George Buchholtz Sr.

* Kissieben, 1 May 1643 – † Kakaslomnic, 11 May 1724/14 May 1725 / Lutheran priest, naturalist ; ; He graduated in theology from the University of Wittenberg in 1665. After his return home, he taught in various towns in the Highlands (Szepesolaszi, Selmecbánya, Dobsina, Szepesszombat). During the increasing Protestant persecutions, he was imprisoned for a while, then fled abroad. He returned home in 1681 and was a pastor in various settlements in the Spiš region until 1716 (in Batizfalva from 1681 to 1687, in Késmárk from 1688). He was one of the first explorers of the Tatra Mountains. He climbed the 2453 m high Nagyszalóki peak. He described this in the family chronicle that survived in manuscript, and was first published in print by Sámuel Augustini ab Hortis in his work published in 1774. Between 1703 and 1710, he kept his family chronicle under the title Historischer Geschlechts-Bericht, in which he also describes the deeds of his ancestors and related families. The chronicle contains valuable material about the Tatra Mountains: natural phenomena, larch, treasure hunters, etc. The chronicle was only published in 1904 by Weber Rudolf (Poprád), but many people quoted from it during the 18th and 19th centuries. The chronicle was continued by his son Jakab Buchholtz. In 1719, at the age of 76, he wrote the best description of the Tatra Mountains up to that time, entitled Das Weit und Breit erschollene Ziepser-Schnee-Gebürg. In it, he discusses the geological conditions, flora and fauna, and meteorology of the Tatra Mountains at the level of knowledge of the time. It was supposed to be published in the journal Acta Eruditorium Pannoniae by Dániel Fischer (Késmárk), but it was actually only published in 1899. The work also included a panorama of the Tatra Mountains drawn by István Berzeviczy from Kakaslomnic, but this was only published in 1934 by the Polish Józef Szaflarski. The explanation of the panorama can be found in the work written in 1719. Many people have quoted from this manuscript. In the work, he divides the Tatra Mountains into four regions depending on the altitude: meadow, forest, dwarf pine and rock region. We also know about his medical activities. He is credited with the production of oil made from stone pine. His diary-like notes containing detailed observations were only published in print after his death. His work was continued by his two sons: György Buchholtz Jr. and Jakab Buchholtz (Késmárk). ; ; His main works: ; Diarium Buchholtzianum (the manuscript was found in the archives of the Keszmárki Lyceum).