Landesmuseum Kärnten - the Collections of Natural

Landesmuseum Kärnten - the Collections of Natural Sciences
Rotraud Stumfohl
Stumfohl, R. Landesmuseum Kärnten - the Collections of Natural Sciences. In: Winkler Prins, C F . &
Donovan, S.K. (eds.), VII International Symposium 'Cultural Heritage in Geosciences, Mining and Metallurgy:
Libraries - Archives - Museums': "Museums and their collections", Leiden (The Netherlands), 19-23 May 2003.
Scripta Geológica Special Issue, 4: 261-266, 3 figs.; Leiden, August 2004.
Rotraud Stumfohl, Kärntner Bibliographie, Landesmuseum Kärnten, Museumgasse 2, A-9021 Klagenfurt, Austria ([email protected]).
Key words — Carinthia, Collections of Natural Scinces, 'Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein für Kärnten',
'Landesmuseum Kärnten'.
Public museums collections had a hard start in Carinthia: only in 1848 did the first Museum of Natural
Sciences open, maintained by the 'Naturhistorischer Verein für Kärnten'. For a long time the collections
were based on private donations. In 1884, the 'Naturhistorischer Verein' and the 'Geschichtsverein für
Kärnten' moved into a new museum building, since 1898 there have been full-time curators. The
museum's scientific publication was and still is the periodical Carinthia. In 1942, the collections became
property of the Government, but since 1998 they have been privatized.
Contents
Introduction
M u s e u m of N a t u r a l H i s t o r y at K l a g e n f u r t
L a n d e s m u s e u m Kärnten
Acknowledgements
References
261
262
265
265
265
Introduction
A t the time of E n l i g h t m e n t there arose i n C a r i n t h i a a n interest i n r e a p p r a i s i n g
n a t u r a l history a n d the historical past. M a n y private collectors t r i e d h a r d to o p e n their
collections to the p u b l i c . O n e s u c h collection for example w a s o w n e d b y A r c h i d u c h e s s
M a r i a A n n a , daughter of M a r i a Theresia, w h o h a d her residence at K l a g e n f u r t . H e r
M a j o r d o m o , Joseph C o u n t E n z e n b e r g , also collected minerals, plants, conchilies a n d
butterflies, a n d w h e n M a r i a A n n a d i e d he i n h e r i t e d her collection; n o w he o w n e d
about 3000 pieces. U n f o r t u n a t e l y , E n z e n b e r g h a d a lot of debts a n d w a s forced to sell
the collection for about 6000 florins, a lot of m o n e y i n those days. W e d o n o t k n o w
w h o b o u g h t it ( K l e m u n , 1998, p . 24).
T w o other collectors, w h o l i v e d f o r a short time i n C a r i n t h i a , were F r a n z X a v e r
W u l f e n a n d S i g i s m u n d v o n H o h e n w a r t , w h o b o t h w e r e interested i n scientific materials ( v o n Jabornegg, 1898, p . 4). W h e n V i c a r v o n H o h e n w a r t w e n t to L i n z a n d became
b i s h o p , he let his f r i e n d F r a n z C o u n t Egger have his collection. The latter p u t it at the
t h i r d floor of the Palais L i n d e n h a i n at K l a g e n f u r t , w h e r e it w a s o p e n to the p u b l i c .
C o u n t Egger w o r k e d closely w i t h A r c h i d u k e J o h a n n of A u s t r i a , w h o p e r s u a d e d h i m
i n 1811 to give the greater part to the n e w l y f o u n d e d ' M u s e u m J o a n n e u m ' at G r a z .
The r e m a i n i n g part of the collection w e n t to the L y c e u m at Klagenfurt i n 1815. Teachers
at that i n s t i t u t i o n w e r e v e r y interested i n n a t u r a l sciences. F o r instance M a t h i a s
262
Winkler Prins & Donovan. Proc. VII Int. Symp. 'Cultural Heritage in Geosciences,Scripta Geol, Spec. Issue 4 (2004)
A c h a z e l started at his private h o m e meteorological observations a n d h a d a little
botanical g a r d e n ( K l e m u n , 1998, p . 41).
Museum of Natural History at Klagenfurt
A t the L y c e u m there w a s a lack of place for e x h i b i t i n g the collections, a n d so rose
the first plans for a M u s e u m of N a t u r a l H i s t o r y . In 1846, at a session of the 'Geschichtsv e r e i n ' ( H i s t o r i c a l society), the zoologist M e i n r a d v o n G a l l e n s t e i n (Fig. 1), abbot at St.
