{"id":2167,"date":"2021-02-19T18:13:40","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T17:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projekt-mida.de\/?post_type=reflexicon&p=2167"},"modified":"2025-11-20T12:06:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T11:06:17","slug":"the-german-network-around-the-danish-botanist-and-superintendent-of-the-botanical-garden-in-calcutta-nathaniel-wallich-1786-1854","status":"publish","type":"reflexicon","link":"https:\/\/www.projekt-mida.de\/en\/reflexicon\/the-german-network-around-the-danish-botanist-and-superintendent-of-the-botanical-garden-in-calcutta-nathaniel-wallich-1786-1854\/","title":{"rendered":"The German Network around the Danish Botanist and Superintendent of the Botanical Garden in Calcutta, Nathaniel Wallich (1786\u20131854)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Tobias Delfs
<\/strong>Pub\u00adlished in 2021<\/strong>
DOI<\/span> 10.25360\/01\u20132022-00009<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image: A botan\u00adi\u00adcal draw\u00ading of the species Phase\u00ado\u00adlus fus\u00adcus from Wal\u00adlich\u2019s book Plan\u00adtae Asi\u00adat\u00adi\u00adcae Rar\u00adi\u00adores. ttps:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Nathaniel_Wallich#\/media\/File:Plantae_Asiaticae_Rariores_-plate_006-_Phaseolus_fuscus.jpg<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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This is a trans\u00adlat\u00aded ver\u00adsion of the 2019 MIDA<\/span> Archival Reflex\u00adi\u00adcon entry \u201cDas deutsche Net\u00adzw\u00aderk rund um den d\u04d3nis\u00adchen Botaniker und Super\u00adin\u00adten\u00adden\u00adten des Botanis\u00adchen Gartens von Kalkut\u00adta Nathaniel Wal\u00adlich (1786\u20131854)<\/a>\u201d. The text was trans\u00adlat\u00aded by Rekha Rajan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Table of Con\u00adtents
<\/strong>Ger\u00admans in the Colonies<\/a> | The Ger\u00adman-speak\u00ading World<\/a> | Archives and Hold\u00adings<\/a> | Pub\u00adlished Sources<\/a> | Sec\u00adondary Literature<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Nathaniel_Wallich#\/media\/File:NathanielWallich.jpg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Nathaniel Wal\u00adlich came from a Ger\u00adman-Jew\u00adish fam\u00adi\u00adly and stud\u00adied med\u00adi\u00adcine and botany in Copen\u00adhagen. In 1807, he left for Ser\u00adam\u00adpore near Cal\u00adcut\u00adta in order to work as a doc\u00adtor for the Dan\u00adish trad\u00ading com\u00adpa\u00adny. When, the Dan\u00adish town of Ser\u00adam\u00adpore was occu\u00adpied by the British short\u00adly there\u00adafter dur\u00ading the Napoleon\u00adic Wars, Wal\u00adlich was at first impris\u00adoned. As a doc\u00adtor, how\u00adev\u00ader, he was in demand in the colonies, espe\u00adcial\u00adly among the Euro\u00adpeans, and he quick\u00adly estab\u00adlished con\u00adtact with influ\u00aden\u00adtial peo\u00adple like the mem\u00adbers of the Asi\u00adat\u00adic Soci\u00adety, the British Bap\u00adtist mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies William Carey and William Ward in Ser\u00adam\u00adpore, or the direc\u00adtor of the Botan\u00adi\u00adcal Gar\u00adden in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta, William Rox\u00adburgh. His strong inter\u00adest in botany was also help\u00adful in estab\u00adlish\u00ading these con\u00adtacts. Final\u00adly, it was both these aspects which helped to make him super\u00adin\u00adten\u00addent of the Botan\u00adi\u00adcal Gar\u00adden in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta in 1817. Over the fol\u00adlow\u00ading decades Wal\u00adlich organ\u00adised sev\u00ader\u00adal research and recre\u00adation\u00adal jour\u00adneys, for exam\u00adple to Nepal and Assam, to Sin\u00adga\u00adpore, to the Cape Colony and to Mau\u00adri\u00adtius. Mean\u00adwhile, his cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence net\u00adwork became increas\u00ading\u00adly glob\u00adal, spo\u00adrad\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly extend\u00ading to the USA<\/span>, Brazil and Aus\u00adtralia (Krieger 2014, 2017a, Har\u00adri\u00adson 2011, Arnold 2008).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From 1828 to 1832 Wal\u00adlich stayed in Europe and, with the per\u00admis\u00adsion of his employ\u00ader the EIC<\/span>, he dis\u00adtrib\u00aduted the plant col\u00adlec\u00adtions and dupli\u00adcates he had brought from India for eval\u00adu\u00ada\u00adtion by inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal experts for each of the rel\u00ade\u00advant fam\u00adi\u00adlies of plants. He coor\u00addi\u00adnat\u00aded this work while stay\u00ading in Lon\u00addon. Time con\u00adstraints alone made it impos\u00adsi\u00adble for him to sin\u00adgle-hand\u00aded\u00adly under\u00adtake an analy\u00adsis of the mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal gath\u00adered. There\u00adfore, he now involved renowned botanists from all over Europe (Krieger 2017a, Har\u00adri\u00adson 2011, Wal\u00adlich 1830). Along with famous British names like George Ben\u00adtham, William Jack\u00adson Hook\u00ader, Robert Brown or Robert Gre\u00adville, one also finds in his cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence names from Den\u00admark, France, Switzer\u00adland and an entire list of researchers from the wider Ger\u00adman-speak\u00ading world or Ger\u00admans work\u00ading abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wal\u00adlich him\u00adself