Biographical sketch of Professor Doctor Albert Wigand

Abstract

Albert Wigand was born at Kassel on October 21, 1882, the son of Dr. Paul Wigand, pastor, and Luise, née Thiersch. He was a descendant of an old family of theologians and natural philosophers. After completing his studies at the humanistic Lessing Gymnasium at Frankfurt‐am‐Main, Wigand studied from 1901 to 1906 in Marburg and München, the natural sciences, mathematics, and philosophy. He received in 1906 the degree of Ph.D. at Marburg, with a physical dissertation, as a pupil of Richarz, and passed in Marburg the same year the state examination for teachers of physics, mathematics, chemistry, mineralogy, and philosophical propaedutics for the higher grades. After two years as assistant to Richarz in Marburg, Wigand was engaged from 1907 to 1910, as assistant in physics to Hallwachs at the Technische Hochschule in Dresden. In 1910 he went as assistant in physics to the Physical Institute of the University of Halle at Dorn, and became in 1911 privatdozent in physics and physical chemistry. The title of professor was conferred on him in 1917, he was commissioned to teach physics of the atmosphere in 1920, and in 1921 he was appointed “nichtbeamteter ausserordentlicher Professor” at Halle. In 1925 Wigand accepted a call as professor of physics and meteorology at the Landwirtschaftliche Hochschule, Hohenheim‐Stuttgart, at the same time giving courses in meteorology at the Technische Hochschule, Stuttgart. On April 1, 1929, he was called to Hamburg University to occupy the newly established chair of meteorology which constituted the continuation of the meteorological post previously held by Alfred Wegener and Georgii as associate professors. As director of the Meteorological Institute of Hamburg University, Wigand was also entrusted with the direction of the Meteorological Experiment Station of the Deutsche Seewarte which had developed out of the Koeppen Grossborstel Pilot‐Balloon Station. The Institute is combined with the Experiment Station and since January 1931 has been housed in a new building erected at government expense and belonging to the Deutsche Seewarte, on the north side of the airport in Fuhlsbüttel. On July 4, 1931, Wigand was chosen rector of the Hamburg University for the period October 1, 1931 to September 30, 1932.