history (1893-1894)
  • History of Earth and Life (1908 )
  • General Paleontology (1919-1927)
Sedimentology Tectonics Integrated Authority File
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