P a u l (a B e n e d i c t i n i a n monastery i n C a r i n t h i a ) , m a d e a n a p p l i c a t i o n for the establishm e n t of a M u s e u m of N a t u r a l Sciences. W i t h i n the A g r i c u l t u r a l Society a c o m m i t t e e
w a s established w h i c h i n v i t e d the p o p u l a t i o n to contribute m o n e y or to donate collections. C h a i r m a n of the committee w a s the i n d u s t r i a l i s t P a u l v o n H e r b e r t ( v o n Jabornegg, 1898, p . 4). A t first the donations were modest, b u t i n 1848 the i n d u s t r i a l C o u n t
Gustaf Egger let the committee have his collection of m i n e r a l s a n d b i r d s o n the c o n d i tions that they m a k e it o p e n to the p u b l i c a n d never m o v e it out of C a r i n t h i a ( A n o n y m o u s , 1848, p . 25). B a r o n P a u l v o n H e r b e r t presented his geognostical collection a n d
m i n e r a l s o n the same c o n d i t i o n s . W h e n the c o m m i t t e e f o u n d a suitable house, it
engaged the curator H e i n r i c h Freyer f r o m Ljubljana to m a k e the d o n a t i o n r e a d y for
transport f r o m St. G e o r g e n a m S a n d h o f to K l a g e n f u r t ( v o n Jabornegg, 1898, p . 7). The
committee petitioned the subscribers d o m a k e donations for the l i b r a r y , w h i c h w o u l d
f o r m one of the most i m p o r t a n t parts of the m u s e u m . O n e year later the m a t e r i a l w a s
o r d e r e d so far that o n October 10th, 1848, a first g u i d e d tour for the committee w a s
arranged ( H e i n r i c h , 1853, p . 9). T h i s date
m a r k s the establishment of the ' N a t u r wissenschaftlicher V e r e i n für Kärnten'
(Society for N a t u r a l Sciences C a r i n t h i a )
(Lex, 1928, p . 1). The Society m a i n t a i n e d
the m u s e u m for m a n y years. The stated
p u r p o s e of the objects i n the m u s e u m
c o l l e c t i o n w a s to s h o w the necessary
m a t e r i a l for the studies of n a t u r a l sciences, to m a k e n a t u r a l sciences p o p u l a r
a n d to f u l f i l l scientific research. F r o m
1849 the m u s e u m w a s o p e n to the p u b l i c
each S u n d a y f r o m 9 to 13, a n d for students also o n T h u r s d a y . O n T h u r s d a y s
there were p u b l i c lectures o n geology,
i n the m o r n i n g for students a n d i n the
afternoon for " F r i e n d s of n a t u r a l sciences." O n S u n d a y s there w e r e p u b l i c lectures for m a n u a l w o r k e r s ( A n o n y m o u s ,
1849, p . 22). T o educate the p u b l i c , the
m u s e u m h a d correspondents a l l over
the c o u n t r y a n d , f r o m 1854, sent m i n e r Fig. 1. Portrait of Meinrad von Gallenstein (Origi-
als, plants, etc. to schools (von Jabornegg,
nal: Landesmuseum Kärnten).
1898,
p.
15).
Winkler Prins & Donovan. Proc. VII Int. Symp. 'Cultural Heritage in Geosciences,Scripta Geol., Spec. Issue 4 (2004)
263
The m u s e u m w a s financed b y the donations a n d contributions of the members.
The first curator w a s F r i e d r i c h S i m o n y , w h o w a s the first to s o u n d the d e p t h of the
Wörthersee (Simony, 1850, p . 114). H e d i d not stay l o n g a n d w a s succeded b y Josef
Leodegar C a n a v a l , secretary of the chamber. H e edited the publications of the m u s e u m
a n d wrote, together w i t h h i s father-in-law, F r a n z v o n R o s t h o r n , the first scientific
m i n e r a l o g y of C a r i n t h i a ( C a n a v a l & v o n R o s t h o r n , 1853). F r a n z v o n R o s t h o r n , i n d u s trialist, w o r k e d out the first geognostical profile of C a r i n t h i a i n 1831 ( C a n a v a l , 1851, p .
