Engländer - rara avis in terris
Engländer - rara avis in terris
Among the outstanding private libraries last transferred to USB Cologne is the collection of Hans Engländer. The natural scientist and long-time professor at the University of Cologne bequeathed 4,000 extraordinarily valuable books from the field of zoology, especially ornithology, to the USB in his will. Hans Englländer was not only an excellent scientist, but also an excellent book expert, both special features which were combined in his library. He collected precious manuscripts, incunabula, early modern editions and some of the 19th century, including many rare works of impressive beauty and in excellent condition, all his life. With this collection, the USB Cologne moves into the first row of German libraries with large stocks of zoological literature, alongside Berlin, Munich and Wolfenbüttel (R. Schlenker).
The Hans Engländer Collection is currently under construction.
Biographical notes on Hans Engländer (1914 -2011)
After successfully completing his first dissertation project on "The Orientation of Bees" with zoologist and later Nobel Prize winner Karl von Frisch at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences in Munich, Hans Engländer received his doctorate only one year later (1942) from the Faculty of Medicine on "The Teaching of Vision by Albrecht von Haller", a universal scholar of the 18th century. After working briefly at the Institute of Hygiene in Saarbrücken, he finally began his university career in 1948 as an assistant at the Zoological Institute of the University of Cologne. His work as a lecturer and researcher always focused on ornithology.
As an enthusiastic and inspiring teacher at the University of Cologne, Hans Engländer has introduced many generations of students to the subject of zoology and has deeply impressed them not only as scientists but also as people through his straightforwardness, his great knowledge and his modesty. The passionate bibliophile felt a special connection to the USB and has been a member of the Cologne Library Society since its foundation.
A special ornithological library
In addition to researching the animals themselves, especially the birds, Hans Englander was particularly interested in their reflection in scientific literature. Financially well off by nature, in his long life until literally in his last days he built up a very valuable private library on zoology, especially on ornithology, comprising precious manuscripts, incunabula, early modern and editions of the 19th century, including many valuable and well-preserved works of art. Hans Englländer was not only an excellent natural science expert, but also an excellent book expert, which he - and this is what makes it special - combined in his library. He created a special collection, as connoisseurs confirm, of international standing. For research purposes, books and other collection objects can be found in the Historical Collections Reading Room.
Selected literature
Quelle: Wolfgang Schmitz [Hrsg.]: Sammlung Hans Engländer: Übergabe der Sammlung Hans Engländer zur Geschichte der Ornithologie an die Universitäts- und Stadtbibliothek Köln am 18. April 2012; Signatur: 16B1213
Ina Wachendorf, André Welters: Einzigartige Quellen für die Forschung - das Beispiel der Sammlung Engländer, in: ProLibris 2 (2013), S. 70-75;
Rolf Schlenker: Die ornithologische Bibliothek von Hans Engländer in der USB Köln, in: Aus dem Antiquariat, NF 11 (2013), Nr. 5, S. 229-231.
Stefan R. Sudmann: In memoriam Prof. Dr. Dr. Hans Engländer, 2011