sys\u00adtem\u00adat\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly cat\u00ada\u00adlogued his exten\u00adsive cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence which is now kept in the Cen\u00adtral Nation\u00adal Herbar\u00adi\u00adum in the Botan\u00adi\u00adcal Gar\u00adden of Cal\u00adcut\u00adta in the form of a chrono\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal index. This index also con\u00adtains infor\u00adma\u00adtion about let\u00adters that are no longer trace\u00adable as well as addi\u00adtion\u00adal bio\u00adgraph\u00adi\u00adcal infor\u00adma\u00adtion about spe\u00adcif\u00adic indi\u00advid\u00adu\u00adals that the botanist some\u00adtimes added. Unfor\u00adtu\u00adnate\u00adly, the index ends in 1831 and is, there\u00adfore, incom\u00adplete. The let\u00adters them\u00adselves, which in most cas\u00ades were addressed to Wal\u00adlich, have also been bound chrono\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly in annu\u00adal vol\u00adumes (some vol\u00adumes encom\u00adpass sev\u00ader\u00adal years). In many cas\u00ades, the date of receipt and even the date of reply are not\u00aded on the let\u00adters. How\u00adev\u00ader, the paper is some\u00adtimes either in a poor or in a very poor con\u00addi\u00adtion. Some let\u00adters have come loose from the bind\u00ading, are no longer in their orig\u00adi\u00adnal vol\u00adume and are, there\u00adfore, dif\u00adfi\u00adcult to date today if no date is men\u00adtioned, or if the date can\u00adnot be ascer\u00adtained from the contents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This makes it all the more impor\u00adtant to con\u00adsult oth\u00ader archives, which can be used to sup\u00adple\u00adment the col\u00adlec\u00adtion of let\u00adters in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta. Besides the per\u00adti\u00adnent British and Dan\u00adish archives, i.e. the hold\u00adings of their East India Com\u00adpa\u00adnies, the var\u00adi\u00adous sci\u00aden\u00adtif\u00adic soci\u00adeties, the Botan\u00adi\u00adcal Gar\u00addens in Kew (and else\u00adwhere in Great Britain) as well as in Copen\u00adhagen, Ger\u00adman archives, espe\u00adcial\u00adly the papers in the estates of indi\u00advid\u00adual botanists, are use\u00adful. Occa\u00adsion\u00adal\u00adly they con\u00adtain let\u00adters from Wal\u00adlich him\u00adself, which are some\u00adtimes only avail\u00adable as a copy or a draft in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta. Parts of the cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence that are no longer avail\u00adable there, or are dam\u00adaged, can also be found here. In addi\u00adtion, one finds dis\u00adcus\u00adsions among the botanists about Wal\u00adlich and India and about the world\u00adwide exchange, so that hold\u00adings in Syd\u00adney or Cape Town, for exam\u00adple, also become rel\u00ade\u00advant. With the help of these sources one can exam\u00adine the prac\u00adtice and the actu\u00adal process of botan\u00adi\u00adcal research and com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adca\u00adtion on India and beyond and the role of glob\u00adal net\u00adworks, but also career strate\u00adgies and struc\u00adtures of patron\u00adage of indi\u00advid\u00adual pro\u00adtag\u00ado\u00adnists and insti\u00adtu\u00adtions. The over\u00adar\u00adch\u00ading ques\u00adtion in all this con\u00adcerns the par\u00adtic\u00adi\u00adpa\u00adtion of Ger\u00admans in the impe\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal pen\u00ade\u00adtra\u00adtion of India. After all, even at this point of time Ger\u00adman-speak\u00ading botanists par\u00adtic\u00adi\u00adpat\u00aded in the empire of knowl\u00adedge<\/em>, prof\u00adit\u00aded from its col\u00adlec\u00adtions and from inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal exchange and con\u00adtributed to it with their own arti\u00adcles. With their sci\u00aden\u00adtif\u00adic exper\u00adtise they thus cre\u00adat\u00aded or sup\u00adport\u00aded, con\u00adscious\u00adly or uncon\u00adscious\u00adly, the colo\u00adnial man\u00adage\u00adment of eco-sys\u00adtems and, in end effect, also their exploita\u00adtion. Botany was often close\u00adly inter\u00adtwined with polit\u00adi\u00adcal and bureau\u00adcrat\u00adic struc\u00adtures and both sides were depen\u00addent on each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Germans in the Colonies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Category:Plantae_Asiaticae_Rariores#\/media\/File:Plantae_Asiaticae_Rariores_-_plate_001_-_Amherstia_nobilis.jpg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Wallich\u2019s schol\u00adar\u00adly net\u00adwork, which was not just lim\u00adit\u00aded to peo\u00adple who only stud\u00adied plants, but also includ\u00aded nat\u00adu\u00adral\u00adists in gen\u00ader\u00adal as also philol\u00ado\u00adgists and his\u00adto\u00adri\u00adans, Ger\u00adman-speak\u00ading researchers occu\u00adpy a con\u00adsid\u00ader\u00adable space. How\u00adev\u00ader, a dis\u00adtinc\u00adtion must be made between those on the spot, i.e. those who were qua\u00adsi in the field as col\u00adlec\u00adtors in India or in oth\u00ader colonies and those who only shared mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal and cor\u00adre\u00adspond\u00aded with Wal\u00adlich from study-rooms at home. The lat\u00adter group main\u00adly con\u00adsists of uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty pro\u00adfes\u00adsors or peo\u00adple in charge of botan\u00adi\u00adcal