August Wilhelm Thienemann

August Wilhelm Thienemann (1830–1884)

August Wilhelm Thienemann (24 April 1830 – 5 November 1884) was a German pastor, ornithologist and conservationist.

Thienemann was born on 24 April 1830 in Droyßig. He was the son of pastor Georg August Wilhelm Thienemann (1781–1863) who also took an interest in natural history. His grandfather Johann August Thienemann (1749–1812) was also a naturalist as was his uncle Friedrich August Ludwig Thienemann (1793–1858), whose son was Ludwig Thienemann (1793–1858). As a boy he collected bird eggs, shells and other objects. When he became a rector he managed a large aviary with numerous birds and recorded the calls of birds. From 1876 the journal Sächsisch-Thüringischen Vereins für Vogelkunde und Vogelschutz zu Halle was edited by Eugen Dietrich Adalbert von Schlechtendal (1830–1881). After his death, Thienemann took over editing of the journal which had then merged into the German association for the protection of birds. In 1884 he was asked to represent Prussia at the International Ornithological Congress at Vienna but Theinemann was unable to go due to poor health. Theinemann suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and had suffered a heart attack once in 1878.

Thienemann died on 5 November 1884 in Zangenberg at the age of 54.