2024. december 2., hétfő

Biography of Dr. Oszkár Wellmann

DR. WELLMANN OSZKÁR

1876–1943

 

He was a veterinarian surgeon and also an academician, a famous scholar acknowledged abroad not only because of his research results in the nutrient need of young animals, the research of rickets and vitamin need but also through his activity done in the promotion of cattle breeding, the establishment and national introduction of animal judgement and registration.

 

Wellmann Oszkár was born in Szászrég (in Maros-Torda County) on 8th October 1876. He finished the main grammar school of the VIII. and V. district in Budapest then he became the student of the Hungarian Royal Veterinarian Academy. He graduated as a veterinarian surgeon in 1895. Next he enrolled in the Budapest University of Sciences Faculty of Medicine where he studied to be a doctor for seven semesters. From 1899 he worked as a veterinarian surgeon in Kaposvár for six years. He was a professor at the Hungarian Royal Veterinarian College, then at the Animal Husbandry Department at the Hungarian Royal József Nádor University of Technology and Economics, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary. In 1907 he was among the first who obtained a veterinarian surgeon title at the college with promotional rights. Then he was appointed assistant professor. It was this year when he went for a long study trip abroad. On returning in 1908 he was appointed the temporary head of department of the Animal Husbandry Department and on 27th May 1910 an orderly public college professor. The lecturer-staff of the college elected him rector for the academic years of 1931/32 and 1932/33. His activities were aimed in three particular directions. As a lecturer he endeavoured to impart the highest level animal science knowledge to his students. In order to do this he considerably widened the frames of animal science education while he was a lecturer. He compiled his high quality lectures in a textbook soon and in 1921 he published General Animal Husbandry I, then in 1928 General Animal Husbandry II. Several of his professional books where the results of his scientific activities appeared were designed not only for researchers but also for training and further training students of agricultural and veterinary sciences as well as for experts working in practice. A great number of his articles appeared in the magazine called “Köztelek” and in the Journal of Animal Producers, where he was the chairman of the editorial board until his death.

In addition to his teaching practice he considered it important that his institute would carry out active scientific work. It realised particularly in experimental research in two main directions: first in biology (relation and inheritance problems) and second in bio-chemistry (material, energy and salinity examinations). The latter was in connection with the examinations carried out to reveal the causes of rickets and the results of which were published in a study titled A rhachitis… in 1931 (I. volume) and in 1930 (II. volume). He carried on his research in this topic and his results appeared both in Hungarian and in foreign scientific journals. He was in close connection with practical life. His main endeavour was to have the Hungarian farmer and the Hungarian animal husbandry be the beneficial of his work, of his rich animal science knowledge. It was especially important for him to improve the Hungarian cattle breeding. It was him who introduced the cattle judgement and registration in Hungary. He was the chairman of the National Cattle Registration Committee for years.

In 1916 the Ministry of Agriculture appointed him a member of the National Supervision Committee.

He worked as a member of the National Animal Health Council from 1919 until he retired.

The governor acknowledged his excellent and expert work for the Hungarian animal breeding. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences elected him a correspondence member, then in 1937 an ordinary member.

He played an active part in the Hungarian National Farmers Association, and he was appointed their representative in the upper-house in 1937.

He was invited to Turkey to organise the up-to-date animal production in 1932 then to Persia in 1936. His organisational job was duly appreciated in both countries.

In 1936 he got the order of Koronás Bronzérem for his work to improve Hungarian animal husbandry. In 1943 the Hungarian National Veterinary Association elected him an honorary member.

He was also acknowledged abroad and took part in many international conferences. The most significant of these was the international animal husbandry congress in Zurich in 1939. The lecture he held here was the start of the European Animal Breeders Association (FEZ) after the war in 1947.

He died at the age of 67 on 4th May 1943.