Georg Forster
Johann Georg Adam Forster was a notable figure in the 18th century, born near Gdansk, Poland. He is best recognized for his role as a naturalist and for accompanying his father, Johann Reinhold Forster, on James Cook's second voyage aboard the HMS Resolution from 1772 to 1775. This journey took them to the Pacific Islands and provided the backdrop for Forster's influential publication, "A Voyage Round the World," which established a new standard for travel literature. His work not only inspired future naturalists like Alexander Humboldt but also became a significant reference for various accounts related to the HMS Bounty.
Forster's academic career took him to the University of Kassel and later to the University of Vilnius, where he taught natural history. Despite personal hardships, including a troubled marriage and subsequent separation from his wife and children, Forster remained politically engaged, supporting the French Revolution. His political stance ultimately led to his exile from Germany. Forster spent his final years in France, where he died at the age of thirty-nine, leaving behind a legacy shaped by his exploration and literary contributions.
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Georg Forster
Naturalist
- Born: November 27, 1754
- Birthplace: Nassenhuben, near Gdansk, Poland
- Died: January 10, 1794
Biography
Johann Georg Adam Forster was born near the city of Gdansk, Poland. At a young age, Forster began to accompany his naturalist father, Johann Reinhold Forster, on his travels. Between 1772 to 1775, Forster accompanied his father on the second voyage of James Cook aboard the HMS Resolution. The voyage took them to the Pacific Islands and across the southern polar circle. On his return, Forster published his first book, an account of the journey titled A Voyage Round the World, in His Britannic Majesty’s Sloop “Resolution,” Commanded by Capt. James Cook During the Years 1772, 3, 4, and 5. Forster’s book became the model for a new literary genre: the travel book as a fine literary work. Forster’s book influenced other naturalists such as Alexander Humboldt and became the literary source for books and films about the HMS Bounty.
In 1778, Forster became a professor at the University of Kassel in Germany. He later taught natural history at the University of Vilnius in Lithuania. In 1778, while teaching at Vilnius, Forster married a woman named Therese with whom he had three children. The marriage was an unfortunate one, and Therese later left Forster, taking their three children with her. Always political, Forster supported the French Revolution and was exiled from Germany for his traitorous opinions. After having been banished from Germany and having lost his wife, Forster moved to France, where died impoverished at the age of thirty-nine.