gar\u00addens, while those in the for\u00admer group could often also be ama\u00adteur botanists who, along with their main job, for exam\u00adple as mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies, as ship cap\u00adtains, as phar\u00adma\u00adcists or in the mil\u00adi\u00adtary, col\u00adlect\u00aded flo\u00adra and fau\u00adna. The tran\u00adsi\u00adtions were flu\u00adid. Wal\u00adlich him\u00adself had been a doc\u00adtor before he took over the Botan\u00adi\u00adcal Gar\u00adden. A major com\u00adpo\u00adnent of his train\u00ading, how\u00adev\u00ader, had also been botany (Krieger 2014). The same is also true for phar\u00adma\u00adcists who emi\u00adgrat\u00aded in large num\u00adbers to the colonies in the nine\u00adteenth cen\u00adtu\u00adry due to the lack of prospects in Europe. In addi\u00adtion to the cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addents already named, there were also Ger\u00admans who did not them\u00adselves botanise, but who offered help, for exam\u00adple, by pro\u00advid\u00ading infra\u00adstruc\u00adture and logis\u00adtics, or by facil\u00adi\u00adtat\u00ading valu\u00adable con\u00adtacts. For instance, in 1843 Wal\u00adlich par\u00adtic\u00adi\u00adpat\u00aded in a sur\u00advey\u00ading expe\u00addi\u00adtion in South Africa, which he want\u00aded to use for botan\u00adi\u00adcal excur\u00adsions in the Ceder\u00adberg moun\u00adtains (Krieger 2017a). Ships often docked in the Cape Colony as a stopover sta\u00adtion to and from India in order also to pick up pro\u00advi\u00adsions. Some Ger\u00adman botanists and ama\u00adteur explor\u00aders, like Adel\u00adbert von Chamis\u00adso, in 1818, also used this halt for small\u00ader excur\u00adsions and there\u00adfore sought con\u00adtact with the many Ger\u00admans liv\u00ading in Cape Town (Chamis\u00adso 1836), who were con\u00adspic\u00adu\u00adous\u00adly recruit\u00aded from the phar\u00adma\u00adceu\u00adti\u00adcal indus\u00adtry and often also botanised. For his sur\u00advey\u00ading expe\u00addi\u00adtion, how\u00adev\u00ader, Wal\u00adlich con\u00adtact\u00aded the Rhen\u00adish Mis\u00adsion at the South African Wup\u00adperthal mis\u00adsion sta\u00adtion, named after the Ger\u00adman town. From there local porters, ox-wag\u00adons and food sup\u00adplies were organ\u00adised. Often the mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies were already in regions which the Euro\u00adpeans had not yet devel\u00adoped, or which were com\u00adplete\u00adly unknown. Thus, they could offer a base and local knowl\u00adedge. In Wallich\u2019s cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence there is a map of the Cape Colony giv\u00aden to him by the Rhen\u00adish Mis\u00adsion in which the var\u00adi\u00adous sta\u00adtions of the dif\u00adfer\u00adent mis\u00adsion soci\u00adeties were marked. Con\u00adverse\u00adly, the botanist and doc\u00adtor helped the mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies with med\u00adical prob\u00adlems since doc\u00adtors were rare, par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adly in rur\u00adal regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long before Wallich\u2019s sojourn in South Africa, var\u00adi\u00adous Ger\u00adman botanists had writ\u00adten to him from there, one of them being the well-known phar\u00adma\u00adcist Carl Fer\u00addi\u00adnand Hein\u00adrich von Lud\u00adwig, known as Baron Lud\u00adwig.  This man from W\u00fcrt\u00adtem\u00adberg had acquired con\u00adsid\u00ader\u00adable eco\u00adnom\u00adic and polit\u00adi\u00adcal influ\u00adence in the colo\u00adnial soci\u00adety of Cape Town. His real pas\u00adsion, how\u00adev\u00ader, was to botanise, which led, among oth\u00ader things, to set\u00adting up a botan\u00adi\u00adcal gar\u00adden that an increas\u00ading num\u00adber of Euro\u00adpean guests came to vis\u00adit (Brad\u00adlow 1965). He was con\u00adstant\u00adly on the look\u00adout for plants from all parts of the world for his gar\u00adden, and he had also con\u00adtact\u00aded Wal\u00adlich in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta in this con\u00adtext. Wal\u00adlich was also con\u00adtact\u00aded by Ger\u00adman botanists Carl Wil\u00adhelm Lud\u00adwig Pappe, a doc\u00adtor, as well as Karl Lud\u00adwig Philipp Zey\u00adher and Chris\u00adt\u00adian Friedrich Eck\u00adlon, both phar\u00adma\u00adcists, liv\u00ading in Cape Town. In the lat\u00adter cas\u00ades, two ship\u2019s cap\u00adtains had paved the way as per\u00adson\u00adal con\u00adnect\u00ading links so to speak on the route between Cape Town and Cal\u00adcut\u00adta. In exchange for South Asian plants, the Ger\u00adman botanists offered Wal\u00adlich plants from South Africa. Wal\u00adlich lat\u00ader vis\u00adit\u00aded all of them dur\u00ading his stay in Cape Town, and a brisk exchange took place with plants being redis\u00adtrib\u00aduted, for exam\u00adple, to India, Eng\u00adland, or Ger\u00admany. Cape Town served as the nodal point for communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is notice\u00adable that in his cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence with mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies of the Cape Colony, Wal\u00adlich does not deal with any botan\u00adi\u00adcal ques\u00adtions. This is in marked con\u00adtrast to the cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence with mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies in South Asia who were active as col\u00adlec\u00adtors and part\u00adly also as sci\u00aden\u00adtists and