Gottlieb Emanuel von Haller


Gottlieb Emanuel von Haller was a Bernese historian, numismatist, botanist, politician, diplomat and librarian.

Biography

He was the eldest son of polymath Albrecht von Haller. Born in Berne, he studied law and history in Göttingen, where his father was professor for medicine and botany.
He returned to Berne in 1753. He entered public service in Berne, in 1763 as vice-librarian, 1765 as secretary of the war council, and from 1775 as member of the city council. He was a fellow of the Academy of Sciences Leopoldina from 1778. He was sent to represent Berne in the transmontane bailiwicks in 1779/80 and from 1785 until his death he served as reeve of Nyon.
He married Anna Margarethe Schultheß in 1761, with whom he had six sons and four daughters. One of his sons was politician Karl Ludwig von Haller.

Works

As a student, he wrote pamphlets against the Linnean system of taxonomy.
During his career he authored numerous works on bibliothecography, numismatics and the history of Switzerland, writing in German, French and Latin.
His magnum opus was a History of Switzerland in six volumes, two volumes published during his lifetime, the remaining four, which were ready for print at the time of his death, were published posthumously by J.J. Stapfer.