Gerhard Bersu
Encyclopedia
Gerhard Bersu was a German
archaeologist who excavated widely across Europe.
He was born in Jauer
in Silesia
and as a teenager joined excavations near Potsdam
. In successive years Bersu dug in several European countries and during the First World War
he worked for the Office for the Protection of Monuments and Collections on the Western Front
. After the war he was attached to the German Armistice and Peace delegations.
In 1924 he began working with the German Archaeological Institute in Frankfurt-am-Main, becoming its director in 1931 and contributed to it becoming one of the world's leading archaeological organizations. In 1935 however he was forced out of his post by the Nazis
and fled to Britain with his wife, Maria.
At the invitation of the Prehistoric Society he conducted excavations at Little Woodbury
in Wiltshire
, introducing novel continental methods, in 1938 and 1939. When war broke out, Bersu as a German national was interned on the Isle of Man
. He was permitted to continue his work however and carried out several excavations on the island with the help of other internees.
When the war ended Bersu was offered the Chair of the Royal Irish Academy
in Dublin and remained there until 1947 when he returned to Germany. Taking up his former post at the Institute he continued his work until retiring in 1956.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
archaeologist who excavated widely across Europe.
He was born in Jauer
Jawor
Jawor is a town in south-western Poland with 24,347 inhabitants . It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship . It is the seat of Jawor County, and lies approximately west of the regional capital Wrocław.In the town can be found a Protestant Church of Peace...
in Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
and as a teenager joined excavations near Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
. In successive years Bersu dug in several European countries and during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he worked for the Office for the Protection of Monuments and Collections on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. After the war he was attached to the German Armistice and Peace delegations.
In 1924 he began working with the German Archaeological Institute in Frankfurt-am-Main, becoming its director in 1931 and contributed to it becoming one of the world's leading archaeological organizations. In 1935 however he was forced out of his post by the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and fled to Britain with his wife, Maria.
At the invitation of the Prehistoric Society he conducted excavations at Little Woodbury
Little Woodbury
Little Woodbury is the name of an important Iron Age archaeological site near Salisbury in the English county of Wiltshire.It was partially excavated between 1938 and 1939 by Gerhard Bersu, a German archaeologist who introduced the revolutionary approaches he had developed in continental Europe...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, introducing novel continental methods, in 1938 and 1939. When war broke out, Bersu as a German national was interned on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. He was permitted to continue his work however and carried out several excavations on the island with the help of other internees.
When the war ended Bersu was offered the Chair of the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
in Dublin and remained there until 1947 when he returned to Germany. Taking up his former post at the Institute he continued his work until retiring in 1956.