who, for this rea\u00adson alone, sought con\u00adtact with Wal\u00adlich and oth\u00ader nat\u00adu\u00adral\u00adists. The Mora\u00advian Ben\u00adjamin Heyne is one of them, as are Bern\u00adhard Schmid and oth\u00aders. Besides these, one would also have to name some Ger\u00adman mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies of the Dan\u00adish-Eng\u00adlish-Halle mis\u00adsion which had been work\u00ading since 1706 in and around Tran\u00adque\u00adbar. These mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies were Christoph Samuel John, Johann Got\u00adtfried Klein, and Johann Peter Rot\u00adtler, who had known Wallich\u2019s pre\u00adde\u00adces\u00adsor, William Rox\u00adburgh, in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta (Robin\u00adson 2008). Lat\u00ader, in Europe, Wal\u00adlich also gave away parts of their India col\u00adlec\u00adtions to Ger\u00adman botanists for fur\u00adther study. By far the most impor\u00adtant, how\u00adev\u00ader, were the British Bap\u00adtist mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies in Ser\u00adam\u00adpore who, unlike the mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies in South India, were even geo\u00adgraph\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly clos\u00ader to Wal\u00adlich and his fam\u00adi\u00adly. The long-stand\u00ading Dan\u00adish-Eng\u00adlish-Halle mis\u00adsion was already in a peri\u00adod of decline, the Mora\u00advian Brethren had already left Ben\u00adgal when Wal\u00adlich arrived there and soon after they even left India. For the mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies left in India, who lived in rather pre\u00adcar\u00adi\u00adous cir\u00adcum\u00adstances, col\u00adlect\u00ading and sell\u00ading plants was some\u00adtimes a busi\u00adness mod\u00adel with good prospects. This was true, for exam\u00adple, of Schmid who, after the Church Mis\u00adsion Soci\u00adety could no longer sup\u00adport him in 1845, intend\u00aded to set up his own botan\u00adi\u00adcal gar\u00adden in the Nil\u00adgiri moun\u00adtains and to sell plants from all over the world to Eng\u00adland. The mis\u00adsion direc\u00adtors in Europe did not always approve of such activ\u00adi\u00adties. Despite this, a rel\u00ada\u00adtive\u00adly large num\u00adber of mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies took part in the study of nature. They includ\u00aded, along with the groups already men\u00adtioned, also the mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies of the Basel mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mil\u00adi\u00adtary per\u00adson\u00adnel in con\u00adtact with Wal\u00adlich were most\u00adly from the British army. India-trav\u00adellers who had a mil\u00adi\u00adtary ori\u00aden\u00adta\u00adtion like Leopold von Orlich or Wern\u00ader Friedrich Hoffmeis\u00adter, who accom\u00adpa\u00adnied Prince Walde\u00admar of Prus\u00adsia on his jour\u00adney through India, also briefly men\u00adtion the Botan\u00adi\u00adcal Gar\u00adden in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta, the muse\u00adum there, or even Wal\u00adlich in their pub\u00adlished trav\u00adel\u00adogues (Orlich 1845, Hoffmeis\u00adter 1847, Ori\u00ado\u00adla 1853). How\u00adev\u00ader, Wallich\u2019s cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence does not con\u00adtain any let\u00adters from them. Von Orlich is only men\u00adtioned indi\u00adrect\u00adly. They were often con\u00adcerned with eco\u00adnom\u00adic top\u00adics such as opi\u00adum cul\u00adti\u00adva\u00adtion in Pat\u00adna. Hoffmeis\u00adter and von Orlich were also in con\u00adtact with Alexan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt. Hoffmeis\u00adter wrote trea\u00adtis\u00ades on plants col\u00adlect\u00aded in India and on veg\u00ade\u00adta\u00adtion zones, and he also under\u00adtook his own mea\u00adsure\u00adments. He sent his Indi\u00adan herbar\u00adi\u00adum for eval\u00adu\u00ada\u00adtion to Johann Friedrich Klotzsch, cus\u00adto\u00addi\u00adan of the Botan\u00adi\u00adcal Gar\u00adden in Berlin (Hoffmeis\u00adter 1846, Gar\u00adcke 1862).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ger\u00adman sci\u00aden\u00adtif\u00adic explor\u00aders were far more sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant, but they sel\u00addom received per\u00admis\u00adsion from the EIC<\/span> to work in India. Rival\u00adries cer\u00adtain\u00adly played a role in this, although many botanists demand\u00aded that the Ger\u00admans be includ\u00aded to a far greater extent. It was more by chance that Wal\u00adlich met Carl Theodor Philip\u00adpi from Berlin, nephew of the botanist Rudolf Aman\u00addus Philip\u00adpi. Dur\u00ading his own South East Asian jour\u00adney, C. T. Philip\u00adpi tem\u00adporar\u00adi\u00adly took part in the Dan\u00adish Galathea expe\u00addi\u00adtion which cir\u00adcum\u00adnav\u00adi\u00adgat\u00aded the world between 1845 and 1847, under\u00adtook some explo\u00adrations on the Nico\u00adbar Islands and, among oth\u00ader places, also vis\u00adit\u00aded Cal\u00adcut\u00adta. C. T. Philip\u00adpi col\u00adlect\u00aded some mol\u00adluscs that were lat\u00ader described by his uncle (Kabat, Coan 2017). In Cal\u00adcut\u00adta, Wal\u00adlich also gave the for\u00admer some seeds and plants, which he sent on to Berlin where Alexan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt and some politi\u00adcians, among oth\u00aders, dis\u00adtrib\u00aduted them to var\u00adi\u00adous botanists (Krieger 2017b). There is also some