Eduard Bruckner
Encyclopedia
Eduard Brückner was an Austrian geographer, meteorologist, glaciologist and climate scientist.
He was born in Jena
, the son of the Baltic-German historian Alexander Brückner and Lucie Schiele. After an education at the Karlsruhe
gymnasium, beginning in 1881 he studied meteorology and physics at the University of Dorpat, graduating in 1885. He joined the Deutsche Seewarte (German Hydrographic Office) in Hamburg
, then, following studies at Dresden
and Munich
, he became a professor at the University of Bern in 1888. The same year he married Ernestine Steine. In 1899, he was rector at the university. He moved back to Germany in 1904, becoming a professor at the University of Halle. Two years later in 1906, he was a professor at the University of Vienna
. He died in Vienna
.
Professor Brückner was an expert on alpine glacier
s and their effect upon the landscape. Between 1901–1909 he collaborated with German geographer and geologist Albrecht Penck
to produce a three volume work titled Die Alpen im Eiszeitalter (The Alps in the Ice Age). This served as a standard reference on the ice age
s for several decades thereafter. Brückner was a proponent of the importance of climate change, including the effects on the economy and social structure of society. His research included studies of past climate changes and he proposed the 35-year long Brückner cycle of cold, damp weather alternating with warm, dry weather in northwest Europe.
The GKSS Research Centre's Eduard Brückner Prize, for outstanding achievement in interdisciplinary climate research, is named after him.
He was born in Jena
Jena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
, the son of the Baltic-German historian Alexander Brückner and Lucie Schiele. After an education at the Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
gymnasium, beginning in 1881 he studied meteorology and physics at the University of Dorpat, graduating in 1885. He joined the Deutsche Seewarte (German Hydrographic Office) in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, then, following studies at Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
and Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, he became a professor at the University of Bern in 1888. The same year he married Ernestine Steine. In 1899, he was rector at the university. He moved back to Germany in 1904, becoming a professor at the University of Halle. Two years later in 1906, he was a professor at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
. He died in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
Professor Brückner was an expert on alpine glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s and their effect upon the landscape. Between 1901–1909 he collaborated with German geographer and geologist Albrecht Penck
Albrecht Penck
Albrecht Penck , was a German geographer and geologist and the father of Walther Penck.Born in Reudnitz near Leipzig, Penck became a university professor in Vienna from 1885 to 1906, and in Berlin from 1906 to 1927. There he was also the director of the Institute and Museum for Oceanography by 1918...
to produce a three volume work titled Die Alpen im Eiszeitalter (The Alps in the Ice Age). This served as a standard reference on the ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
s for several decades thereafter. Brückner was a proponent of the importance of climate change, including the effects on the economy and social structure of society. His research included studies of past climate changes and he proposed the 35-year long Brückner cycle of cold, damp weather alternating with warm, dry weather in northwest Europe.
The GKSS Research Centre's Eduard Brückner Prize, for outstanding achievement in interdisciplinary climate research, is named after him.