Karl Von Frisch, 20 November 1886 - 12 June 1982

Abstract

Karl was born in 1886 in Vienna, a member of a family who dearly loved the unspoilt beauties of the Austrian Alps in summer. They were particularly fond of spending their summer holidays in the Salzkammergut region of Austria. One year they rented rooms in the water-mill at Brunnwinkl on Lake Wolfgang and fell in love with the spot. By a great piece of good luck they had the opportunity to buy the old water-mill there, and with it a considerable piece of delightful land on the lake shore nearby. They turned the old mill into a beautiful summer residence and converted another house into two summer villas. There were half a dozen other houses nearby, which together made up the hamlet of Brunnwinkl. Before long the old mill became the permanent residence of the von Frisch family, while the other houses were occupied by three of Karl’s maternal uncles—some also by distinguished scientists or literary men. Karl him self described this little ‘colony’ with the words, ‘One has complete freedom. One can join the relaxed family atmosphere or live as a complete hermit for days.’ Karl’s mother (formerly Marie Exner) presided over the group and a high proportion of the children of the clan became good swimmers and climbers, and ardent naturalists. Karl himself stated that, as a biologist, his development owed a good deal to this wonderful childhood. Even before the Brunnwinkl days he had a little ‘zoo’ in his room in Vienna, and when I first visited the family at Brunnwinkl there was a beautiful little ‘Von Frisch museum’ of local natural history, which was a delight to the zoologist as well as the amateur naturalist.