indi\u00adca\u00adtion of Pruss\u00adian colo\u00adnial inter\u00adests because Philip\u00adpi even sent sam\u00adples of dif\u00adfer\u00adent pre\u00adcious met\u00adals to Berlin. In Philippi\u2019s opin\u00adion, the cap\u00adtain of the Galathea, Steen Bille, was also inter\u00adest\u00aded in a pos\u00adsi\u00adble \u201ccul\u00adti\u00adva\u00adtion\u201d of the Nico\u00adbar Islands by the Danes (Bille 1852, 169). Wallich\u2019s con\u00adtact with the Bohemi\u00adans Johann Wil\u00adhelm Helfer and his wife Pauline was far more inten\u00adsive. Among oth\u00ader things, Helfer had tak\u00aden part in Colonel Chesney\u2019s Euphrates-expe\u00addi\u00adtion in 1836 and had then trav\u00adelled on to India where he tried to obtain research com\u00admis\u00adsions by high\u00adlight\u00ading spe\u00adcif\u00adic themes in lec\u00adtures. Osten\u00adsi\u00adbly he was empha\u00adsiz\u00ading \u2014 as the EIC<\/span> want\u00aded \u2013 mer\u00adcan\u00adtile inter\u00adests, but his real motives also had to do with the study of nature (Nos\u00adtiz 2004). Wal\u00adlich was instru\u00admen\u00adtal in paving the way for an expe\u00addi\u00adtion to Tenasser\u00adim financed by the EIC<\/span>, for which Helfer received let\u00adters of rec\u00adom\u00admen\u00adda\u00adtion and instruc\u00adtions from the botanist. In return, the explor\u00ader wrote to Wal\u00adlich about the dif\u00adfi\u00adcul\u00adties and the results of his jour\u00adney, but he tried to be fair to all his spon\u00adsors by empha\u00adsiz\u00ading his botan\u00adi\u00adcal inter\u00adests to Wal\u00adlich in par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar, but by also work\u00ading on ques\u00adtions of the search for raw mate\u00adri\u00adals (wood, min\u00ader\u00adal coal etc.) for Britain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>The German-speaking World<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"An
https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Carl_Friedrich_Philipp_von_Martius#\/media\/File:Carl_Friedrich_Philipp_von_Martius.jpg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Wallich\u2019s cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence with peo\u00adple in the Ger\u00adman-speak\u00ading world took place main\u00adly dur\u00ading his sojourn in Europe between 1828 and 1832 and relat\u00aded to the gen\u00ader\u00adous dis\u00adtri\u00adb\u00adu\u00adtion of the Indi\u00adan plants he had tak\u00aden with him. Before this peri\u00adod, there are only few such direct con\u00adtacts, but after this some con\u00adtin\u00adued and devel\u00adoped into friend\u00adships. The botanist Johann Georg Chris\u00adt\u00adian Lehmann, pro\u00adfes\u00adsor for nat\u00adur\u00adal his\u00adto\u00adry and founder of the Ham\u00adburg Botan\u00adi\u00adcal Gar\u00adden, and the pro\u00adfes\u00adsor of botany in Berlin, Karl Sigis\u00admund Kunth, even vis\u00adit\u00aded Wal\u00adlich in Lon\u00addon in order to get a first-hand impres\u00adsion of the Indi\u00adan plants and also met his fam\u00adi\u00adly in the process. Oth\u00ader botanists like Chris\u00adt\u00adian Got\u00adtfried Daniel Nees von Esen\u00adbeck of Bonn and Bres\u00adlau (Wro\u00adclaw), direc\u00adtor of the Leopold\u00adina from 1818 till 1858, or Carl Friedrich Philipp von Mar\u00adtius of Munich regret\u00adted not hav\u00ading done this, but they remained in active con\u00adtact with Wal\u00adlich even after he had returned to India. Accord\u00ading\u00adly, the cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence that is acces\u00adsi\u00adble deals not only with spe\u00adcial\u00adist top\u00adics, but also touch\u00ades upon, for exam\u00adple, fam\u00adi\u00adly, health, or even polit\u00adi\u00adcal issues. Ques\u00adtions of com\u00adpe\u00adti\u00adtion and career were also sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant aspects of the cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence. Alleged\u00adly unjus\u00adti\u00adfied appoint\u00adments, rival\u00adries and oth\u00ader scan\u00addals in the uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adties and botan\u00adi\u00adcal gar\u00addens were men\u00adtioned, or attempts were made to place one\u2019s own stu\u00addents or oth\u00ader acquain\u00adtances with Wal\u00adlich in India. The con\u00adnec\u00adtions were also based on the prin\u00adci\u00adple of rec\u00adi\u00adp\u00adro\u00adcal ben\u00ade\u00adfits. These includ\u00aded expec\u00adta\u00adtions of rec\u00adi\u00adp\u00adro\u00adcal cita\u00adtions, of plant exchanges and fore\u00adwords, of trans\u00adla\u00adtions, sub\u00adscrip\u00adtions and of the nam\u00ading of plants after sci\u00aden\u00adtists. Lob\u00adby\u00ading in each other\u2019s coun\u00adtries was also part of this since the 1830s was a peri\u00adod when there was grow\u00ading pres\u00adsure on British botanists to attune their work more to the inter\u00adests of the econ\u00ado\u00admy and to the prin\u00adci\u00adple of use\u00adful\u00adness (Dray\u00adton 2000).