Digitisation and Cataloguing of the Scholarly Correspondence of Karl Ernst von Baer (1792-1876) in the University Library Gießen

卡尔·恩斯特·冯·贝尔（Karl Ernst von Baer，1792-1876）是“19世纪自然科学史上的重要人物之一，其地位不亚于亚历山大·冯·洪堡”（Osterkamp，2015）。除了胚胎学、解剖学和形态学，他还在人类学、人种学、地理学和渔业方面做出了重大贡献。他的研究重点是胚胎学和形态学的理论问题，因此他在进化论及其发展的辩论中发挥了重要作用。由于贝尔的科学声誉和他在各种文化和政治环境（爱沙尼亚，普鲁士和俄罗斯）的工作，他的遗产在科学史上具有非凡的意义。这尤其适用于科学通信。贝尔与地球仪各地的1,000多人交换了意见，主要是在欧洲，特别是在德国和俄罗斯，但也在美国，日本和印度尼西亚。贝尔的科学信件中最大的一部分（4,400封）连同他的手稿和大量的印刷作品作为部分遗产保存在吉森大学图书馆。自1999年以来，部分遗产的清单是可用的，但它不提供每一个字母的元数据。在拟议的项目中，吉森部分遗产的整个科学通信将完全数字化，并在网上提供。在此过程中，所有信件的形式和内容将在Kalliope数据库中编入索引。由于这些信件到目前为止只是偶尔发表，因此可以通过这种方式获得贝尔在讨论进化论和19世纪世纪科学话语中的其他主题时所起作用的新迹象。此外，该项目打算转录和编辑一批优秀的信件（约100封），并为合作和科学地编制信件索引奠定基础，在以后单独提出的项目中，所有信件都应转录和编辑，从而为信件的网络分析创造先决条件，特别是从世纪发展理论的历时性发展和分化来看，这一理论有着新的启示。此外，还可以建立信件与吉森部分遗产中的手稿、日记和草稿之间的联系。也许，整合其他部分的遗产，位于彼得堡和塔尔图，以及分散的，较小的通信部分将使一个全面的，历史性的重新评估卡尔恩斯特冯贝尔的作用。

Karl Ernst von Baer (1792-1876) was "one of the dominant figures in the history of the natural sciences in the 19th century and as such of no lesser stature than Alexander von Humboldt" (Osterkamp, 2015). In addition to embryology, anatomy and morphology, he made significant contributions in anthropology, ethnography, geography and fishery. A particular focus of his research was directed towards theoretical questions of embryology and morphology and thereby he played an important role in the debate on the theory of evolution and its development.Due to Baer’s scientific reputation and his work in various cultural and political milieus (Estonia, Prussia and Russia), his estate is of extraordinary interest for the history of the sciences. This applies in particular to the scientific correspondence. Baer exchanged ideas with more than 1,000 persons all over the globe, primarily in Europe and particularly in Germany and Russia, but also in the USA, Japan and Indonesia. Among the correspondents are many of the most important scientific personalities of his time.The largest part of Baer’s scientific correspondence (4,400 letters) together with manuscripts and a large number of his printed writings is stored as partial estate in the University Library Giessen. An inventory of the partial estate is available since 1999 but it does not provide metadata for each individual letter.In the proposed project, the entire scientific correspondence of the Giessen partial estate is to be completely digitized and made accessible online. In the course of this, the form and content of all letters will be indexed in the Kalliope database. Since the letters have been published only occasionally so far, new indications of Baer’s role in the discussion about the theory of evolution and other topics from the scientific discourse of the 19th century can already be obtained in this way. In addition, the project intends to transcribe and edit a selection of outstanding letters (about 100) and to develop the basis for a cooperative, scientific indexing of the letters.In later, separately proposed projects, all letters should be transcribed and edited, thus creating the preconditions for a network analysis of the correspondence, which promises new insights especially in view of the diachronic development and differentiation of developmental theories in the 19th century. In addition, links between the correspondence and the manuscripts, diaries and drafts available in the Giessen-based partial estate can also be established. Perspectively, the integration of other parts of the estate, located in St. Petersburg and Tartu, as well as scattered, smaller correspondence parts would enable a comprehensive, historical reappraisal of the role of Karl Ernst von Baer.