The Second Kamchatka Expedition as a heroic scientific act of the 18th century

Dr. Wieland Hintzsche

In the beginning of the 18th century the German town of Halle was the center on Russian studies and scientific collaboration with the Russian Academy of Sciences. This activity was supported by a foundation established by the German enthusiast-enlightener A. Francke.

Influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment, the theologian and linguist August Hermann Francke developed an outstanding educational system that attracted interest of the Russian tsar Peter the Great. In Russia and in Siberia particularly with the help of the Francke Foundation, elementary schools were founded. G.W. Steller, outstanding scientist and traveler, taught at one of the schools. Two hundred years later, a group of Halle scientists began studying the German-Russian scientific cooperation of the 18th century. Thus emerged the idea of publishing the series of documents on the history of Alaska and Siberia, manuscripts, and letters of the participants of the Second Kamchatka expedition from the Francke Foundation and the Archives of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In addition to the Francke Foundation, the international project includes also research institutes from Russia, Denmark, the USA and other countries. The project is headed by Dr. Wieland Hintzsche.

More information on these and other subjects you can find in the printed version of our journal.