When Leonhart Fuchs was appointed Professor of Medicine at the University of Tübingen (founded in 1477 and one of Germany’s oldest and most prestigious institutions) in 1535, the university was in a state of radical upheaval. Duke Ulrich had just returned from 15 years of exile (following the murder of his mistress’s husband) – and he returned as a Protestant! He intended to reform the university, and was looking for men with backbone.
The Duke expected great things from Fuchs: he was not only to reform medical teaching but also to steer the university toward Humanism and the Reformation. However, the university was deeply rooted in the Catholic faith. Resistance was so fierce that the Chancellor, Ambrosius Widmann, fled to neighboring Catholic Rottenburg for 15 years to boycott the Lutheran Reformation.
Leonhart Fuchs (1501–1566)
- Born in Wemding, Bavaria; died in Tübingen.
- Professor in Tübingen from 1535 until the end of his life.
- One of the most important scientists at the dawn of the modern era.
- His herbals – De Historia Stirpium commentarii insignes (1542) and, a year later, the New Kreüterbuch – laid the foundation for modern botany.
A Fighter Recommended by Melanchthon
The 35-year-old Fuchs seemed exactly the right man for this difficult task. He was fearless and never shied away from conflict. As early as 1530, he put his finger on the pulse with his work Errata recentiorum medicorum (“The Errors of Recent Physicians”). He rebuked the ignorance of his colleagues and demanded a medicine oriented toward nature – and, above all, the banishment of “Arab authorities” in favor of returning to the ancient roots of Hippocrates.
His reputation was excellent: he came to Tübingen on the recommendation of Philipp Melanchthon, Martin Luther’s most important strategist. Fuchs quickly became the university’s most influential figure, serving as Rector a total of seven times – twice during the plague years of 1554 and 1555.
The “Excellent” Work of the “Most Famous Physician”
But Fuchs wanted more than just administration. Since the beginning of his time in Tübingen, he had been working on his monumental herbal, De Historia Stirpium (1542). It contained life-like illustrations of over 500 medicinal plants in a quality that revolutionized botany.
Interestingly, Fuchs presented both his work and himself with great confidence in the title. He called his commentaries “insignes” – meaning excellent or outstanding. He did not leave the evaluation to the reader; he anticipated it. The full latin title of the book reads like a modern advertisement:
“Excellent commentaries on the history of plants: Compiled with the greatest effort and diligence […] written by Leonhart Fuchs, by far the most famous physician of our time.”
Fame, Honor, and Scholarly Feuds
Describing himself as the “by far the most famous physician of our time” may seem arrogant today. However, in the Renaissance, this immense self-confidence was part of the program. One worked for posthumous fame and literary immortality.
Anyone who criticized Fuchs had to expect harsh counterattacks. When he accused the Frankfurt printer Christian Egenolff of plagiarism and Egenolff defended himself, Fuchs struck back with a treatise on “lying and unchristian accusations.” Decades of feuds with other scholars followed – disputes that were often morally charged and conducted with the sharpest polemics from both sides.
The Name that Bloomed: From “Fox” to “Fuchsia”
There is a charming irony in how Leonhart Fuchs is remembered today. While he saw himself as the “most famous physician,” the world knows his name primarily because of a flower he never even saw.
In the late 17th century, the French botanist Charles Plumier discovered a new plant in the Caribbean. To honor the great German pioneer of botany, he named it Fuchsia.
A Note on Pronunciation
For English speakers, the pronunciation can be a bit of a riddle. In German, the name Fuchs means “Fox” and is pronounced with a short, sharp “foooks”. However, the flower’s name evolved into the English “fyoo-sha”. So, every time someone admires a vibrant fuchsia in their garden, they are unknowingly paying tribute to the stubborn, brilliant “Fox” of Tübingen.
Text: Gerhard Groebe, Images: Public domain