Happy Birthday Alexander von Humboldt!

The famous explorer, botanist and geographer is born in Berlin

Born on 14 September 1769 to a Prussian army officer and his wife, Alexander von Humboldt and his elder brother Wilhelm grew up at Tegel Castle near Berlin and were educated by private tutors in the spirit of the Enlightenment. Alexander soon developed a keen interest in nature, especially insects, plants and stones, and later studied botany. Whilst training to become a state mining official, he also prepared a research trip to Latin America. Accompanied by the French botanist Aimé Bonpland, the pair became the first foreigners to obtain permission to travel throughout the entire Spanish colonial empire. Launched in 1799 and lasting five years, the expedition took Humboldt und Bonpland through Central and South America. Despite suffering frequent and sometimes serious illness, they studied and measured river systems, climbed mountains, collected and described plants and animals, and prepared reports for the Spanish government. Humboldt sent numerous reports about his discoveries in letters to friends and soon became an international celebrity. On his return journey, he was a guest of the President of the United States and was accorded an enthusiastic welcome upon his return to Europe.

Alexander von Humboldt undertook further expeditions to various destinations, including Central Asia, and published extensive works on his travels, which burnished his reputation. As an advocate of progressive ideas, Alexander von Humboldt condemned slavery and the treatment of the Latin American peoples by the colonial authorities. He was also a pioneer of environmentalism, a critic of the influence of the Church, and even participated in the funeral procession for the victims of government attempts to suppress the 1848 revolution in Prussia. Even before his death at the age of almost 90, Alexander von Humboldt was regarded as an outstanding scientist both in Germany and abroad, and he is still well known in many parts of the world today. The Humboldt Forum in Berlin is named after him and his brother, who distinguished himself as an educational reformer.