The Armbruster Room

Insights into the history of bee culture

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  Armbruster mit dem japanischem Bienenkundler Tokuda vor dem Institut für Bienenkunde

• Armbruster im Garten des Dahlemer Instituts für Bienenkunde um 1930

• Kanitzkorb Entwicklung um 1852

This permanent exhibition module on the upper floor of the manor house of the Dahlem domain illuminates the life of the important bee expert Ludwig Armbruster and offers insights into the fascinating cultural history of beekeeping with selected pieces from his extensive collection.

The small show focuses on unusual pieces that can still be personally attributed to Armbruster's worldwide collecting activities. These include, for example, the most diverse forms of bee housing, which also include his own developments. But also accessories of the beekeeping trade such as smokers, queen cages, a straw press as well as a large wooden screw press from 1770 for the extraction of honey and wax are shown.

Ludwig Armbruster himself (* 1886, † 1973) deserves special attention: the first director of the Institute for Apiculture, founded in Berlin-Dahlem in 1923, not only had a doctorate in zoology, but had also successfully completed the Second State Examination as a teacher and before that had studied Catholic theology and worked as a vicar after his ordination to the priesthood, before moving to Berlin. His scientific work was mainly concerned with beekeeping. Armbruster was the first bee researcher to try to reproduce the hereditary theory of honey bees researched by Gregor Mendel and to use it for breeding. Nowadays, he is also given special historical recognition for his civil courage. After he refused to sign the required oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler on March 2, 1933 and also saved the lives of several Jewish students with a skilled worker's certificate, which was necessary for emigration to Palestine, he was expelled from office in 1934 as a victim of National Socialist arbitrary measures. It was not until 2007 that he was officially rehabilitated as a Nazi victim.

Runtime: from April 2018

Price: €5.00

Reduced price: €3.00

Reduced price info: Free admission for children and teenagers up to 18 years. These admission prices apply to the Museum im Herrenhaus and the CULINARIUM. A donation is requested for entering the premises.

Takes place here:

• Domäne Dahlem