Fritz Philipp Loewe

Brief description

Fritz Philipp Loewe arrived in Australia in 1937 and established Australia's first university Department of Meteorology (University of Melbourne). Prior to this he had spent many years working in England and in Europe. Loewe initially undertook legal studies at the University of Grenoble, but this was interrupted for four years during World War I when he worked as a Radio operator in an artillery unit. On his return from the war he transferred to the University of Berlin to study terrestrial physical sciences, graduating with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in geography and physics in 1924. From 1922 Loewe was appointed to a number of positions including Scientific Assistant at the Potsdam Meteorological Observatory (1922), Head of Research Flights of the Prussian Meteorological Service (1925) and Personal Assistant to Wegener on the German Greenland Expedition (1930-1931). During 1933 and 1934 Loewe was subjected to much discrimination because he was Jewish and after being sacked from the German Meteorological Service in 1934 fled to the United Kingdom where he worked as a Meteorologist at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, UK. In 1937 Raymond Priestley, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, asked Fritz Loewe to come to the University and establish university's Department of Meteorology. He remained at the University of Melbourne until his retirement in 1959.

Full description

Fritz Philipp Loewe (1895-1974), meteorologist, was born on 11 March 1895 at Schöneberg, Berlin, son of Eugen Loewe, judge, and his wife Hedwig, née Makower. Educated (1904-13) at the Königliches Joachimthalsches...

Fritz Loewe (1895-1974) was educated at Koenigliches Joachimsthalsches Gymnasium 1904-1913; he then studied law and languages in Grenoble and Berlin 1913-14. Following war service he returned to Berlin, taking up geography, physics, oceanography and meteorology 1919-23, gaining a first class Ph.D. He participated in a number meteorological research projects during the 1920s and in 1929 became a member of Alfred Wegener's expedition to Greenland in 1930, becoming acting leader on Wegener's disappearance. Losing his position in 1934 due to Nazi persecution Loewe fled Germany with his family and initially worked at the Scott Polar Research Laboratory Cambridge 1934-7. Contact with the Vice Chancellor Sir Raymond Priestley led to his emigration to Australia where he founded Australia's first University meteorology department. His time at Melbourne was largely devoted to the establishment of the department and teaching, however he was involved in a number of research expeditions to Antarctica, including the aborted 1947 Wyatt Earp expedition and the 1950-51 Commandant Charcot expedition where he wintered in Adelie Land.

Fritz Loewe (1895-1974) was educated at Koenigliches Joachimsthalsches Gymnasium 1904-1913; he then studied law and languages in Grenoble and Berlin 1913-14. Following war service he returned to Berlin, taking up geography, physics, oceanography and meteorology 1919-23, gaining a first class Ph.D. He participated in a number meteorological research projects during the 1920s and in 1929 became a member of Alfred Wegener's expedition to Greenland in 1930, becoming acting leader on Wegener's disappearance. Losing his position in 1934 due to Nazi persecution Loewe fled Germany with his family and initially worked at the Scott Polar Research Laboratory Cambridge 1934-7. Contact with the Vice Chancellor Sir Raymond Priestley led to his emigration to Australia where he founded Australia's first University meteorology department. His time at Melbourne was largely devoted to the establishment of the department and teaching, however he was involved in a number of research expeditions to Antarctica, including the aborted 1947 Wyatt Earp expedition and the 1950-51 Commandant Charcot expedition where he wintered in Adelie Land.