author
Alexander Ecker
1816–1887
A leading 19th-century German anatomist and anthropologist, he helped shape the study of the human body and the early development of anthropology in Freiburg. His work ranged from brain anatomy to comparative studies that connected medicine, zoology, and human history.
1 Audiobook
The anatomy of the frog
by Alexander Ecker
About the author
Born in Freiburg im Breisgau on July 10, 1816, Johann Alexander Ecker studied medicine at the University of Freiburg and earned his doctorate there in 1837. After early academic work in Freiburg and Heidelberg, he returned to Freiburg, where he became a professor and built a long career in anatomy and physiology.
Ecker was known both as an anatomist and as one of the notable anthropologists of his time. He wrote on subjects including the anatomy of the brain and comparative anatomy, and he played an important part in developing anthropological research and collections in Freiburg.
He remained closely tied to his native city throughout his life and died there on May 20, 1887. Today he is remembered as a scholar whose work stood at the meeting point of medicine, natural science, and the early study of humanity.