Władysław Szafer as a palaeobotanist

Abstract

Władysław Szafer (1886–1970) was one of the notable Polish botanists of the first half of the 20th c., palaeobotany being one of his main fields of interest, cultivated for over 60 years. Initially, he studied Quaternary floras and later on he expanded his interests to the Tertiary (Neogene) floras at the end of the 1930s. He published at least 80 different books and papers on palaeobotany, many of which still having scientific, not only historical, value. His organizational, teaching and editing activities in the field of palaeobotany were also remarkable, and influenced strongly the science in Poland. He contributed to the fast development of this field of knowledge in Poland, both in terms of research and in terms of staff number. 50 years after his death, we summarize the results of Władysław Szafer’s activity in palaeobotany.

Keywords

• Władysław Szafer
• palaeobotanical research,
• history of botany
• Poland
• the interwar period
• twentieth century