Johann Michael Fehr

Johann Michael Fehr
Born	(1610-05-09)9 May 1610 Kitzingen, Holy Roman Empire (now Germany)
Died	15 November 1688(1688-11-15) (aged 78) Schweinfurt, Holy Roman Empire (now Germany)
Resting place	Paulinerkirche, Leipzig, Germany
Nationality	German
Alma mater	Leipzig University University of Wittenberg University of Jena University of Altdorf University of Padua
Known for	Founding member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina

Johann Michael Fehr (9 May 1610 – 15 November 1688) was a German doctor, botanist and scientist who is most notable for being one of the four founding members of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.

Johann Michael Fehr was born on 9 May 1610, in Kitzingen, to Michael Fehr and his wife Margarete (née Martin).^[1] His father had been the Hospitalmeister of Dettelbach, but relocated to Kitzingen on the order of Johann Febrius, who was a high-ranking member of the local governing council, due to the ongoing Counter-Reformation.^[2] There Fehr was born and later baptized which was witnessed by the mayor Johann Wolfgang Brunner.^[3]

After the death of his father on 20 September 1618,^[4] he was educated for seven years at a margravial Gymnasium under Johann Georg Hochstater.^[5] But once again due to the Counter-Reformation, the family along with his uncle Caspar Martin,^[6] relocated to Schweinfurt where he was further educated by Michael Abesser at a Lateinschule from 1629 to 1632.^[7] He then, in 1633, prepared for a Triennium academicum in Medicine at the universities of Leipzig, Jena and Wittenberg which he completed.^[8]

Following this, Fehr practiced with the electoral Saxon personal physician Johann Ruprecht Sulzberger in Dresden.^[9] Afterwards he further studied at the University of Altdorf, notably under Ludwig Jungermann.^[8] Next he completed his studies at the University of Padua on 16 February 1641, where he was promoted to Dr. med. et phil under Johann Vesling.^[9] He then returned to Schweinfurt where he worked as a doctor and conducted botanical studies.^[9]

Fehr was first married to Maria Barbara, daughter of the Schweinfurt councillor Simon Meister, which resulted in seven children including Johann Lorenz Fehr [de]. After her death in 1658, he married Anna Maria, daughter of the councillor Johannes Otto, resulting in a further seven children including Johann Caspar Fehr [de].^[4]

On 1 January 1652 alongside his doctor colleagues Johann Lorenz Bausch, Georg Balthasar Metzger and Georg Balthasar Wohlfahrt he founded the Academia Naturae Curiosorum which would later be known as the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.^[9][a] After Bausch's death in 1665, Fehr would be elected as the successor and therefore second president of Leopoldina.^[8]

As president he chose the cognomen Argonauta I. and was shaped as a president by the political and social revolution during that time.^[4] Despite this, the academy gained a lot of public recognition due to its importance eventually leading to official recognition as an academy by Leopold I in 1672,^[b] with the imperial sign by confirming their statutes.^[4] This served as an important milestone for further development of the academy.^[4]

After Fehr suffered a stroke on 3 June 1686, he retired from his position as president of Leopoldina.^[4]

Fehr continued his work as a doctor in Schweinfurt after his presidency, and served as mayor in 1688, until his death on 15 November 1688.^[10] He was later buried at the now destroyed Paulinerkirche in Leipzig.^[11]

• Anchora sacra vel Scorzonera (1666)
• Hiera picra seu analecta de absynthio (1667)