29). In 1861 the ' N a t u r w i s s e n s c h a f t l i c h e r V e r e i n ' a n d the ' G e s c h i c h t s v e r e i n ' m o v e d
w i t h their collections into the ' L a n d h a u s , ' the most i m p o r t a n t representative b u i l d i n g
of C a r i n t h i a . T h e collections g r e w larger: the botanist K o k e i l donated h i s collection,
F r i e d r i c h Münichsdorfer, the a d m i n i s t r a t o r of the m i n e at Hüttenberg, sent a l lot of
minerals to the m u s e u m , a n d the pharmacist A l o i s Traunfellner donated his H e r b a r i u m
(Simony, 1850, p . 114), as d i d the botanist D a v i d Pacher, w h o p u b l i s h e d the u n i q u e
w o r k about the Flora of C a r i n t h i a (Pacher, 1880-1888). T h e t w o herbars, together w i t h
the collections of M a r k u s Jabornegg-Gamsenegg
and Gustav Adolf Zwanziger, form
the basis of the 'Kärntner Landesherbar.' A t the centre of K l a g e n f u r t the Society
obtained a n area for setting u p a botanical g a r d e n u n d e r the d i r e c t i o n of L e o p o l d v o n
H u e b e r a n d v o n Jabornegg ( v o n Jabornegg, 1898, p . 20). F r o m 1866 it w a s o p e n to the
p u b l i c three d a y s a w e e k (Lex, 1928, p . 2).
T o m a i n t a i n the collections m o r e efficiently several professional g r o u p s were
f o r m e d . O v e r the w i n t e r professionals gave p o p u l a r lectures, segregated f o r males
a n d females. Every week there w a s an i n f o r m a l meeting of professionals at the so-called
" r o u n d table."
Fig. 2. T h e L a n d e s m u s e u m f ü r K ä r n t e n ' R u d o l f i n u m ' i n Klagenfurt, seen f r o m the south (print, 1885).
264
Winkler Prins & Donovan. Proc. VII Int. Symp. 'Cultural Heritage in Geosciences,Scripta Geol., Spec. Issue 4 (2004)
In 1872, the i n d e p e n d e n t ' V e r e i n N a t u r h i s t o r i s c h e s L a n d e s m u s e u m '
(Society
M u s e u m for N a t u r a l H i s t o r y ) w a s establ ished a n d there w a s n o l onger a n o f f i c i a l c o n nection w i t h the A g r i c u l t u r a l Society ( v o n Jabornegg, 1898, p . 24). A s the ' L a n d h a u s '
w a s not b i g e n o u g h for the col l ections, the c h a i r m a n , F e r d i n a n d Seeland - w h o l o o k e d
after the meterol ogical station at K l a g e n f u r t , s o u n d e d the Wörthersee a n d m e a s u r e d
the Pasterze at Großgl ockner - together w i t h the ' G e s c h i c h t s v e r e i n ' a n d the 'Kärntner
G e w e r b e h a l l e ' p l a n n e d a n e w b u i l d i n g . In 1879, there w a s the ceremonia l l a y i n g of
the f o u n d a t i o n stone a n d i n 1884, the festive o p e n i n g of the n e w m u s e u m (Fig. 2),
b u i l t b y G u s t a v G u g i t z a n d s p o n s o r e d b y the 'Kärntner Sparkasse.' Since 1898 there
w e r e f u l l - t i m e curators; H a n s S a b i d u s s i for botany, K a r l Frauscher for z o o l o g y a n d
A u g u s t B r u n l e c h n e r for geol ogy. B r u n l e c h n e r (1884) w r o t e a n e w G e o l o g i c a l S u r v e y
of C a r i n t h i a a n d w a s President of the M o n t a n i s t i c Society at K l a g e n f u r t a n d special ist
i n montanistics ( v o n Jabornegg, 1898, p . 45).
F r o m the b e g i n n i n g , the l i b r a r y of the society w a s of specia l i m p o r t a n c e to the
m e m b e r s . A l arge d o n a t i o n w a s the l i b r a r y of C o u n t Goess, d e d i c a t e d i n
1850
( C a n a v a l , 1851, p . 30), w i t h about 1000 b o o k s , n o w i n the U n i v e r s i t y L i b r a r y K la g e n furt. A l s o the ' G e o l o g i s c h e Reichsanstal t' (Vienna) sent her y e a r b o o k to the m u s e u m .
