Rößler, Karl Adolf

Lawyer, entomologist, painter

born: 06.04.1814 in Usingen

died: 31.08.1885 in Wiesbaden

Rößler studied law at the University of Heidelberg from 1826-31. He passed the Nassau state examination in 1835. After completing his doctorate, he worked as a judicial assistant (assessor) in Wiesbaden. He then worked as a criminal court clerk until 1838. In 1838, he moved to Eltville and worked there as an official accessory. In 1840, he went to Paris to train in his passion, painting.

Returning to Wiesbaden in 1841, he took up a position as a government accessory. In 1846, he was promoted to the position of official secretary at the High Court of Appeal, where he acted as archivist. Further stations in his career were: Judicial Office Secretary (1849-56), Court Court Assessor (from 1856) and Court and Court of Appeal Councillor (1867-82). After the annexation of Nassau, he was taken into Prussian service. Until 1880 he worked as a Royal Prussian Court of Appeal Councillor. He was then transferred to temporary retirement. His final retirement took place in 1882.

In addition to painting, which - despite the training he had received in Paris - remained merely a passion and did not serve to earn a living, Rößler was intensively involved with the flora of Nassau. He recorded his findings in the book "Nassau's Flora". His profound knowledge of butterflies, which he recorded in the works "Verzeichnis der Schmetterlinge des Herzogtums Nassau" and "Die Schuppenflügler des königlichen Regierungsbezirks Wiesbaden und ihre Entstehungsgeschichte", made him famous beyond the borders of the state. He was buried in the Old Cemetery.