Pollichia

Pollichia (stylised POLLICHIA) is a German non-profit association for natural research, nature conservation and environmental education, with its main focus in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It was founded on 6 October 1840 in Dürkheim on the initiative of the botanist Carl Heinrich Schultz and named after Johann Adam Pollich (1741–1780), a notable Palatine botanist. With roughly 2,100 members organised in about 15 regional groups, it is described as the second-largest natural-history association in the German-speaking world after the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research. The association is recognised as a nature-conservation organisation under § 29 of the German Federal Nature Conservation Act and is a member of the Deutscher Naturschutzring. Its activities include study trips, excursions, lecture events and practical measures for nature conservation and the preservation of biodiversity. Scientific work is carried out in numerous specialised working groups, and the association manages around 120 hectares of particularly valuable protected areas. Pollichia's registered seat remains its founding town of Bad Dürkheim, while its office has been located in the Haus der Artenvielfalt in Neustadt an der Weinstraße since July 2015. The association is governed by a Präsidium (presidium), with decisions taken by a Hauptausschuss in which the presidium, regional groups and working groups are represented. It publishes books and annual reports, and issues the quarterly Pollichia-Kurier. Its collections on the Palatine flora and fauna are deposited at the Pfalzmuseum für Naturkunde in Bad Dürkheim; since 1998 the museum has been run by a special-purpose association, and the Urweltmuseum Geoskop at Burg Lichtenberg near Kusel opened as a branch. Pollichia also cooperates with other conservation bodies in the region, such as the Gesellschaft für Naturschutz und Ornithologie Rheinland-Pfalz.

Pollichia was founded on 6 October 1840 in Dürkheim on the initiative of the botanist Carl Heinrich Schultz, who had announced his intention in 1839 at the meeting of the Verein für Naturkunde in Mannheim to establish a natural-history association for the Palatinate and neighbouring areas. The association was named after Johann Adam Pollich (1741–1780), a notable Palatine botanist. It was founded by 25 naturalists from a wide range of backgrounds, united by a shared love of nature. Among the founding members were associates of the Hambach Festival such as the physician and lichen researcher Philipp Hepp from Neustadt an der Haardt, the respected Speyer cathedral canon Bruno Würschmitt, an authority on cryptogams, especially fungi, the moss researcher Philipp Bruch (1781–1847) from Zweibrücken, the moss researcher Wilhelm Theodor Gümbel (1812–1858) from Landau, and his brother, the geologist Carl Wilhelm von Gümbel (1823–1898). In the 19th century, natural-history associations were being founded in many German cities as bourgeois interest in exploring the nature of the homeland grew. Members joined learned and researching societies, collected natural curiosities and exchanged with associations in other cities and regions. A characteristic of such associations was that active members often covered several fields of natural research, including geology, botany and zoology. Famous naturalists from earlier times were often chosen as namesakes, and Pollichia is a typical example of this practice. Towards the end of the 19th century, the well-known botanist Ferdinand Gottfried von Herder from Grünstadt, grandson of the famous poet Johann Gottfried von Herder, served as chairman of the association. Before him, Georg von Neumayer, the polar researcher and founder of the Deutsche Seewarte in Hamburg, held the chair; he was honorary chairman of Pollichia until his death in 1909. At the suggestion of Pollichia founder Carl Heinrich Schultz, the chemist Robert Wilhelm Bunsen from Heidelberg, a member of the association, investigated the spring water of the Maxquelle in (Bad) Dürkheim in 1860. He found two previously unknown elements in it: caesium and rubidium. In 2020, Dr Thomas Kreckel compiled a "Findbuch" (finding aid) of documents in the Pollichia archives relating to the association's history during the Nazi period. In 2022, the independent historian Benjamin Pfannes carried out a research project to examine the history and conduct of Pollichia during the Nazi era. The results were published in Kurier 39 (3) with a statement by the presidium and a summary of the final report, in an article in the Rheinpfalz, and in the detailed report in Mitteilungen der POLLICHIA, Band 102 for 2023: Pfannes, B.: Naturkundeverein POLLICHIA in der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus 1933–1945. Einfluss – Selbstbehauptung – Naturschutz. In 1998, responsibility for the Pfalzmuseum für Naturkunde was transferred to a newly founded special-purpose association, and the Urweltmuseum Geoskop at Burg Lichtenberg near Kusel opened as a branch of the Pfalzmuseum, housing Pollichia's geoscientific collections relating to the Rotliegend of the region. Since July 2015, the Haus der Artenvielfalt in Neustadt an der Weinstraße has been the seat of Pollichia's office. The association celebrated its 175th anniversary with a commemorative volume.

• 2023

  Detailed results of the Nazi-era research published in Mitteilungen der POLLICHIA, Band 102.

• 2022

  Independent historian Benjamin Pfannes conducted a research project on Pollichia's history and conduct during the Nazi era.

• 2020

  Dr Thomas Kreckel compiled a finding aid (Findbuch) of Pollichia archive documents relating to the Nazi period.

• 2015

  In July, the Haus der Artenvielfalt in Neustadt an der Weinstraße became the seat of Pollichia's office.

• 1998

  Responsibility for the Pfalzmuseum für Naturkunde transferred to a newly founded special-purpose association; Urweltmuseum Geoskop opened as a branch at Burg Lichtenberg near Kusel.

• 1909

  Georg von Neumayer, polar researcher and founder of the Deutsche Seewarte, was honorary chairman of Pollichia until his death.

• 1860

  At the suggestion of founder Carl Heinrich Schultz, chemist Robert Wilhelm Bunsen analysed the Maxquelle spring water in (Bad) Dürkheim and discovered caesium and rubidium.

• 1840

  Pollichia founded on 6 October in Dürkheim on the initiative of botanist Carl Heinrich Schultz, by 25 naturalists; named after Johann Adam Pollich.

A long-established, member-based regional natural-history and conservation association in Rhineland-Palatinate, combining scientific research, practical conservation and environmental education.

• Pollichia-Kurier (quarterly magazine)

• Annual reports and scientific books

• Excursions, study trips and lecture events

• Nature conservation and species-protection measures

• Specialised working groups (astronomy, botany, faunistics, geosciences, mycology, ornithology, environmental education)

1. 1Über uns – Pollichiapollichia.de
2. 2Historie – Pollichiapollichia.de
3. 3POLLICHIA in der NS-Zeit – Pollichiapollichia.de
4. 4Pollichia – Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Pollichia – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org