Rossitten Bird Observatory

The Ornithological Rossitten in Rossitten was a creation of John Thienemann in 1901, supported by the German Ornithological Society and the University of Konigsberg, on the Curonian Spit in East Prussia. From 1923 the Ornithological belonged to Kaiser Wilhelm Society. Your work will be continued after the evacuation in 1944 by the Ornithological Radolfzell am Bodensee for the Max Planck Society. A Russian Ornithological at this Rybatschi considers itself the successor of the German Ornithological Rossitten site.

History

In the second half of the 19th century a scientific ornithology, which was dominated by empirical research emerged. During a visit to the Spit the ornithologist John Thienemann 1896 experienced a " bird migration, so great as he had never been observed before in Germany ." On the narrow strip of land condense a bottleneck the flight paths of birds that shun the open water at peak times up to two million birds a day.

On Thienemanns initiative a " ornithological and biological monitoring station " in Rossitten was 1901 ( today: Rybatschi ) founded in the southern third of the elongated peninsula. 1923 took over the Kaiser Wilhelm Society for the Advancement of Science, the station and incorporated it into their research network. Thienemann went into retirement in 1929, the formal management took Oscar Heinroth from Berlin, locally coordinated Ernst Schüz working as a curator. In 1936, he also became the official head of the bird observatory.

The Ornithological was in close contact with the scientific community Albertina in Königsberg. She was the first ornithological research station in the world and gained through her ​​pioneering work worldwide reputation. Also significant is the ethologist Konrad Lorenz, who held a chair at the Albertus University of Königsberg.

Building in Rossitten: The Institute with the labor and business premises of the Ornithological was located in a spacious villa adjacent to the church. 1931 next to a museum for visitors has been opened in a new holzverschalten, with adjacent open-air site in Church Street. In addition to the spa, there was a pond with Winter cottage and experimental stork flock.

Field offices

The Elm Horst was from 1908 an observation station of the bird observatory, which was approximately 6 km south of the main building created in the dune belt. It was destroyed after the First World War by " revolutionaries " in 1926 rebuilt with donations, Dutch birders and used until 1944. She wore the gable the inscription: " To the glory of God and his nature." Was also done research on waterfowl on gulls break far from Rossitten, the only freshwater lake on the Spit.

By Ernst Schüz also an outstation with bird observatory on Drużno at Elbing was established. The bird of paradise Drużno has been described many times. One could observe well the bird migration through long hours boat trip on the canal for some kilometers. After the flight and expulsion of the German population and the takeover by the Polish administration after 1945, the rides were resumed on the Oberland Canal.

Reach significance

Under Ernst Schüz the ringing of birds was developed as a scientific method in Rossitten, he enriched the work of the Ornithological also to physiological and ecological issues.

The kingdom of Nature Conservation Act of 1937 saw only before the preservation of the three coastal bird waiting for Helgoland, in Rossitten and Hiddensee. You remained the privilege of ringing of birds reserved. Thus, based in Radolfzell am Bodensee Süddeutsche Ornithological the livelihood and existence privileges have been removed; for financial reasons, which at that time only inland bird observatory was closed again in Germany.

After 1945

Due to the war of 1944, the facilities had to be evacuated from Rossitten; it was 1946 today Ornithological Radolfzell am Bodensee. Radolfzell ornithological station is since 1998 a department of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell.

In the Russian Rybatschi in Kaliningrad Oblast is today with the " Biological Station " an outpost of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg. Ever since this host organization is deleted due to their poor economic situation, any funds that research largely from donations and since 1997 is funded by the German Heinz Sielmann Foundation. The wildlife filmmaker Heinz Sielmann, who grew up in Königsberg, has collected 2001 500.000 Mark for bird observatory in the year. His wife Inge Sielmann, the Foundation Council, sets the financial support of the Ornithological Rossitten continues (2010). The German Federal Environment Foundation helps.

Today, Russian field station " Fringilla " who sees himself in the tradition of the old bird observatory, located at 55 ° 09 ' 13 "North, 20 ° 51' 27" Ost55.15361111111120.8575 about 200 meters as the crow flies.

The - and 1944 totally intact - stately institute building of the German Ornithological Rossitten (the villa with the labor and business premises ) in Church Street (. Gagarin today Ul ) does not exist anymore ( 2013). Only the plaque " Ornithological Rossitten the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, " there is still, it was to the building of the branch of the Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburg placed in Rybatschi (former German SPA ). There are also illustrated, German -language information panels located on the History of Ornithological Rossitten and their leaders John Thienemann and Ernst Schüz. Built in 1931 bird Wait Museum ended his function in 1944, the building still stands there with strongly simplified exterior, a growing and in other function. The former home of Thienemann in today's ul. Pobedy ( Victory Road ), direction Haffufer also there, yet, but heavily modified and with additions. A bilingual lettered wooden sign points to the founder of the bird observatory. Text: " In this house lived the famous ... ... German ornithologist ... Thienemann, the founder of the Ornithological Rossitten ". The Observation Post elm Horst no longer exists.

Impressions

Entrance to the field station Fringilla (2011)

Field station Fringilla (2011)

Nets of the field station Fringilla (2011)