KP10

EST:

Karl Ernst von Baer
Pildiallkiri: Foto Karl Ernst von Baeri monumendist 20. sajandi I poolel
Allikas: korporatsioon Estonia album-päevaraamat (Tartu Ülikooli muuseum).
Aastail 1810–1814 Tartu ülikoolis õppinud Karl Ernst von Baer (1792–1876), hilisem akadeemik, on tuntud kui nüüdisaegse embrüoloogia rajaja ja imetaja munaraku avastaja, aga tal on teeneid ka geograafia jt loodusteaduste arendamisel. Näiteks oli ta Vene Geograafia Seltsi asutaja ja esimene president. Suurema osa oma elutööst tegi Baer Königsbergis ja Peterburis, kuid oma viimased aastad veetis ta Tartus. Tema auks on nimetatud seitse geograafilist objekti maailmas, nende hulgas Baeri saar Põhja-Siberis Taimõri lahes ja Baeri mäeahelik Paapua Uus-Guinea saarel Astrolabe’i lahes.
Pärast teadlase surma soovisid tema austajad pühendada talle mälestusmärgi. Organiseeriti üleriigiline korjandus ja konkurss, kuhu laekus 25 kavandit. Võitjaks osutus tollal väga kõrgelt tunnustatud skulptor Aleksandr Opekušin. Monument avati pidulikult Baeri kümnendal surma-aastapäeval 1886. aastal.

ENG:

Karl Ernst von Baer 
Photo of the monument to Karl Ernst von Baer in the first half of the 20th century 
Source: album-diary of Fraternity Estonia (University of Tartu Museum)
Karl Ernst von Baer (1792–1876), who studied at the University of Tartu from 1810 to 1814 and later
became an academician, is best known as the founder of modern embryology and the discoverer of
the mammalian ovum, but he also contributed to the development of geography and other sciences.
For example, he was the founder and the first president of the Russian Geographical Society. Baer
did most of his life’s work in Königsberg and St. Petersburg but spent his last years in Tartu. Seven
geographical sites worldwide have been named in his honour, including the Baer Island in the Taimyr
Gulf in northern Siberia and the Baer mountain range on the Papua New Guinea island in the
Astrolabe Bay.
After the scientist died, his admirers wanted to dedicate a monument to him. A nationwide
fundraiser campaign and a competition were organised, to which 25 designs were presented. The
winner was Alexander Opekushin, a highly acclaimed sculptor at that time. The ceremony of
unveiling the monument was held on the tenth anniversary of Baer’s death in 1886.