Peter Kolbe
Peter Kolb ( born October 10, 1675 Dörflas, now the district of Marktredwitz, † December 31, 1726 in Dietersheim ) was a German teacher and ethnographer.
Life
Kolb ( in older literature also known as Kolbe, flasks) was the son of the princely Zolleinnehmers Andreas Kolb and his wife Catharina Kripner. His school days spent piston in Marktredwitz. At age 13, the piston moved in 1688 to Wunsiedel on the Alumneum. After six years of school, he went 1694 on the recommendation of his teachers to Nuremberg to the Gymnasium of St. Lawrence. There he became a student of the Rector Textor.
This mediated piston as boarders in the household of the mathematician Georg Christoph Eimmart. 1696 Kolb was also his student and moved to the High School St. Egidien. 1700 piston enrolled at the University of Halle for the subjects of mathematics and astronomy. Just one year later he could take his exams. On July 1, 1701 Kolb received his doctorate under Prof. Johann Sperlette with his dissertation De natura commetarum.
Immediately afterward, he worked as a lecturer in mathematics at Halle. Through these lectures, he made the acquaintance of the Prussian diplomat Baron Bernhard Friedrich von Krosigk. This dedicated 1702 Kolb as secretary on his estate Poplitz. There piston also worked as a tutor for the sons of his employer. Later represented piston Baron Krosigk in Berlin. There piston reached by the Russian embassy a reputation as a Professor of Mathematics at Moscow University.
Piston refused because his employer asked him to finance a scientific expedition to South Africa in view. 1704 traveled from piston to Amsterdam and on 20 December of that year he stabbed target Cape of Good Hope in the lake. After over five months in 1705 he reached Cape Town on 12 June.
During the next few years, Kolb took there many astronomical and meteorological research. When his supporter and patron died, dried up the funds. Piston was therefore in 1707 forced to hire themselves out as secretary of Louis Asseburg, the manager of Stellenbosch and Drakenstein.
Until 1712, he held this office in the Dutch East India Company. In the records of the company of piston renamed incorrectly under the name of Pieter piston. In addition to his work piston used not only further his research, but also corresponded with many scientists from Germany. Not only with Brown, Francke, Christian Ludwig Göckel and Leupold was lively correspondence, but also with Johann Georg Pertsch and Hermann Witsius.
1711 Kolb was also still secretary Johann Mukder, the Landdrost of Stellenbosch. On the night of 26 on April 27, 1712 Kolb went blind due to an infectious disease. Beginning of 1713 he took the opportunity to come home. Mid- 1713, he reached the ship Amsterdam. On the way to his home piston made with his friend and doctor Göckel in Rastatt station to undergo therapy.
Somewhat seeing it reached in 1715 finally Dörflas. After several filings with the government in Bayreuth, he was appointed with effect from 7 May 1718 rector of the Latin School of Dietersheim. Since his sight was still weak, he turned down an offer to go to Coburg as professor of mathematics.
In July 1726, he became seriously ill and died at the age of 51 years on 31 December of the same year.
In his major work Caput Bonea save hodiernum Kolb dealt not only with the geography, fauna and flora of the Cape. He also looked very closely the situation of the European settlers and the culture of the known by the derogatory name " Hottentot " Khoi Khoi.
About the San he wrote:
The early travelers in the 17th century believed that so-called " Bushmen " part Khoi Khoi were. But piston distinguished them from the same when he wrote:
As a first piston described the holding for cattle Khoi Khoi typical national instrument, the Goura, the only one blown with the mouth music sheet.
Works
- De natura cometarum. Hall 1701
- Caput bonae save hodiernum. That is: Full Description Pre Bürges of Good Hofnung .. - Marktredwitz: Community College, 1975 ( Repr ed d Nuremberg 1719) Journey to the Cape of Good Hope. Edited by Dr. Paul Germann. Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus, 1922 - Contains the ethnological chapter.