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The insti\u00adtu\u00adtion\u00adal dimen\u00adsion, there\u00adfore, was not only a ques\u00adtion of mem\u00adber\u00adship in sci\u00aden\u00adtif\u00adic acad\u00ade\u00admies, but also let\u00adters of thanks from or to state insti\u00adtu\u00adtions. Act\u00ading upon Wallich\u2019s advice and for\u00adward\u00aded by him, von Mar\u00adtius sent the direc\u00adtors of the EIC<\/span> a thank-you let\u00adter and his writ\u00adten works for the EIC<\/span> library at the Cal\u00adcut\u00adta Botan\u00adi\u00adcal Gar\u00adden. At the meet\u00ading of Ger\u00adman nat\u00adu\u00adral\u00adists and doc\u00adtors in 1830 in Ham\u00adburg, the botan\u00adi\u00adcal sec\u00adtion resolved to fol\u00adlow Lehmann\u2019s wish\u00ades and to send, as a mark of their grat\u00adi\u00adtude, a joint let\u00adter each to the EIC<\/span>, to Wal\u00adlich and to the King of Eng\u00adland. The let\u00adters were also accom\u00adpa\u00adnied by the request to allow Wal\u00adlich to stay longer in Europe to bet\u00adter organ\u00adise the pub\u00adli\u00adca\u00adtion of his works. Oth\u00ader offi\u00adcial insti\u00adtu\u00adtions were also involved in the sci\u00aden\u00adtif\u00adic exchange. Through the direc\u00adtor Hein\u00adrich Friedrich Link, the poet and nat\u00adu\u00adral\u00adist Adel\u00adbert von Chamis\u00adso and the cus\u00adto\u00addi\u00adan Johann Friedrich Klotzsch the Pruss\u00adian Min\u00adis\u00adter of Cul\u00adture, Karl vom Stein zum Altenstein expressed his thanks in 1837 to Wal\u00adlich in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta and Robert Wight in Madras for the col\u00adlec\u00adtions placed at the dis\u00adpos\u00adal of the Neu-Sch\u04e7neberg Herbarium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indi\u00adrect con\u00adnec\u00adtions to indi\u00advid\u00adual botanists were also estab\u00adlished. When, for exam\u00adple, Bern\u00adhard Schmid returned from India, he vis\u00adit\u00aded Jonathan Carl Zenker, pro\u00adfes\u00adsor of botany in Jena, and hand\u00aded over the plants he had col\u00adlect\u00aded in India so that they could be described and drawn. Zenker had also estab\u00adlished an India-sec\u00adtion in the Botan\u00adi\u00adcal Gar\u00adden in Jena. Schmid wrote a detailed let\u00adter to Wal\u00adlich about this meet\u00ading. Botanists also often sought the help of their col\u00adleagues to for\u00adward a par\u00adcel when it was a ques\u00adtion of using the fastest and most favourable route for send\u00ading plants or lit\u00ader\u00ada\u00adture. Nees von Esen\u00adbeck asked Wal\u00adlich to send him texts to Bres\u00adlau (Wro\u00adclaw) through Lehmann in Ham\u00adburg. Wal\u00adlich also had to for\u00adward plants to British col\u00adleagues, or Lehmann would facil\u00adi\u00adtate trans\u00adport to or from South Africa and from there to India. In this way one also shared infor\u00adma\u00adtion about botanist col\u00adleagues, regard\u00adless of whether one knew them per\u00adson\u00adal\u00adly or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Archives and Holdings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Depart\u00adment for the His\u00adto\u00adry of North\u00adern Europe at the Chris\u00adt\u00adian Albrechts Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty in Kiel offers an open access data\u00adbase with infor\u00adma\u00adtion about rough\u00adly 5000 let\u00adters of var\u00adi\u00adous prove\u00adnances from and to Wal\u00adlich. Data added includes author, addressee, place and date, wher\u00adev\u00ader avail\u00adable, bio\u00adgraph\u00adi\u00adcal data for the most impor\u00adtant peo\u00adple, as well as the rel\u00ade\u00advant archives. In addi\u00adtion to the Wal\u00adlich doc\u00adu\u00adments, it is worth\u00adwhile to look at lit\u00ader\u00adary estates and auto\u00adgraph-col\u00adlec\u00adtions of oth\u00ader Ger\u00adman archives. Much of the mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal is acces\u00adsi\u00adble online in the Kalliope Union Cat\u00ada\u00adlog. As far as the Berlin hold\u00adings of Adel\u00adbert von Chamis\u00adso or Alexan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt are con\u00adcerned, most of the doc\u00adu\u00adments can even be accessed online. Hum\u00adboldt him\u00adself rarely appears in the Wal\u00adlich hold\u00adings, but he seems to have often received botan\u00adi\u00adcal mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal and infor\u00adma\u00adtion from Wal\u00adlich. Hum\u00adboldt was, in gen\u00ader\u00adal, extreme\u00adly inter\u00adest\u00aded in India, and this result\u00aded in his sup\u00adport for var\u00adi\u00adous India-trav\u00adellers such as von Orlich and the Schlag\u00adin\u00adtweit broth\u00aders. He him\u00adself could not trav\u00adel to India due to oppo\u00adsi\u00adtion from the EIC<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also inter\u00adest\u00ading are the hold\u00adings of the Zoo\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal Muse\u00adum in what is today called the Muse\u00adum f\u00fcr Naturkunde (Nat\u00adur\u00adal His\u00adto\u00adry Muse\u00adum) in Berlin (His\u00adtor\u00adi\u00adcal Depart\u00adment). Although the hold\u00adings that are organ\u00adised by name (Zool. Mus.) do not con\u00adtain any let\u00adter from Wal\u00adlich, they do have some archival doc\u00adu\u00adments about Johann Wil\u00adhelm Helfer\u2019s expe\u00addi\u00adtion to Tenasser\u00adim and the role played by Alexan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt in it. The same is true for Leopold von Orlich and his lat\u00ader attempts to serve as the inter\u00adme\u00addi\u00adary for the nat\u00adur\u00adal his\u00adto\u00adry exchange between Berlin and India, or for the nat\u00adur\u00adal his\u00adto\u00adry spec\u00adi\u00admens brought by Wern\u00ader Hoffmeis\u00adter. Unfor\u00adtu\u00adnate\u00adly, most of the doc\u00adu\u00adments in the Berlin\u00ader Botanis\u00adchen Garten (Berlin Botan\u00adi\u00adcal Gar\u00adden) were lost dur\u00ading the Sec\u00adond World War. There\u00adfore, there is noth\u00ading to be found there on Wallich.