Friedrich Hermann Loew (July 19, 1807 - April 21, 1879) was a
German entomologist who specialised in the study of
Diptera, an order of insects including
flies,
mosquitoes,
gnats and
midge. He described many world species and was the first specialist to work on the Diptera of the
United States.
Biography
Early years
Hermann Loew was born in
Weissenfels,
Saxony a short distance south of
Halle (
Germany). The Loew family, though not wealthy, was well-placed. Loew's father was a functionary for the Department of Justice of the Duchy of
Saxony who later became a
Geheimer Regierungsrath of
Prussia. Between 1817 and 1829 Loew attended first the Convent school of
Rossleben, then the
University of Halle-Wittenberg, graduating in
mathematics,
philology and
natural history.
Teacher, tutor and husband
Recognizing his abilities as a mathematician, the university, on his graduation, appointed him as a lecturer in the same subjects. In 1830 he went to
Berlin and gave lessons in different higher grade schools including the
Kadetten-Schule military school . Here he was private tutor to Prince Biron heir to the
Duchy of Courland and Semigallia and the young
Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Albrecht von Graefe (1828-1870) later one of the most famous
oculists of all times. In 1834 Loew was appointed superior teacher (
Oberlehrer) at the Friedrich-Wilhelm-
Gymnasium in Posen, known today as
St. John Cantius High School in PoznaĆ,
Poland where he taught mathematics and natural history. In the same...
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