Maksymilian Nowicki

Maksymilian Nowicki

Maksymilian Siła-Nowicki (9 October 1826 – 30 October 1890) was a Polish zoology professor and pioneer conservationist in Austrian Poland, and father of the poet Franciszek Nowicki. He was brother-in-law to Kraków University law professor and rector Franciszek Kasparek.

Career

Nowicki began his career as a teacher in the countryside of eastern Galicia, and by dint of ambition and self-education eventually became a professor of zoology at Kraków University (1863-90).^[1] In 1873, he was inducted into the Kraków-based Academy of Learning. Also in 1873, he co-founded the Tatras Society (Towarzystwo Tatrzańskie). In 1879, he founded the National Fishing Society (Krajowe Towarzystwo Rybackie).^[2] His greatest academic achievements were in entomology, ichthyology and ornithology.^[3]

Nowicki sought to give a practical bent to his research. He wrote: "In the interest of husbandry in this country, it is appropriate to develop a knowledge of animals that are harmful to husbandry... and of animals that are useful to [it]." It was chiefly thanks to him that the Galician Sejm in 1868 passed a law protecting chamois, marmots and Alpine birds in the Tatra Mountains.^[4]

Nowicki was the initiator of, and driving force behind, the Physiographic Commission (Komisja Fizjograficzna) of the Academy of Learning, and was a member of many other learned societies.^[5]

See also

• Timeline of Polish science and technology
• List of Poles

Notes

1. "Siła-Nowicki, Maksymilian," Encyklopedia Polski, p. 615.
2. "Nowicki-Siła, Maksymilian," Encyklopedia powszechna PWN, vol. 3, p. 312.
3. "Siła-Nowicki, Maksymilian," Encyklopedia Polski, p. 615.
4. "Siła-Nowicki, Maksymilian," Encyklopedia Polski, pp. 615-16.
5. "Siła-Nowicki, Maksymilian," Encyklopedia Polski, p. 616.

References

• "Siła-Nowicki, Maksymilian," Encyklopedia Polski (Encyclopedia of Poland), Kraków, Wydawnictwo Ryszard Kluszczyński, 1996, ISBN 83-86328-60-6, pp. 615-16.
• "Nowicki-Siła, Maksymilian," Encyklopedia powszechna PWN (PWN Universal Encyclopedia), Warsaw, Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, 1975, vol. 3, p. 312.
• "Nowicki-Siła, Maksymilian," Encyklopedia popularna PWN (PWN Popular Encyclopedia), Warsaw, Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, 1962, p. 711.
• Evenhuis, N. L., 1997 Litteratura taxonomica dipterorum (1758-1930). Volume 1 (A-K); Volume 2 (L-Z). - Leiden, Backhuys Publishers 1; 2 : VII+1-426; 427-87 Volume 2: 562-563, Portrait and Schriftenverzeichnis

External links

Polish Ethological Society article, in Polish, giving extensive details of Maksymilian Nowicki's adventurous, inspiring life.