Squadron, Franz

Orthopaedist, natural history researcher

Born: 20.08.1852 in Friedrichshöhe (Siegkreis)

died: 15.08.1936 in Wiesbaden

After graduating from high school in 1871, Franz Staffel initially worked as a bank clerk in Cologne for six years. In 1878, he began studying medicine, which he completed in Leipzig, Stockholm, Bonn and Würzburg. He obtained his doctorate there in 1881 and also passed his state medical examination. He then founded an orthopaedic and remedial gymnastics institute with an attached orthopaedic workshop in Wiesbaden at Mainzerstraße 9.

Not only did he quickly gain an excellent reputation in the treatment and care of patients, he also showed great commitment to professional politics. He was a member of the board of the medical association for six years, served as chairman of the chamber's contract commission for three years and was a member of the medical court of honor for Hesse-Nassau for six years. From 1909, he also worked for the city of Wiesbaden as a school orthopaedist.

Having barely settled in Wiesbaden as a doctor, he developed his commitment to natural history alongside his professional activities. He joined the Nassau Association for Natural History (NVN) as early as 1882. He was a member of its board from 1909 to 1936 and took over responsibility as treasurer from 1918 to 1920. He published a series of natural history studies and reached a wide audience with numerous lectures.

He retired from medical practice in 1920, but did not retire; instead, he trained in quantitative and qualitative analysis at the Fresenius Chemical Laboratory. The knowledge he acquired in this way greatly benefited his involvement in looking after the mineralogical and geological collection of the Wiesbaden Museum. Prof. August Leppla, the director of the collection, allowed him to set up his own workplace here and take on tasks of his own choosing. Even in 1924, after the death of August Leppla, he retained this workplace and devoted himself to scientific, geological and philosophical studies. In 1929, the Nassau Society for Natural History made him an honorary member for his special services.