Information November 2022
Restoration of the Leopold von Buch gravesite – appeal for donations
Dear members of the DGGV,
dear friends of the DGGV,
In 1848, Leopold von Buch (1774-1853) was one of the 13 founding fathers of the German Geological Society (DGG), one of the predecessor societies of today’s German Geological Society – Geological Association (DGGV), together with Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) and Ernst Beyrich (1815-1896). He was one of the internationally outstanding geologists of his time, and as the first chairman of the DGG he made his mark. When he died in 1853, he was buried in Stolpe near Angermünde in the hereditary burial ground of the noble family known far beyond the region of the Uckermark.
The hereditary burial ground, which was laid out at the beginning of the 19th century by Adolf Friedrich von Buch (1733-1811) and is a listed monument, was redesigned several times over the course of time. It had an eventful history, especially after the end of the Second World War. Since 2007, the DGGV has owned the gravesite, some of which has been badly damaged. It is to be extensively restored in 2023 so that it can appear in a dignified condition in time for the 175th anniversary of the founding of the German Geological Society and the 170th anniversary of the death of Leopold von Buch, both in 2023, as well as the 250th anniversary of his birth in the following year 2024 and serve as a place of remembrance for the world-famous geologist and also the German Geological Society, which he co-founded.
Current information about the Leopold von Buch gravesite can be found here.
You can also find some information about the gravesite in a short film on the youtube channel of the DGGV.
The costs for the restoration in accordance with the preservation order amount to a high five-digit sum. After consultation with the responsible monument authorities, a cost-intensive preliminary expert opinion could be dispensed with. To finance the restoration project, own funds were made available by the DGGV. In addition, surpluses generated from the sale of the Geological Calendar were partially transferred to the Leopold von Buch Gravesite account. Applications for funding have been submitted to the responsible monument authorities of the Uckermark district and the state of Brandenburg, as well as to the German Foundation for Monument Protection. We hope for one or the other positive decision. Nevertheless, we will have to bear a not inconsiderable part of the expected costs through donations.
If you would like to make a financial contribution to the restoration of the Leopold von Buch gravesite, you can transfer your donation to the DGGV account below. Please mark your donation with “LvB + your name”.
A donation receipt will be issued upon request.
Unused funds will be used for the later care and maintenance of the Leopold von Buch gravesite as well as the accompanying park (approx. 7,000 sqm)!
With best regards and ‘Glück auf‘!
Martin Meschede & Heinz-Gerd Röhling
