Loew, Hermann

Herman Loew was born in Weissenfels, Germany, on July 19, 1807. He is considered to be the ‘father of dipterology.’ He graduated from the University of Halle later and taught natural history, philosophy, and math at that institution as well as other schools and as a private tutor. He received recognition for publication of his “Horae anatomicae,” a treatise on anatomy, particularly genial anatomy. Though participating in only one major international expedition, to the Orient, it proved to be a very important and productive trip. He described over 1,300 exotic species from this expedition. Over the course of his life, he described another 2,700 European species. In addition to his scientific studies, Loew was active in politics, serving in the parliament in Frankfurt. He became frustrated by politics, however, and in 1850 returned to teaching, which he continued until 1868. He then devoted his time to entomological research until 1873, when he returned to politics, accepting a seat in...