A “plant love story”: The lost (and found) private herbarium of the radical socialist revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg

Abstract

Societal Impact Statement Herbaria are important tools in botanical documentation for verifying species distribution and past occurrence. In addition to their scientific value, some herbaria, especially those collected by iconic historic figures such as the radical socialist revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg, can increase public interest in plant diversity and conservation by building a positive narrative with plants. Throughout her life, R. Luxemburg remained passionate for botany and started collecting plants in 1913 until her assassination in 1919, amassing a private herbarium that she cherished. This unique collection, which was thought to be lost, has since been rediscovered and is currently deposited in the Archive of Modern Records in Warsaw, Poland.

Keywords

• Berlin
• botanical history
• herbarium
• plant appreciation
• plant love story
• Warszawa