Career
In 1871 he obtained his doctorate from the University of Leipzig, later receiving his habilitation at the University of Jena, where in 1879 he became an associate professor In 1904-1905 he conducted scientific research in Java, publishing Botanische and landwirtschaftliche Studien auf Java (Botanical and agricultural studies on Java, 1907) as a result. In 1923, he was appointed professor of soil science, plant and seed physiology at Jena.