150-lecie Gabinetu Zoologicznego w Warszawie (1818–1968)

Fedorowicz, Zygmunt; Feliksiak, Stanisław

doi:0076-6372

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Tytuł: 150-lecie Gabinetu Zoologicznego w Warszawie (1818–1968)

Abstrakt:

150th Anniversary of the Zoological Cabinet in Warsaw (1818–1968)This paper was prepared by Zygmunt Fedorowicz and Stanisław Feliksiak, most probablyin 1968/1969 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Zoological Cabinet [Gabinet Zoologiczny] at the Royal University of Warsaw [Królewski UniwersytetWarszawski]. The authors present the history of the Cabinet from its beginning throughmodern times. The year 1818 was significant in the Zoological Cabinet’s history, for it wasthen that the Commission of Religion and Public Education of the Kingdom of Poland[Komisja Wyznań Religijnych i Oświecenia Publicznego Królestwa Polskiego] purchasedthe first zoological collection of over 20 thousand specimens for the Cabinet. The naturalobjects bought from the heirs of Sylwiusz Münkwitz, a Silesian baron, would later startone of Europe’s biggest zoological collections. The history of the Zoological Cabinet has been divided into several periods. The firstperiod lasted from 1818 to 1862, when a zoologist Feliks Paweł Jarocki (1790–1865) wasthe Head of the Cabinet and the collections were located at the Kazimierz Palace [PałacKazimierzowski], where they were systematically organized and studied. Due to the outbreak of the November Uprising (1830–1831), the Royal University of Warsaw was closed.However, thanks to Jarocki’s efforts, the Cabinet retained the collections. In the second period, 1862–1890, the Zoological Cabinet was managed by the ornithologist Władysław Taczanowski (1819–1890). From 1862 the Cabinet was subordinate to the authorities of the newly established Main School in Warsaw [Szkoła Głównaw Warszawie]. Seven years later, the Main School was replaced by the Imperial Universityof Warsaw [Cesarski Uniwersytet Warszawski]. Despite the administrative changes the period marked the Cabinet’s heyday, during which it gained prestige as a scientific unit ofEuropean calibre. The patronage of the Branicki family, especially Konstanty (1824–1884)and Aleksander (1821–1877), ensured financial means for the Cabinet, which allowed forthe expansion of the collections, financing of scientific expeditions (e.g. to Africa, Asia, andSouth America), and publishing of scientific works. Many Polish exiles to Siberia and emigrants became correspondents for the Cabinet and donors of zoological collections fromall over the world. During that time Władysław Taczanowski was also able to create anddevelop through correspondence and exchange of scientific materials a network of connections with natural scientists and scientific institutions from almost all countries of Europe. An important event in this period was the establishment of the Branicki Museum[Muzeum Branickich] in Warsaw in 1887, a private zoological collection that remainedclosely connected to the Cabinet.The third period in the history of the Zoological Cabinet went from 1890–1915. AfterWładysław Taczanowski’s death in 1890, Russian zoologists Nikolai Nasonov (1855–1939)and Jakub Shchelkancev (?–1930) took over the management of the Cabinet. The Cabinetunderwent gradual changes and was adjusted to the scientific and didactic needs of the University’s chairs. The collections were progressively expanded with new species of insects anda collection of Russian birds and reptiles. World War I (1914–1918) drastically changedthe state of affairs. The Russian authorities withdrew and in 1915 the reestablished PolishUniversity of Warsaw took over the management of the Zoological Cabinet. The next period of the Zoological Cabinet began and lasted until 1939. In 1919 theCabinet was merged with the Branicki Museum to become the National Museum of NaturalHistory [Narodowe Muzeum Przyrodnicze] (1919–1921), which was renamed the PolishState Museum of Natural History – Zoological Department [Polskie Państwowe MuzeumPrzyrodnicze – Dział Zoologiczny] (1921–1928), and later the State Zoological Museum [Państwowe Muzeum Zoologiczne] (1928–1953) [...]

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