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rudolph Ben\u00adno von R\u04e7mer\u2019s exten\u00adsive col\u00adlec\u00adtion in Leipzig is of spe\u00adcial inter\u00adest. He was friends with the pro\u00adfes\u00adsor of botany Gus\u00adtav Kun\u00adze, inter\u00adest\u00aded in botany after study\u00ading under Kun\u00adze and a famous col\u00adlec\u00adtor. He left all his books on botany as well as his exten\u00adsive herbar\u00adi\u00adum to the Uni\u00adver\u00adsit\u00e4ts\u00adbib\u00adlio\u00adthek Leipzig (Leipzig Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty library) where the hold\u00adings can be accessed today (UB<\/span> Leipzig, Slg. R\u04e7mer\/NL<\/span> 133). Kunze\u2019s lit\u00ader\u00adary estate is also avail\u00adable there (UB<\/span> Leipzig, Nach\u00adlass Gus\u00adtav Kun\u00adze Ms.0352) and, apart from some let\u00adters about Wallich\u2019s India col\u00adlec\u00adtion, it also con\u00adtains cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence with the botanists of the Cape Colony, some of whom had been Kunze\u2019s stu\u00addents, with pro\u00adfes\u00adso\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal col\u00adleagues and with Bern\u00adhard Schmid. The let\u00adters have been list\u00aded in Kalliope. The same holds true for the exten\u00adsive cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence of the botanist von Mar\u00adtius in Munich, which is kept in the Bay\u00aderische Staats\u00adbib\u00adlio\u00adthek (Bavar\u00adi\u00adan State Library) in Munich (BSB<\/span> Mar\u00adtiu\u00adsana II<\/span> A) and, com\u00adpared to that of oth\u00ader Ger\u00adman pro\u00adfes\u00adsors, con\u00adtains the largest amount of source mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal on Wal\u00adlich and India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An overview of the hold\u00adings of the Ham\u00adburg botanist Lehmann are on the web\u00adsite of the Staats- und Uni\u00adver\u00adsit\u00e4ts\u00adbib\u00adlio\u00adthek Ham\u00adburg (State- and Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty Library Ham\u00adburg) (http:\/\/www.sub.uni-hamburg.de\/sammlungen\/nachlass-und-autographen\u200csammlung\u200c\/\u200cna\u200cc\u200ch\u200claesse-und-autographen-von-a\u2011z.html#c6563<\/a>), which is stor\u00ading parts of the estate (Nach\u00adlass Johann Georg Chris\u00adt\u00adian Lehmann, 1 Archivkas\u00adten, 1 Bd. NL<\/span> Lehmann, Briefe an Lehmann (Thes. ep.: 4o <\/sup>: 65) und Diplome (Bd.); Adres\u00adsat Briefe NJGL<\/span>: B; Ver\u00adfass\u00ader Brief LA<\/span> (Lit\u00ader\u00adat\u00adu\u00adrar\u00adchiv): Lehmann, Johann Georg Chris\u00adt\u00adian). Besides his Wal\u00adlich-let\u00adters his cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addence with South Africa and his work as an inter\u00adme\u00addi\u00adary are of great interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The let\u00adters of the India mis\u00adsion\u00adary Bern\u00adhard Schmid, on the oth\u00ader hand, are dis\u00adtrib\u00aduted across var\u00adi\u00adous archives and libraries. They can be found online in the well-cat\u00ada\u00adlogued Mis\u00adsion\u00adsarchiv der Franck\u00adeschen Stiftun\u00adgen zu Halle (mis\u00adsion archives of the Francke Foun\u00adda\u00adtions at Halle) (AFSt\/M), where oth\u00ader mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies like John, Klein, or Rot\u00adtler can also be found, as also in the Uni\u00adver\u00adsit\u00e4ts\u00adbib\u00adlio\u00adthek Hei\u00addel\u00adberg (Hei\u00addel\u00adberg uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty library) and scat\u00adtered in Nurem\u00adberg or Dres\u00adden or in Kunze\u2019s estate in Leipzig. The mis\u00adsion\u00adar\u00adies par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar\u00adly pro\u00advide good insights into the con\u00adcrete prac\u00adtice of col\u00adlect\u00ading plants on site in India, the dif\u00adfi\u00adcul\u00adties that arose there\u00adin, and the paths and dis\u00adtri\u00adb\u00adu\u00adtion of the col\u00adlec\u00adtions. Also of inter\u00adest are the hold\u00adings of the Leopold\u00adina in Halle relat\u00aded to its pres\u00adi\u00addent Nees von Esen\u00adbeck, who was in close con\u00adtact with Wal\u00adlich and oth\u00ader botanists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Published Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bille, Steen, Bericht \u00fcber die Reise der Corvette Galathea um die Welt in den Jahren 1845, 46 und 47.<\/em> Aus dem D\u00e4nis\u00adchen \u00fcber\u00adset\u00adzt, und theil\u00adweise bear\u00adbeit\u00adet von W. v. Rosen, 1. Bd. Kopen\u00adhagen, Leipzig: 1852.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chamis\u00adso, Adel\u00adbert von, Reise um die Welt.<\/em> 2 Bde. Leipzig: 1836.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hoffmeis\u00adter, Adolph (Hg.), Briefe aus Indi\u00aden, von W. Hoffmeis\u00adter, Arzt im Gefolge Sr. K\u00f6nigl. Hoheit des Prinzen Walde\u00admar von Preussen; nach dessen nachge\u00adlasse\u00adnen Briefen u. Tage\u00adb\u00fcch\u00adern. <\/em>Mit ein\u00ader Vorrede von C. Rit\u00adter und sieben topographis\u00adchen Karten. Braun\u00adschweig: 1847.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hoffmeis\u00adter, Wern\u00ader, \u201cUeber die Ver\u00adbre\u00aditung der Conifer\u00aden am Himalayah, aus einem Schreiben des Dr. W. Hoffmeis\u00adter an Hrn. v. Hum\u00adboldt\u201d. Botanis\u00adche Zeitung<\/em> 4 (1846), S. 177\u2013185.