Background
Lindenau was born on June 11, 1779, in Altenburg, Germany, the son of Johann August Lindenau, a regional administrator (Landschaftsdirektor).
Augustusplatz 10, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
Lindenau began the study of law and mathematics at Leipzig in 1793.
Astronomer lawyer politician scientist collector
Lindenau was born on June 11, 1779, in Altenburg, Germany, the son of Johann August Lindenau, a regional administrator (Landschaftsdirektor).
Lindenau began the study of law and mathematics at Leipzig in 1793.
Beginning in 1801 Lindenau worked at the astronomical observatory directed by F. X. von Zach located at Seeberg, near Gotha. For this purpose, he procured a leave of absence from government service. Following Zach’s departure (1804) Lindenau became temporary and in 1808 official, director of the Gotha observatory. There he also was editor of the important technical journal Monatliche Correspondenz zur Beförderung der Erd- und Himmelskunde. In 1816, after a temporary absence required by the “War of Liberation” against Napoleon, Lindenau founded, with J. G. F. von Bohnenberger, the Zeitschrifi für Astronomie und verwandte Wissenschaften. In 1818 he was forced to return to the civil service. His successor at Gotha was J. F. Encke.
Lindenau rapidly advanced from vice-president of the Altenburg board of finance to chief minister of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1820). Later he became a minister of the interior of Saxony. In 1848 he was elected to the Frankfurt Parliament. His political activity was comparable with the reforming efforts of Baron Karl vom und zum Stein in Prussia.
An art collector, during his lifetime he established a museum in Altenburg, today known as the Staatliche Lindenau-Museum, which contains one of the most important collections of early Italian panel painting.
Nothing is known of Lindenau's family.