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Authorized form of name
Dietrich, Amalie, 1821-1891
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Dates of existence
1821-1891
History
German naturalist Amalie Dietrich was born Amalie Nelle on 26 May 1821 in Siebenlehn, Saxony. She developed a passion for natural history after marrying Wilhelm August Salomo Dietrich around 1846. He was ten years older than her and, although trained as a chemist, preferred collecting and selling natural history specimens to apothecaries and scientific institutions. Together the couple went on extended collecting trips. In March 1848 their daughter, Charitas Concordia Sophie Dietrich, was born. Despite difficulties in her marriage and ultimately a separation from her husband, Dietrich remained committed to her scientific pursuits, eventually securing a position with merchant J.C. Godeffroy, who funded her expeditions to Australia to collect for his private museum. In August 1863, she arrived in Australia, where she travelled across Queensland, collecting plants, animals, insects, corals, shells and Aboriginal Australian remains. Her dedication enabled her to endure harsh conditions, including extreme heat and illness. She remained in Australia for a decade, consistently sending unique specimens back to Europe. After she returned to Germany via Tonga in March 1873, Dietrich worked at Godeffroy Museum, then joined the Botanical Museum in Hamburg. She was highly respected in scientific circles, with several species named in her honour, such as Acacia dietrichiana (Dietrich wattle). Although considered eccentric, her meticulous work earned her recognition, including a fellowship in the Entomological Society of Stettin and a gold medal for wood specimens. She died on 9 March 1891, leaving a legacy as a dedicated collector who expanded scientific knowledge of Australia's biodiversity. In 1909, her daughter, Charitas Bischoff, who had a strained relationship with Dietrich, published a largely fictional biography of her mother titled, Amalie Dietrich. Ein Leben (Amalie Dietrich. A life).
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Revised
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Minimal
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Revised, Kymberley Doyle, 01-Apr-2025.
Revised, Linda Justo, 27-Apr-2023.
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Sources
Gilbert, L. A. (1972) 'Dietrich, Amalie (1821–1891)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, accessed online 27 April 2023.
Maintenance notes
Revised with expanded history, Kymberley Doyle, 01-Apr-2025.