Draft:Emil Haselhoff

Emil Haselhoff (born 12th August 1862 in Dortmund, Westfalen, Prussia; died 10th March 1948 in Wambel, Dortmund) the son of a farmer - Wilhelm Heinrich Haselhoff and his wife, Rosalie Elisabeth Katharina Haselhoff (born Eckardt).

He was a German agricultural chemist/soil scientist and he published a number of ground breaking studies on the chemical composition of different types of soil and carried out extensive experiments on the use of a variety of fertilisers to improve crop yields. His many publications on the subject had a lasting impact on the development of German-speaking soil science in the first half of the 20th century.

Life and Career
Emil Haselhoff studied chemistry and agriculture at a number of Universities and on 27th April 1888, he received a Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Marburg, Germany with his dissertation on ‘[https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Ueber_derivate_des_indens_dibromindon?id=DgttkqiyeREC&gl=US Ueber Derivate des Indens. Dibromindon]' ('About Indian Derivatives. Dibromindon').

He then worked as the head of department at the Münster (Westphalia) 'Agricultural Experimental Station’ led by Prof. Dr Joseph Konig.

During April 1902, he was appointed Director of the University of Marburg's ‘Agricultural Research Station’ in Marburg and on 22nd June 1902, he earned his ‘Habilitation’ for applied chemistry with emphasis on food and agricultural chemistry - this being the highest degree offered by the University of Marburg which fulfilled the University’s set criteria for excellence in research, teaching and further education.

On 21st December 1906, he received the title of 'Professor’ from the University of Marburg.

During June 1910, the experimental station was relocated from Marburg to Harleshausen near Kassel where Prof. Dr. Haselhoff continued in his role as 'Director'.

Research Focus
In his reference book ‘Biographisches Handbuch zur Geschichte des Pflanzenbaus’ (Biographical Handbook on the History of Plant Production), published by K.G.Saur Verlag GmbH in 1997, the eminent German Agricultural Scientist Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Böhm wrote of Prof. Dr Haselhoff -

'Haselhoff, who felt closely connected to agricultural practice, taught and researched in the entire field of agricultural chemistry. He wrote numerous books and published more than 700 articles in agricultural magazines and newspapers. He was particularly interested in questions of plant nutrition and fertilisation. During his work in Münster, he took part in the revision of J. Konig's award-winning text "How can the farmer maintain and increase the nitrogen supply in his economy?" (3rd edition Berlin 1893). He also published the 4th edition of “Wolff's Guide to the Chemical Investigation of Agricultural Substances” (Berlin 1899 = Thaer Library. 35). His compendium “Agricultural Chemical Investigation Methods” (Leipzig 1909, 2nd edition Berlin 1921 = Göschen Collection No. 470) was widely used.

Haselhoff worked particularly intensively on the influence of industrial smoke damage on the soil and on plant growth. Together with G. Lindau he published the book “The damage to vegetation caused by smoke. Handbook for the recognition and assessment of smoke damage (Leipzig 1903) and, together with W. Bredemann and W. Haselhoff, the book “Evolution, recognition and assessment of smoke damage” (Berlin 1932). For the book “Basic principles of smoke damage science. He is the sole author of instructions for testing and assessing the effects of smoke emissions on soil and plants (Berlin 1932).

Haselhoff gave lectures on agricultural chemistry at the University of Marburg. His great interest in teaching is also reflected in the fact that he published a two-volume textbook on agricultural chemistry together with Edwin Blanck (Berlin 1927-1929). Important historical documents are his numerous contributions on the organisational structures and areas of activity of the agricultural experimental stations, especially his treatise "From the development of the Association of German Agricultural Experimental Stations" (Die Agricultural Experimental Stations Vol. 117, 1933, pp. 1-90) and his work “The agricultural experimental stations as workshops for agricultural chemical research” (Berlin-Zehlendorf 1941)

Major Works

 * ‘Agricultural Fodder: It’s fodder value and it’s use: together with instructions for setting up fodder rations for agricultural livestock’ with a foreword by J. Konig. Published by J. Neumann, 1898.


 * ‘Emil Wolff’s instructions for the chemical examination of agriculturally important substances: for use in quantitative-analytical work in the chemical laboratory: with constant consideration of the associations of agricultural research stations…’. (together with Emil Theodor von Wolff 1818-1896). Published by Parey, Berlin (Thaer-Biblothek), 1899.


 * ‘Damage to vegetation from smoke: Smoke Damage Detection and Assessment Manual’. (together with Dr. Gustav Lindau, 1866-1923). Published by Gebrüder Bornträger, Berlin, 1903.


 * ‘Agricultural Chemical Investigation Methods’. Published by G.J. Göschen'sche Verlagshandlung - Leipzig, Les Minimes-Brie-Compte-Robert, 1909.


 * ‘Water and wastewater: Their composition, assessment and investigation’. Published by G.J. Göschen'sche Verlagshandlung - Leipzig, 1909.


 * ‘Spread Fertilisation or Row Fertilisation’. Published by Verlag von Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 1916


 * ‘Textbook of Agricultural Chemistry (together with Edwin Blanck), 4 parts. Published by Gebrüder Bornträger, Berlin, 1927-1929.


 * Fundamentals of smoke damage: Instructions for testing and assessing the effects of smoke outlets on soil and plants. Published by Gebrüder Bornträger, Berlin, 1932.


 * ‘The Agricultural Experimental Stations as Workshops for Agrochemical Research’. Published by Gebrüder Bornträger, Berlin, 1941

Award of the 'Goethe Medal for Art & Science'
In recognition of his services to agriculture, Haselhoff was awarded the Goethe Medal for Art and Science in 1942.

The prestigious ‘Goethe Medal for Art & Science’ was first created by President Paul von. Hindenburg to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Goethe's death on March 22, 1932. Prof. Dr Haselhoff was one of only 601 beneficiaries bestowed with the award between March 1932 when the first awards were made to December 1944 when the final award was issued.

The official notification appearing in the press was as follows -

‘Goethe Medal for a Wuppertaler’

‘Berlin. The Fuhrer has decreed that the Director of the Agricultural Research Institute Kassel-Karleshausen, Professor Dr. Emil Haselhoff in Wuppertal-Barmen, be awarded the Goethe Medal on the occasion of his 80th birthday in recognition of his services to agriculture, chemical and natural science’

Literature

 * Böhm, Wolfgang, Haselhoff, Emil. In: ‘Biographical Handbook on the History of Plant Production’ (German : ‘Biographisches Handbuch zur Geschichte des Pflanzenbaus’) Reprint : Published by K.G. Saur, 1997 ISBN 3-598-11324-2 - p. 100.f


 * Böhm, Wolfgang, Haselhoff, Emil In: ‘Biographical Handbook on the History of Plant Production’ (German : ‘Biographisches Handbuch zur Geschichte des Pflanzenbaus’) Originally Published by K.G. Saur, 1997. 'Ebook' edition published by De Gruyter Saur, Munich 21st February 2014 - ISBN 978-3-11-096710-4 p. 100.f

Web Links

 * Literature about Emil Haselhoff in the German National Library catalogue (Deutsche National Biblioteck or 'DNB').


 * Literature about Emil Haselhoff in the Hess State Historical Information System (LAGIS)


 * Literature about Emil Haselhofff in the Virtual International Authority File (VIAF)
 * Literature about Emil Haselhoff in the Philipps Universität Marburg, 'Marburg professor catalog'