The name of the famous German zoologist, veterinarian, writer, traveler, TV presenter and director Bernhard Grzimek is widely known not only in the circles of people related to biology. His wonderful books on animals, their behavior and relationships are loved and read all over the world.
Biography
Bernhard Grzimek was born in Silesia in April 1909. In a large family, he was the sixth child. His father served as a lawyer and died when the boy was barely three years old. The family left without a breadwinner could hardly make ends meet, children from an early age learned what need and hunger are, which certainly played a role in the formation of Grzimek's personality. Throughout his life he was on the side of the oppressed, the weak and the disadvantaged.
Bernhard developed his love for animals in early childhood. He belongs to those happy people whose hobby has become a profession. The desire to take care of domestic animals - chickens, rabbits, goats, to treat them, determined his future specialty - a veterinarian.
The young man studied veterinary medicine in Leipzig, and then in Berlin, at the same time earning money on a poultry farm to earn money for training. After graduating from university, Bernhard began working in one of the veterinary clinics in Berlin, and was subsequently invited by the Ministry of Food to study ways to combat infectious diseases in poultry. Bernhard had been dealing with this issue for several years and defended his doctoral dissertation.
While at university, Bernhard married Hildegard Prüfer, who soon gave birth to two sons. In addition, an adopted son was brought up in the Grzimek family.
Bernhard Grzimek died in 1987 at the age of 77. Buried next to his son Mikael.
Career
During the Second World War, Grzimek carried out the difficult service of a veterinarian, at the same time conducting scientific research, while he was seriously interested in zoopsychology, studying the behavior of monkeys, horses, elephants.
At the end of the war, Bernhard took over as director of the Frankfurt Zoo. He had a titanic job to do - to raise the zoo from the ruins. Now the Frankfurt Zoo is one of the best in the world.
In 1960, Bernhard Grzimek received the title of professor at the University of Giessen, was appointed president of the German Conservation Union. More than once he was awarded the highest awards, such as the Gold Medal of the World Wildlife Fund, the Order of the Golden Ark.
Grzimek spent most of his life traveling. In African national parks, he studied the migration routes of herd animals - this was necessary to determine the boundary of reserves, where animals escaped uncontrolled shootings.
His path lay in the Indian jungle, then in the mountains of Nepal, in the vastness of Australia, New Zealand, in the South American jungle, in the countries of Europe. Bernhard Grzimek traveled all over the world, studying the fauna, coming to the aid of exterminated species of animals. More than once he was in the Soviet Union.
The famous zoologist, Professor Nikolai Nikolaevich Drozdov said:
Personal life
Bernhard Grzimek devoted his entire life to the preservation of nature, in particular the wild animals of Africa. The scientist tried to convince people that the fauna of the African continent is in dire need of human protection, if in the near future the views of society on the attitude to nature do not change, then in the future many animals can only be seen in movies and in zoos.
The professor spoke out against predatory safaris, where, thoughtlessly, for the sake of entertainment, rare animals were shot, against the mass extermination of fur-bearing animals, in particular Canadian seal pups, from which the skins were stripped off alive. Grzimek managed to raise the world community for the protection of animals, he made a documentary about the incredible cruelty of fur procurers. After the film was shown on TV, thousands of angry letters were sent to the Prime Minister of Canada. The furriers tried to refute the facts, even went to court, but were themselves found guilty. Bernhard Grzimek won this battle.
The death of a beloved son
The scientist tirelessly fought for the creation of new protected areas, reserves, national parks. His son Mikael helped him in this. Traveling with his father across the Serengeti, he shot a documentary film "There is no place for wild animals." Father and son, flying on a light airplane, carried out the registration of migrating animals. During one of the independent flights, Mikael died. Bernhard lost his beloved son, friend, like-minded person, but the scientist found the strength to continue the work as if they were still together. Mikael was buried at the edge of Ngorongoro Crater, where he worked with his father. The inscription on the grave monument:
Books and films
Grzimek has written many popular science articles and books. Traveling around the world, he became more and more convinced that people sometimes treat the matter of nature conservation with criminality. Taking upon himself the task of making people understand that planet Earth is our only home and must be protected, the scientist did not limit himself to stating facts. He, regardless of social status, sought to call to account those who massively pollute rivers and seas, pose a threat to rare species of fauna, and turn forests into wastelands. The word of Professor Grzimek became weighty, he was listened to all over the world.
Together with Mikael Bernhard, he made a film about the animals of Africa "The Serengeti Must Not Die" and released a book with the same title.
Grzimek's works were published in many countries and became very popular among readers. Many have been translated into Russian. The most famous:
- "They Belong to All: The Struggle for the Wildlife of Africa",
- "Our smaller brothers"
- "Wild animal and man",
- "From Cobra to Grizzly Bear"
- "Animals are near us"
- "Animals are my life: 50 years: events and research".
Grzimek is the author of many popular science films. He worked with the founding father of zoopsychology Konrad Lorenz and zoologist Heini Hediger. He hosted the program "A place for wild animals", which he completely devoted to the protection of nature.
Grzimek more than once took part in such programs of Soviet television as "Film Travel Club", "In the Animal World". Grzimek was friends with Yuri Senkevich, with Vasily Peskov, with Nikolai Drozdov. Visiting the Soviet Union, Bernhard admired how well the country was dealing with the protection of nature …
Legendary journalist V. M. Peskov called Grzimek a humanist with a capital letter. He really was a true hero of his time. His films and books are known and loved all over the world, in them the author preaches the unity of everything on Earth, considers man as a part of living nature and warns of the danger of human egoism.
