Otto Tetens
Encyclopedia
Otto Tetens was a German natural scientist with an astronomer
background.
, Northern Germany. He went to several universities for different natural science
topics in Tübingen
, Munich
, Berlin
and Kiel
.
After this period, he worked at the private astronomy observatory of Miklos Konkly-Thege in Ogyalla in Hungary
.
In 1891 he got his Doctor degree of Natural Science. He then worked at different institutes in astronomy such as the Deutsche Seewarte, Hamburg
, and the Observatory of Strasbourg
.
From 1902 to 1905 Otto Tetens worked for the Royal Society of Science of Göttingen on a climate project in Samoa
, then a German colony. He founded the Apia Observatory in June 1902 at Mulinuu near the main town of Apia. After his time in Samoa, he went back to Germany and Göttingen
to work on his reports for the previous three years and then took an occupation at the Royal Astronomy Observatory in Kiel
, Germany.
From 1909 to 1931 Tetens worked at the meteorological observatory in Lindenberg
, Germany (south-east of Berlin
) as chief-observer. After retirement he moved to Bad Saarow
, some 10 km away from Lindenberg and lived at his house in Seestrasse at the Lake Scharmützelsee.
He died in 1945 while staying at a sanatorium in Teplitz-Schönau. His wife Dorothee Heimrod, daughter of the Council of the USA in Samoa and later Switzerland, moved back to the USA in 1947 and died 1962 in New York City
.
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
background.
Life
Tetens was the son of a high ranked police officer in SchleswigSchleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
, Northern Germany. He went to several universities for different natural science
Natural science
The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods...
topics in Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
, 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...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
.
After this period, he worked at the private astronomy observatory of Miklos Konkly-Thege in Ogyalla in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
In 1891 he got his Doctor degree of Natural Science. He then worked at different institutes in astronomy such as the Deutsche Seewarte, 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...
, and the Observatory of Strasbourg
Observatory of Strasbourg
The Observatory of Strasbourg is an astronomical observatory in Strasbourg, France.Following the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the city of Strasbourg became part of the German Empire. The University of Strasbourg was refounded in 1872 and a new observatory began construction in 1875...
.
From 1902 to 1905 Otto Tetens worked for the Royal Society of Science of Göttingen on a climate project in Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, then a German colony. He founded the Apia Observatory in June 1902 at Mulinuu near the main town of Apia. After his time in Samoa, he went back to Germany and Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
to work on his reports for the previous three years and then took an occupation at the Royal Astronomy Observatory in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, Germany.
From 1909 to 1931 Tetens worked at the meteorological observatory in Lindenberg
Lindenberg
Lindenberg is a German name meaning "Tilia tree" and may refer to:* Lindenberg im Allgäu, a town in Bavaria, Germany* Lindenberg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a municipality in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany...
, Germany (south-east of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
) as chief-observer. After retirement he moved to Bad Saarow
Bad Saarow
Bad Saarow is a municipality in the Oder-Spree district, in Brandenburg, Germany....
, some 10 km away from Lindenberg and lived at his house in Seestrasse at the Lake Scharmützelsee.
He died in 1945 while staying at a sanatorium in Teplitz-Schönau. His wife Dorothee Heimrod, daughter of the Council of the USA in Samoa and later Switzerland, moved back to the USA in 1947 and died 1962 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Photography by Otto Tetens
During his time in Samoa, Otto Tetens took a great number of valuable and interesting photos of his time and the people of Samoa. These photos were exhibited in Germany and Samoa in 2004 and 2005.External links
- Fotos von Otto Tetens in Samoa 1902-1905. Samoa 1904. Museum Bohum.
- Photos by Otto Tetens in Samoa 1902-1905. Samoa 1905. Exhibition in Apia.