Baron Bernhard August von Lindenau (11 June 1779 – 21 May 1854) was a German
lawyer
A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solici ...
,
astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, moons, comets and galaxies – in either o ...
,
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
, and art collector.
Lindenau was born in
Altenburg, the son of Johann August Lindenau, a regional administrator (''Landschaftsdirektor)''. In 1793, Lindeau began studying law and mathematics at
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...
, and beginning in 1801 he worked at the astronomical observatory in
Seeburg. In 1830 he was the Minister of the Interior during a turbulent period in the history of
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
. Late in the year he oversaw measures to calm violent protests demanding political reform. From 1831 to 1843 he was
Minister-President
A minister-president or minister president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments with a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government where they preside over the council of ministers. I ...
.
He created a collection of Italian artwork from the 14th and 15th centuries by
Florentine painters in an effort to create artistic awareness. He gave his art collection to the city of Altenburg on the condition that they create a museum to display the pieces. This museum was finished in 1875, and became the
Lindenau-Museum.
Lindenau edited the ''Monatliche Correspondenz zur Beförderung der Erd- und Himmels-Kunde'' starting in 1807. The Journal was founded by
Franz Xaver von Zach in 1800 and existed until 1813.
In 1809 he became correspondent of the Royal Institute of the Netherlands, when that became the
Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences ( nl, Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen, abbreviated: KNAW) is an organization dedicated to the advancement of science and literature in the Netherlands. The academy is housed ...
in 1851 he joined as foreign member.
Lindenau was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, ...
in 1822.
He died in
Windischleuba.
Awards and honors
*
Asteroid
An asteroid is a minor planet of the Solar System#Inner solar system, inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic o ...
9322 Lindenau 93 may refer to:
* 93 (number)
* one of the years 93 BC, AD 93, 1993, 2093, etc.
* 93 Seine-Saint-Denis, French department, Paris, Île-de-France
* Atomic number 93: neptunium
* '' Ninety-Three'', English title of ''Quatrevingt-treize'' (same ...
was named for him.
*
Lindenau (crater) on the
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width ...
was named for him.
* Lindenau Museum in Altenburg was named after him.
*
Lalande Prize in 1812
References
1780 births
1854 deaths
People from Altenburg
People from Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
19th-century German astronomers
Ministers-President of Saxony
Jurists from Thuringia
German art collectors
19th-century art collectors
Members of the Frankfurt Parliament
Members of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
Leipzig University alumni
Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Foreign Members of the Royal Society
Honorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences
Recipients of the Lalande Prize
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