The Institute of Veterinary Anatomy at the Freie Universität Berlin houses selected Ziegler wax models of various stages of animal embryonic development. This historical collection comprises around 135 wax models, which are in a good state of preservation. The models and developmental series showcased at the institute were made in the studio of Dr. Adolf Ziegler (1820-1889) and his son Friedrich Ziegler (1860-1936).

Background and History of the Collection

The origins of the Ziegler company go back to pharmacist and doctor Adolf Ziegler, who began making and selling anatomical wax models for embryology in the 1850s. He set up his "studio for scientific sculpture" in Freiburg Breisgau. Ziegler's model series quickly gained international fame and was used by leading embryologists to illustrate their theories.

In 1886, Friedrich Ziegler took over the successful studio and perfected the plate technique, in which models were assembled from individual wax plates made from microscopic sectional preparations

Collaboration and Significance

Adolf Ziegler cooperated with renowned scientists, such as Wilhelm His (1831-1904), resulting in important model series, including a twenty-five-piece developmental series of the lancelet (Branchiostoma lanceolatum) and the "Development of the chicken in the egg" in 1867. The models for the "Anatomy of human embryos" were produced between 1880 and 1885, based on drawings and preparations by His.

After the death of Friedrich Ziegler in 1936, the Marcus Sommer company in Sonneberg took over the studio. The workshops for plastic teaching aids, founded by Marcus Sommer in 1876, continue the tradition of producing didactic models under the SOMSO® brand, although some Ziegler models are now made of plastic.

Preservation and Presentation

The historical collection of Ziegler's wax models and developmental series at the Institute of Veterinary Anatomy offers a unique insight into the historical and scientific significance of these models. They contribute to the preservation and dissemination of scientific heritage. As Ziegler's models are also a valuable resource for teaching, they have been scanned and can thus be used in teaching in digital form or as 3D prints.

 

The collections are open to the public by appointment only, please contact:

• Contact person: Janet Weigner
• Telephone: +49 (0)30 838 56401
• Email: janet.weigner@fu-berlin.de