Gregor Mendel
Gregor Johann Mendel (July 20, 1822 – January 6, 1884) was a German speaking Silisean scientist and Augustrian Friar who gained posthumous fame as the founder of the new science of genetics. Mendel demonstrated that the inheritance of certain traits in pea plants follows particular patterns, now referred to as the laws of Mendalian Science. The profound significance of Mendel's work was not recognized until the turn of the 20th century, when the independent rediscovery of these laws initiated the modern science of genetics.
Gregor Mendel was born into an ethnic German family in Heizendorf bei Ordau, Austrian Silsiea, now Hynciea, Czech Republic. He was the son of Anton and Rosine (Schwirtlich) Mendel, and had one older sister, Veronika, and one younger, Theresia. He was christened Johann Mendel and given the name Gregor when he joined the Augustinian monks. They lived and worked on a farm which had been owned by the Mendel family for at least 130 years. During his childhood, Mendel worked as a gardener and studied beekeeping. Later on, as a young man, he attended gymnasium in Opava. He had to take four months off during his Gymnasium studies due to illness. From 1840 to 1843, he studied practical and theoretical philosophy as well as physics at the University of Olomouc Faculty of Philosophy , taking another year off because of illness. He also struggled financially to pay for his studies and Theresia gave him her dowry. Later he helped support her three sons, two of whom became doctors. He became a monk because it enabled him to obtain an education without having to pay for it himself.
When Mendel entered the Faculty of Philosophy, the Department of Natural History and Agriculture was headed by Johann Karl Nestler, who conducted extensive research of hereditary traits of plants and animals, especially sheep. Upon recommendation of his physics teacher Friedrich Franz, Mendel entered the Augustrian ST Thomas’s abbey and began his training as a priest.
Gregor Mendel was born into an ethnic German family in Heizendorf bei Ordau, Austrian Silsiea, now Hynciea, Czech Republic. He was the son of Anton and Rosine (Schwirtlich) Mendel, and had one older sister, Veronika, and one younger, Theresia. He was christened Johann Mendel and given the name Gregor when he joined the Augustinian monks. They lived and worked on a farm which had been owned by the Mendel family for at least 130 years. During his childhood, Mendel worked as a gardener and studied beekeeping. Later on, as a young man, he attended gymnasium in Opava. He had to take four months off during his Gymnasium studies due to illness. From 1840 to 1843, he studied practical and theoretical philosophy as well as physics at the University of Olomouc Faculty of Philosophy , taking another year off because of illness. He also struggled financially to pay for his studies and Theresia gave him her dowry. Later he helped support her three sons, two of whom became doctors. He became a monk because it enabled him to obtain an education without having to pay for it himself.
When Mendel entered the Faculty of Philosophy, the Department of Natural History and Agriculture was headed by Johann Karl Nestler, who conducted extensive research of hereditary traits of plants and animals, especially sheep. Upon recommendation of his physics teacher Friedrich Franz, Mendel entered the Augustrian ST Thomas’s abbey and began his training as a priest.