History of Meteorology in Bavaria

• Applicant: Dr. Peter Winkler
• Subject Area: Atmospheric Science ; History of Science
• Term: from 2007 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 46363189

In the course of history meteorological observations aimed at various goals. The earliest weather observations were made by abbots in order to improve the economy of their monastery. In 1781 the academy of sciences organised a regional bavarian observation network, which used instruments and standardised observer instruction. Ite idea for scuh a task had been formulated by Heinrich Lambert in 1761. When in 1803 the monasteries were secularised, the physicians of the provincial courts were obliged to observations, however, no central supervision was foreseen. A new approach for a restoration of a meteorological network was made by the academy in 1807, however, the ministeries refused the necessary financial support. Only two official stations eexisted and aside of that private initiatives in some cities. In 1839 Lamont, director of the astronomical observatory in Munic succeded in organising a meteorological network, which, however, was existed only for few years. In 1863 a forest-meteorological net could be implemented. After international preparatory negotiations, a modern meteorological network was set up in 1878 with a central station in Munic, which was responsible for data control.In the previous DFG-grant preparatory research were begun successfully and relevant material was identified in archives and in literature. In this way a good base is now available for working out a history of meteorology in Bavaria, which must be deepened and worked out in detail. Additional historical informations can be extracted from private correspondence between savants for the time prior to 1820. Three distinct goals shall be worked out:1. Commented edition of the letters og the famous mechanist Gerog Friedrich Brander in Augsburg (1713-1783), which he wrote to the monastery of Polling between 1756 and 1783 (about 140 letters).2. Commented edition of the Benedictine Placidus Heinrich, OSB in Regensburd, to Augustin Stark in Augsburg written between 1804 and 1824 (about 50 letters).3. Hisory of Meteorology in Bavaria.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants