Otto Antonius
Encyclopedia
Otto Antonius was director of the Tiergarten Schönbrunn
in Vienna, zoologist, palaeontologist and co-founder of the modern zoological biology.
.
He attended classical grammar school in Vienna and studied in particular natural sciences, zoology
and palaeontology at the University of Vienna
. During his years of study, Antonius joined a nationalist fraternity
, named “Silesia
” which strove for a Pan-German solution. His father and three of his brothers were also members of this student organisation.
In 1910 he received his PhD and started to work for Professor Othenio Abel as scientific assistant at the chair of palaeobiology. Until 1918 he served in World War I
as lieutenant and liaison officer. He received several medals: the Eisernes Kreuz, the Eiserner Halbmond and the Silberne Tapferkeitsmedaille.
In 1919 he resumed his scientific work as assistant professor. The same year he received his habilitation from the University of Vienna, in 1921 from the University of Agriculture.
In 1922 he married Margarethe von Tunner, they had two daughters.
In March 1934 Antonius was officially dismissed, due to accusations of being an active member of the NSDAP which was illegal in Austria. Antonius denied this allegation and sued successfully. At the fourth of January 1937 he was reinstalled as director.
His commitment for Schönbrunn was extremely important for the survival of the zoo. Before World War I, the zoological garden ranked among the biggest and most beautiful zoos in the world. As there were shortages in feed during war, the livestock dropped extremely. In fall 1921 the zoo was about to close. Already in 1918 Antonius had written an expose how to modernise the outdated enclosures.
Due to support from the Viennese population, private sponsors, the Hilfsaktion für den Ausbau des Schönbrunner Tiergartens and the livestock supplies from the animal dealer Alfred Weidholz, the number of animals increased, the cages and enclosures were improved and new projects, like the aviary for birds of prey or the monkey house, were realised.
Antonius also introduced new media, like the display of diorama
s in1934. The diorama
s showed landscapes and animals of Austria's prehistory
. They were painted by the artist Franz Roubal. The display of dioramas did not succeed with the public. The dioramas were destroyed in World War II
.
Antonius served as vice-president of the International Union of Zoo Directors from 1938 to 1945. He also was a member of the Zoological Society of London
. Additionally he taught as an associate professor at university.
and Karl Max Schneider.
He was among the academic authors who published regularly in the journal Der Zoologische Garten. Furthermore he was co-editor of Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie.
Even the goals of the zoo changed. It became a place for animal experiments and breeding. Questions about heredity and ancestry were also addressed.
This era is called the heyday of science in zoological gardens. That is why the Menagerie Schönbrunn changed its name officially into Tiergarten Schönbrunn in 1926.
Antonius thought of livestock husbandry as a psychological experiment, in which one could study the typal and differentiated characteristics of the animals. With his comparative studies he contributed to the emerging discipline of ethology
. Furthermore he conducted experiments on feeding and acclimatisation.
Being a zoologist, he also dealt with genetics
and livestock breeding
. He was especially interested in studies about hybridisation to explore the ancestry of domestic animals. In 1922 he published his book Grundzüge der Stammesgeschichte der Haustiere. It dealt with the research on animal domestication as a new category in livestock breeding. The book lists zoological and historical methods of domestic animal research, such as their exact body structure, mentioning for example their bone structure or the colour of their fur. Antonius tried to "reeding back|breed back" domestic animals into the ones they descended from. Since those experiments were connected with the national socialist ideology, there were no other zoo directors who joined those experiments.
and tried to alert his fellow men to the threat to native and exotic animals.
Under his direction, Tiergarten the Zoo Schönbrunn joined the first European organisation to save the wisent
. Due to controlled breeding in adapted and strictly guarded areas, they were very successful. This system is still used for endangered species.
With his book Gefangene Tiere (1933) he wanted to point out that caged animals are not living under worse circumstances than animals living in wilderness. He put forward the idea that both develop the same relations to their environment. He often quoted [Alfred Brehm], saying that a good cage is like a home for an animal while a bad one is like a prison. Here the modern concept of a cage’s quality is presented. That is the reason why he planned the cages functionally and appropriate for the species.
At the end of World War II the Schönbrunn Zoo was badly hit by bombs. With the Russian army approaching Vienna Antonius and his wife committed suicide on 9 April 1945.
Tiergarten Schönbrunn
Tiergarten Schönbrunn or Vienna Zoo is a zoo located on the grounds of the famous Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria...
in Vienna, zoologist, palaeontologist and co-founder of the modern zoological biology.
Early life
Otto Antonius was the eldest of five children. His father was Protestant minister a native of Transylvania. Otto was named after the German chancellor Otto von BismarckOtto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
.
He attended classical grammar school in Vienna and studied in particular natural sciences, zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
and palaeontology 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...
. During his years of study, Antonius joined a nationalist fraternity
Studentenverbindung
A Studentenverbindung is a student corporation in a German-speaking country somewhat comparable to fraternities in the US or Canada, but mostly older and going back to other kinds of...
, named “Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
” which strove for a Pan-German solution. His father and three of his brothers were also members of this student organisation.
In 1910 he received his PhD and started to work for Professor Othenio Abel as scientific assistant at the chair of palaeobiology. Until 1918 he served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as lieutenant and liaison officer. He received several medals: the Eisernes Kreuz, the Eiserner Halbmond and the Silberne Tapferkeitsmedaille.
In 1919 he resumed his scientific work as assistant professor. The same year he received his habilitation from the University of Vienna, in 1921 from the University of Agriculture.
In 1922 he married Margarethe von Tunner, they had two daughters.
Director at the Schönbrunn Zoo
On 1 December 1923 he started his regular duty at the Schönbrunn Zoo. Four months later he was named scientific director and eventually became palaeontologist and expert for zoological science on domestic animals. On 1 December 1925 he became the only director with full responsibilities.In March 1934 Antonius was officially dismissed, due to accusations of being an active member of the NSDAP which was illegal in Austria. Antonius denied this allegation and sued successfully. At the fourth of January 1937 he was reinstalled as director.
His commitment for Schönbrunn was extremely important for the survival of the zoo. Before World War I, the zoological garden ranked among the biggest and most beautiful zoos in the world. As there were shortages in feed during war, the livestock dropped extremely. In fall 1921 the zoo was about to close. Already in 1918 Antonius had written an expose how to modernise the outdated enclosures.
Due to support from the Viennese population, private sponsors, the Hilfsaktion für den Ausbau des Schönbrunner Tiergartens and the livestock supplies from the animal dealer Alfred Weidholz, the number of animals increased, the cages and enclosures were improved and new projects, like the aviary for birds of prey or the monkey house, were realised.
Antonius also introduced new media, like the display of diorama
Diorama
The word diorama can either refer to a nineteenth century mobile theatre device, or, in modern usage, a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum...
s in1934. The diorama
Diorama
The word diorama can either refer to a nineteenth century mobile theatre device, or, in modern usage, a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum...
s showed landscapes and animals of Austria's prehistory
Prehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
. They were painted by the artist Franz Roubal. The display of dioramas did not succeed with the public. The dioramas were destroyed in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Antonius served as vice-president of the International Union of Zoo Directors from 1938 to 1945. He also was a member of the Zoological Society of London
Zoological Society of London
The Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats...
. Additionally he taught as an associate professor at university.
Zoological biology
Otto Antonius is considered to be the co-founder of modern zoological biology besides Heini HedigerHeini Hediger
Heini Hediger was a Swiss zoologist noted for work in proxemics in animal behavior and is known as the "father of zoo biology". Hediger was formerly the director of Tierpark Dählhölzli , Zoo Basel and Zürich Zoo ....
and Karl Max Schneider.
He was among the academic authors who published regularly in the journal Der Zoologische Garten. Furthermore he was co-editor of Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie.
Even the goals of the zoo changed. It became a place for animal experiments and breeding. Questions about heredity and ancestry were also addressed.
This era is called the heyday of science in zoological gardens. That is why the Menagerie Schönbrunn changed its name officially into Tiergarten Schönbrunn in 1926.
Antonius thought of livestock husbandry as a psychological experiment, in which one could study the typal and differentiated characteristics of the animals. With his comparative studies he contributed to the emerging discipline of ethology
Ethology
Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, and a sub-topic of zoology....
. Furthermore he conducted experiments on feeding and acclimatisation.
Being a zoologist, he also dealt with genetics
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
and livestock breeding
Animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....
. He was especially interested in studies about hybridisation to explore the ancestry of domestic animals. In 1922 he published his book Grundzüge der Stammesgeschichte der Haustiere. It dealt with the research on animal domestication as a new category in livestock breeding. The book lists zoological and historical methods of domestic animal research, such as their exact body structure, mentioning for example their bone structure or the colour of their fur. Antonius tried to "reeding back|breed back" domestic animals into the ones they descended from. Since those experiments were connected with the national socialist ideology, there were no other zoo directors who joined those experiments.
Protection of species
Antonius recognized the necessity and importance of the protection of speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
and tried to alert his fellow men to the threat to native and exotic animals.
Under his direction, Tiergarten the Zoo Schönbrunn joined the first European organisation to save the wisent
Wisent
The wisent , Bison bonasus, also known as the European bison or European wood bison, is a species of Eurasian bison. It is the heaviest surviving land animal in Europe; a typical wisent is about long, not counting a tail of long, and tall. Weight typically can range from , with an occasional big...
. Due to controlled breeding in adapted and strictly guarded areas, they were very successful. This system is still used for endangered species.
With his book Gefangene Tiere (1933) he wanted to point out that caged animals are not living under worse circumstances than animals living in wilderness. He put forward the idea that both develop the same relations to their environment. He often quoted [Alfred Brehm], saying that a good cage is like a home for an animal while a bad one is like a prison. Here the modern concept of a cage’s quality is presented. That is the reason why he planned the cages functionally and appropriate for the species.
At the end of World War II the Schönbrunn Zoo was badly hit by bombs. With the Russian army approaching Vienna Antonius and his wife committed suicide on 9 April 1945.