The Naturforschende Gesellschaft in Danzig (translated Danzig Research Society, la, Societas Physicae Experimentalis, pl, Gdańskie Towarzystwo Przyrodnicze) was a scientific organization, founded in 1743 in Danzig ( Gdańsk),

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

, which continued in existence until 1936. The ''Societas Physicae Experimentalis'' (Experimental Physics Society) was one of the oldest research societies in the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi- confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Poland and Lithuania ru ...

and in Central and Eastern Europe.

History

Already in 1670, the physician Israel Conradi (1634–1715) had tried to organize a scientific society in the city, without success. Several others tried after him, until Daniel Gralath (1708–1767) finally succeeded. His father-in-law was

Jacob Theodor Klein Jacob Theodor Klein (nickname ''Plinius Gedanensium''; 15 August 1685 – 27 February 1759) was a German jurist, historian, botanist, zoologist, mathematician and diplomat in service of Polish King August II the Strong. Life Klein was born on 15 ...

(1685–1759), a city secretary and also a very distinguished scientist, nicknamed ''Gedanensium Plinius''. Gdańsk, Brama Zielona (WLZ14)

At the end of 1742, Gralath had gathered a group of learned men for his purpose, an ''Experimental Physics Society'' (Societas Physicae Experimentalis), one of the oldest research societies of its type. The first organizing meeting took place on 7 November 1742, the first scientific meeting was called on 2 January 1743. The aim of the Society was to practice and popularize science, among others through weekly public demonstrations of the most interesting experiments in physics. Often the effects of

electricity Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as describ ...

were studied, with the help of the

Leyden jar A Leyden jar (or Leiden jar, or archaically, sometimes Kleistian jar) is an electrical component that stores a high-voltage electric charge (from an external source) between electrical conductors on the inside and outside of a glass jar. It typ ...

. Since 1746 these took place in the Great Hall of the Green Gate. Gralath also became a

councilman A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries. Canada Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...

and, in 1763, mayor of Danzig. The Society was also supported by Polish King Stanisław August Poniatowski. Known members were Nathanael Matthaeus von Wolf, Michael Christoph Hanow, Gottfried Lengnich, Johann Jacob Mascov, who wrote the ''Geschichte der Teutschen'', also

Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit FRS (; ; 24 May 1686 – 16 September 1736) was a physicist, inventor, and scientific instrument maker. Born in Poland to a family of German extraction, he later moved to the Dutch Republic at age 15, where he spen ...

and the prince-bishop Adam Stanisław Grabowski. The sessions of the Society were also attended by many famous persons of the

like Great Lithuanian Hetman

Michał Kazimierz "Rybeńko" Radziwiłł Prince Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł (, be, Міхал Казімер Радзівіл; 13 June 1702 – 15 May 1762) was a Polish–Lithuanian noble. A member of the aristocratic Radziwiłł family, he was frequently refe ...

August Fryderyk Moszyński August Fryderyk Moszyński (25 January 1731 – 11 June 1786) was Great Pantler of the Kingdom of Poland, collector, economist and freemason. Moszyński was born in Dresden to Jan Kanty Moszyński, the Under Treasurer of August II the Strong, an ...

Joachim Chreptowicz Joachim Chreptowicz pseud.: ''Jeden z współziomków'' (4 January 1729, Jasieniec near Navahradak – 4 March 1812), of Odrowąż Coat of Arms, was a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman, writer, poet, politician of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, marshal ...

. After the annexation of the city by

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...

in the

Second Partition of Poland The 1793 Second Partition of Poland was the second of three partitions (or partial annexations) that ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. The second partition occurred in the aftermath of the Polish–Russian W ...

and during the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

, the organization fell into such decline that in 1812 it was proposed to dissolve it, however, several members decided to continue its activity. In 1840

Alexander von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 17696 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, naturalist, explorer, and proponent of Romantic philosophy and science. He was the younger brother of the Prussian minister, ...

accompanied

Prussian King The monarchs of Prussia were members of the House of Hohenzollern who were the hereditary rulers of the former German state of Prussia from its founding in 1525 as the Duchy of Prussia. The Duchy had evolved out of the Teutonic Order, a Roman C ...

Frederick William IV Frederick William IV (german: Friedrich Wilhelm IV.; 15 October 17952 January 1861), the eldest son and successor of Frederick William III of Prussia, reigned as King of Prussia from 7 June 1840 to his death on 2 January 1861. Also referred to ...

on the way to

Königsberg Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was name ...

, and Humboldt received an honorary membership in the Society. Later, the society offered Humboldt stipends. The collections of the Society were displayed in the West-Prussian Provincial Museum located at the Green Gate. In 1845 the society was located in a

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

-era building at the

Motława Motława (; csb, Mòtława) is a river in Eastern Pomerania in Poland. The source is in Szpęgawskie Lake, northeast from the town of Starogard Gdański. It goes through Rokickie Lake to Martwa Wisła, a branch of the Vistula. The total lengt ...

, an arm of the

Vistula The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland. The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...

River. The new seat housed research facilities, a small museum and a library, and was decorated with portraits of former prominent members of the organization, as well as a portrait of

Nicolaus Copernicus Nicolaus Copernicus (; pl, Mikołaj Kopernik; gml, Niklas Koppernigk, german: Nikolaus Kopernikus; 19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon, who formulated ...

, and a bust of

Johannes Hevelius Johannes Hevelius Some sources refer to Hevelius as Polish: * * * * * * * Some sources refer to Hevelius as German: * * * * *of the Royal Society * (in German also known as ''Hevel''; pl, Jan Heweliusz; – 28 January 1687) was a councillor ...

received as a gift from Polish King Stanisław August Poniatowski in the 18th century. In 1866, an astronomical observatory was placed in its tower. After 200 years of existence, the society ceased to exist in 1936. The building and many priceless valuables were destroyed during the

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...

offensive in 1945, two years after the 200th anniversary. The building at the Motława river was rebuilt after the war. It houses an Archaeological Museum today.

References

List of publications by Naturforschende Gesellschaft in Danzig
* E. Schumann, ''History of the Research Society in Danzig 1743–1892'' (''Geschichte der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Danzig 1743–1892'') *
Andrzej Januszajtis, ''Scientists in Old Gdansk''
* Naturforschende Gesellschaft in Dantzig (1747), {{Authority control 1743 establishments in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 1936 disestablishments in Europe Buildings and structures in Gdańsk History of Gdańsk Learned societies of Poland Organizations based in Prussia Science and technology in Prussia Scientific organizations established in 1743 Organizations disestablished in 1936