Karl Christian von Langsdorf
Karl Christian von Langsdorf, Carl Christian von Langsdorff ( born May 18, 1757 Nauheim, † June 10, 1834 in Heidelberg ) was a German mathematician, geologist, naturalist and technicians.
Langsdorf was born on May 18, 1757, the son of the salines and archivist and princely Hesse - Hanauischen Rentmeisters ( salt works to Nauheim ) Georg Melchior Langsdorff (* February 25, 1713 in Wetzlar, † April 19, 1767 ) and Maria Margarethe Koch ( EXP Möller ) born. His twin brother's name was Daniel Isaac. After graduating from high school in Idstein in 1773, he studied from 1774 to autumn 1776 in Göttingen philosophy, law and mathematics, among others Abraham Gotthelf Kästner at and then to 1777 at the University of Giessen. Easter 1777 he worked as an intern at the Saline salt Hausen. He then devoted himself to the study of the salt flats in Nidda. In 1781 he received his doctorate in Erfurt to Dr. phil.
In the summer semester 1781 he taught as a Privatdozent in Giessen. He decided, among other things due to health reasons then but not for an academic career, but for a career in administration and was bailiff and district judge in Mülheim an der Ruhr. He then worked as inspector in Saline Gerabronn from 1784, which at that time belonged to the Margraviate of Ansbach. Johann Gottfried Tulla received 1792-1794 training at Langsdorf in Gerabronn.
In 1798 he received a full professorship for customer machines in Erlangen. He taught there until 1804 and underwent at this time the then 15 -year-old Georg Simon Ohm, who was educated in mathematics together with his younger brother by his father, a thorough examination of his math skills.
The reputation of Heidelberg in 1803, he refused and opted for the offer, at the University of Vilnius to teach mathematics and technology. In Russia, he and his family was elevated to the hereditary nobility. In 1806 he returned with the Russian nobility predicate "from" and was ( among other things, with the support of his elder brother Gottlieb, bailiff of Dilsburg ) professor in Heidelberg. There he published the Heidel Bergische yearbooks the literature of mathematics, physics and Kameralwissenschaften, in which he, inter alia, Goethe's color theory slating. The typewriter of bicycle inventor Karl Drais, he observed in 1833 for the Grand Ducal Ministry of Interior.
The mathematical-physical class of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences in 1808 took him a foreign member of their ranks on.
Langsdorf dealt with great interest and with theological issues and has published several works on this subject.
His brother Johann Wilhelm went on the field of Saline customer as a professional name.