Gravenhorst, Johan Ludwig Christian

Johan Ludwig Gravenhorst was born in Braunschweig [Brunswick], Germany, on November 14, 1777. He was educated at the Katharinen Gymnasium in Braunschweig. Despite an early interest in natural history, he decided on a career in law, and entered Universität Helmstadt to study law. However, in 1790 he entered Universität Göttingen to study zoology, mineralogy, and botany. In 1801 he returned to Helmstadt and defended his dissertation “Conspectus historiae entomologiae” and was awarded the title of “Doctor philosophiae et magister liberalium artium.” Then he returned to Braunschweig and spent all his time on entomology. His first major publication (1802) was “Coleoptera Microptera Brunsvicensia,” after which he journeyed to Paris to study insect collections, and meet entomologists. On return to Braunschweig, he bought entomological collections, became a “Privatdocent” at Universität Göttingen, and published (1906) “Monographia Coleopterorum Micropterorum,” which expanded his recognition...