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klotzsch, Friedrich und August Gar\u00adcke, Die botanis\u00adchen Ergeb\u00adnisse der Reise sein\u00ader K\u00f6niglichen Hoheit des Prinzen Walde\u00admar von Preu\u00dfen in den Jahren 1845 und 1846 durch Wern\u00ader Hoffmeis\u00adter auf Cey\u00adlon, dem Himalaya und an den Gren\u00adzen von Tibet gesam\u00admelte Pflanzen.<\/em> 2 Bde. Berlin: 1862.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nos\u00adtiz, Gr\u00e4fin Pauline, Johann Wil\u00adhelm Helfer\u2019s Reisen in Vorderasien und Indi\u00aden<\/em>. Berlin: 2004 (zuerst Leipzig: 1873).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ori\u00ado\u00adla, Eduard von, Hein\u00adrich Mahlmann, Zur Erin\u00adnerung an die Reise des Prinzen Walde\u00admar von Preu\u00dfen nach Indi\u00aden in den Jahren 1844\u20131846.<\/em> Die Illus\u00adtra\u00adtio\u00adnen aus\u00adge\u00adf\u00fchrt nach Reis\u00adeskizzen des Prinzen von Fer\u00addi\u00adnand Beller\u00admann und Her\u00admann Kret\u00adzschmer. 2 Bde. Berlin: 1853.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Orlich, Leopold von, Reise in Ostin\u00addi\u00aden, in Briefen an Alexan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt und Carl Rit\u00adter<\/em>. 2 Bde. Leipzig: 1845.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wal\u00adlich, Nathaniel, Plan\u00adtae Asi\u00adat\u00adi\u00adcae rar\u00adi\u00adores, or, Descrip\u00adtions and fig\u00adures of a select num\u00adber of unpub\u00adlished East Indi\u00adan plants.<\/em> 3 Vols. Lon\u00addon: 1830\u201332.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Secondary Literature<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arnold, David, \u201cPlant Cap\u00adi\u00adtal\u00adism and Com\u00adpa\u00adny Sci\u00adence. The Indi\u00adan Career of Nathaniel Wal\u00adlich\u201d. Mod\u00adern Asian Stud\u00adies<\/em> 42, 5 (2008): pp. 899\u2013928.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brad\u00adlow, Frank R., Baron von Lud\u00adwig and the Ludwig\u2019s\u2011Burg Gar\u00adden. A Chron\u00adi\u00adcle of the Cape from 1806 to 1848. <\/em>Cape Town: 1965.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dray\u00adton, Richard, Nature\u2019s Gov\u00adern\u00adment. Sci\u00adence, Impe\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal Britain, and the \u201aImprove\u00adment\u2018 of the World. <\/em>New Haven: 2000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Har\u00adri\u00adson, Mark, \u201cThe Cal\u00adcut\u00adta Botan\u00adic Gar\u00adden and the Wider World, 1817\u201346\u201d. In: Uma Das Gup\u00adta (ed.) Sci\u00adence and Mod\u00adern India: An Insti\u00adtu\u00adtion\u00adal His\u00adto\u00adry, c.1784\u20131947<\/em>. Del\u00adhi: 2011, pp. 235\u2013255.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kabat, Alan R. und Eugene Vic\u00adtor Coan, \u201cThe Life and Work of Rudolph Aman\u00addus Philip\u00adpi (1808\u20131904)\u201d. Mala\u00adcolo\u00adgia<\/em> 60, 1\u20132 (2017): pp. 1\u201330.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Krieger, Mar\u00adtin, Nathaniel Wal\u00adlich. Ein Botaniker zwis\u00adchen Kopen\u00adhagen und Kalkut\u00adta.<\/em> Ham\u00adburg-Kiel: 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014\u2014\u2013, \u201eDie \u201aGalathea\u2018 in Kalkut\u00adta. Natur\u00adforschung und kolo\u00adniale Macht\u201c. In: Oliv\u00ader Auge, Mar\u00adtin G\u00f6ll\u00adnitz (Hg.) Mit Forscher\u00addrang und Aben\u00adteuer\u00adlust. Expe\u00addi\u00adtio\u00adnen und Forschungsreisen Kiel\u00ader Wis\u00adsenschaft\u00adlerin\u00adnen und Wis\u00adsenschaftler<\/em>. Frank\u00adfurt am Main: 2017, S. 23\u201336.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014\u2014\u2013, \u201cNathaniel Wal\u00adlichs kar\u00adriere i Ser\u00adam\u00adpore og Cal\u00adcut\u00adta 1808\u20131815\u201d. Per\u00adson\u00adal\u00adhis\u00adtorisk Tidsskrift <\/em>2014, pp. 69\u201386.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin\u00adson, Tim, William Rox\u00adburgh. The Found\u00ading Father of Indi\u00adan Botany<\/em>. Chich\u00adester: 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tobias Delfs, IAAW<\/span><\/em>, Hum\u00adboldt-Uni\u00adver\u00adsit\u00e4t zu Berlin<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

MIDA<\/span> Archival Reflex\u00adi\u00adcon<\/strong>

Edi\u00adtors: Anan\u00addi\u00adta Baj\u00adpai, Heike Liebau<\/strong>
Lay\u00adout: Mon\u00adja Hof\u00admann, Nico Putz<\/strong>
Host: ZMO<\/span>, Kirch\u00adweg 33, 14129 Berlin<\/strong>
Con\u00adtact: archival.reflexicon [at] zmo.de<\/strong>

ISSN<\/span> 2628\u20135029<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2175,"template":"","categories":[54],"tags":[104,106,118,83,119,79],"class_list":["post-2167","reflexicon","type-reflexicon","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reflexicon","tag-biographie","tag-biography","tag-environmental-history","tag-history-of-science","tag-umweltgeschichte","tag-wissenschaftsgeschichte"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe German Network around the Danish Botanist and Superintendent of the Botanical Garden in Calcutta, Nathaniel Wallich (1786-1854) - MIDA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tobias Delfs describes the German network surrounding Danish botanist Nathaniel Wallich, superintendent of the botanical gardens Calcutta.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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