Here's a confirmation, nothing else, about
doerriesi ...
After having had (an enjoyable) read of Jacobsen's & Pitz's Book
Mannen som älskade Sibirien (Swedish edition, 2020) I think that we now, once and for all, can conclude that "our guy" truly was:
Friedrich 'Fritz' Carl Gustav Dörries (
1852–1953), German naturalist, explorer, hunter, and collector [of various
Naturalia (and in Great numbers
*), as well as of ethnological and anthropological items], (mostly) in Eastern Siberia, though he also travelled, alt. wandered (580 km, by foot, while collecting Plants) through large parts of Japan (Kyushu–Shikoku–Honshu, in the Spring and Summer of 1877, and it was from there his Siberian adventures began).
Before that, back in Hamburg, he was a Gardener. During his about 20 years in Eastern Asia [between 1877 and 1899 (with a handful of, more or less short, visits back home in Hamburg/Europe)] he also visited Korea (in 1888), as well as the border region of Mongolia (in 1897). After his Eastern adventures he worked (for about a decade) at the ethnographical
Museum für Volkekunde, and thereafter for Hagenbeck (
Zoo), where he established, and ran, an
Insektenhaus (for 25 years). During one of his few, short visits back "home", in Hamburg, in late 1895/early 1896, he'd met (his future wife) Alina Lerche (a promising name, in 'Fritz' opinion, as
Lerche means Lark in German), and the next time he went back the couple got engaged, in the late Spring of 1897, and married on the 14th of August (the same year).
And note that he himself indeed never seems to have called himself anything (else), but just
'Fritz' Dörries, from Childhood all the way until he died, on the 21st of February, 1953 – at the age of 101! ... which is the reason why I think this nickname truly ought to be mentioned in any text, or texts, about him (also in the
Key 
)
Either way, his Siblings were:
•
Henry Gustav
Dörries (
1861–1904)
["22.07.1861-21.02.1904", according to Justin's post #5], equally an explorer and zealous collector, who joined 'Fritz' in Siberia (all on his own, at the mere age of 16!), later he (Henry) also had a shop dealing with Natural History items in Stellingen (Germany), and at times he was living (more or less full time) in Vladivostok (also as a Russian citizen!), all in all spending as much (or even more) time in Siberia than his older Brother 'Fritz'. Henry (who never married) also collected in Northern Europe (Scandinavia) for Hagenbeck (Zoo) in 1897, and onwards ... until he died of Cyanide poisoning in 1904 – an occupational hazard I assume [as (potassium) Cyanide, still today, is used by entomologist, as a (rapid) killing agent (minimizing damage to highly fragile specimens)].
•
Edmund David
Dörries (
1865–1958)
["03.01.1865-16.03.1958", according to ditto], taxidermist (he was the only Brother who had actually studied taxidermy, both 'Fritz' and Henry were self-taught/autodidacts, trained by their Father). The younger (youngest?) Brother Edmund joined up with his older Brothers (during aone of their rare visits "back home"), in the Winter of 1888/1889, and followed them to Siberia, for three years. Before that he'd collected in Amazonas, South America, for five years! Also he started early (at the age of 16). After Siberia Edmund returned to Germany, where he worked as a taxidermist at
Umlauffsches Museum, Hamburg.
• Heinrich Friedrich
Wilhelm 'Willy'
Dörries [no dates/years given, nor found], (cavalry) captain (at the English School) in Hamburg, Germany (where he stayed all his life – comforting their Mother while the other Brothers were gone travelling).
• ... and he also had seven Sisters!
Enjoy!
Björn
*According to this book, in Eastern Siberia; 'Fritz' Dörries's, together with his Brothers (mostly Henry), collected more than 4 805 Siberian Bird specimens (out of a total 5 500) – of 225 different species + 610 Bird Nests (with complete Egg clutches).
But he/they also collected Non-Birds, in fair numbers (at least):
• 61 500 Butterfly specimens (in Lepidoptera – of 996 species, of which 275 were New ones!)
• 14 500 Beetles – of 1490 species [in total he collected 42 000 specimens (in Coleoptera)]
• 4 500 specimens of Flies, Bees, Wasps, etc. – of about 195 species
• 1 325 Deer Horns/Antlers
• 539 Plants (in Herbarium) [+ 519 Japanese Plants (in ditto)]
• 520 specimens of (predatory) Mammals [as well as other (un-numbered) Mammals]
• 448 specimens of Reptiles and Amphibians
• 340 specimens Land- and Sea Shells
• 265 (prepared) specimens of different Larvae
•... as well as 8 6oo anthropological/ethnological items.
They sure kept themselves busy!
/B
PS. 'Fritz' Dörries also collected at least two Human skulls (fresh from the Graves), which, as well, would make him worthy of the less flattering title: Desecrator of graves (alt. Grave-robber)!
