Fritz von Wettstein

Friedrich Wettstein, Ritter von Westersheim (24 June 1895 in Prague 12 February 1945 in Trins, Tirol) was an Austrian botanist.

Academic career

Fritz Wettstein was the son of Richard Wettstein. From 1925 he was professor at Göttingen, in 1931 in Munich and in 1934 director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Biology in Berlin-Dahlem.

Wettstein made a major contribution to botanical and genetical science. He worked especially on cytoplasmic inheritance in mosses and fireweed. Following Erwin Baur at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institut, Berlin-Dahlem, he investigated hybrids and polyploids of mosses, and advanced the understanding of the relationships and characteristics of polyploid forms.[1]

Political implications

Wettstein has been criticised because at international scientific conferences before the war he defended National Socialist racial ideas.[2]

Works

References

  1. "Obituary: Prof. F. von Wettstein". Nature 156: 328. September 1945. doi:10.1038/156328c0.
  2. Research Program: History of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society in the National Socialist Era (PDF file, 320 kB)
  3. "Author Query for 'F.Wettst.'". International Plant Names Index.