In 1872, the part-time curator G u s t a v A d o l f Z w a n z i g e r ( K l e m u n , 1993, p . 316) catal o g u e d the b o o k s a n d took an i n v e n t o r y of the stock. H i s successor w a s W e n z e l H o f bauer (Lex, 1928, ρ.15). M a n y p e r i o d i c a l s came i n exchange for the scientific p u b l i c a tions of the members of the Society. The scientific j o u r n a l first p u b l i s h e d for the
Fig. 3. Glocknerpanorama (Original: Landesmuseum Kä rnten).
Winkler Prins & Donovan. Proc. VII Int. Symp. 'Cultural Heritage in Geosciences,..'. Scripta Geol., Spec. Issue 4 (2004) 265
'Geschichts v e r e i n ' a n d the ' N a t u r w i s s e n s c h a f t l i c h e r V e r e i n / then for the m u s e u m ,
w a s the Carinthia established i n 1811 b y C a r l M e r c y , a n d is the third-oldest scientific
m a g a z i n e i n G e r m a n w h i c h has been p u b l i s h e d w i t h o u t a break. F r o m 1863 the t w o
societies e d i t e d the p e r i o d i c a l together ( v o n Jabornegg, 1898, p . 21). Since 1891 i t is
d i v i d e d into Carinthia I (Geschichtsverein) a n d Carinthia II (Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein).
The ' N a t u r w i s s e n s c h a f t l i c h e r V e r e i n ' p u b l i s h e d f r o m 1852 to 1918 the Jahrbuch des
Naturhistorischen Museums. A n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t series w a s , a n d still is, the Special Magazines of Carinthia II.
In 1923 a n e w collection came to the m u s e u m , that of the A l p i n e M u s e u m , w h i c h
n o longer h a d a place for the reliefs of P a u l Oberlerecher. H i s ' G l o c k n e r r e l i e f (Fig. 3)
is one of the most interesting objects i n n a t u r a l sciences that is o w n e d b y the L a n d e s m u s e u m Kärnten (Lex, 1928, p . 3). W h e n i n 1925 the C a r i n t h i a n M u s e u m of L o c a l H i s tory w a s f o u n d e d , these collections w e r e m o v e d into the m u s e u m b u i l d i n g .
L a n d e s m u s e u m Kärnten
In 1942 the collections of a l l three societies became p r o p e r t y of the ' R e i c h s g a u
Kärnten' a n d so the g o v e r n m e n t f o r the first time h a d to administer the m u s e u m .
A f t e r the Second W o r l d W a r the collections r e m a i n e d i n the o w n e r s h i p of the State of
C a r i n t h i a ; the g o v e r n m e n t rebuilt the destroyed b u i l d i n g a n d e m p l o y e d f u l l - t i m e
curators ( A n o n y m o u s , 1987, p . 10). I n 1958, the botanical garden, almost 100 years o l d ,
h a d to m o v e to the K r e u z b e r g l q u a r r y , m a n a g e d b y F r a n z K a h l e r , E r w i n A i c h i n g e r ,
Felix W i d d e r a n d F r i t z T u r n o w s k y (Müller, 1971, p . 352). A t the t u n n e l of K r e u z b e r g l
since 1973 there is the M o n t a n i s t i c M u s e u m . I n 1974, the ' G e s c h i c h t s v e r e i n ' a n d the
' N a t u r w i s s e n s c h a f t l e r V e r e i n ' m a d e a contract w i t h the g o v e r n m e n t a n d sealed the
m o v i n g of the collections a n d libraries into p u b l i c p r o p e r t y ( A n o n y m o u s , 1987, p . 10).
In 1998 the m u s e u m w a s p r i v a t i z e d a n d started a n e w p u b l i c a t i o n , Rudolfinum, yearbook of the State Museum of Carinthia. The t w o scientific societies, w h i c h contributed so
m u c h to it, still have their offices i n the b u i l d i n g , a n d w o r k closely together w i t h the
curators a n d the l i b r a r y .
Acknowledgements
The author of a l l figures is U . P . S c h w a r z , L a n d e s m u s e u m Kärnten.
References
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Anonymous. 1987. Das Landesmuseum für Kärnten und seine Sammlungen. 2., erweiterte Auflage. Kärntner Druck- und Verlagsgesellschaft, Klagenfurt: 166 pp.
Brunlechner, A. 1884. Die Minerale des Herzogthums Kärnten. V. Kleinmayr, Klagenfurt: 138 pp.
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