Eugen Botezat

Eugen C. Botezat (March 15, 1871–December 1964) was an Austro-Hungarian-born Romanian zoologist.

Biography

Born in Tereblecea, in Austrian-ruled Bukovina, his parents Constantin and Domnica, were teachers. He attended three grades of primary school in his native village from 1877 to 1879, followed by a fourth in Siret, where he learned German. Botezat went to high school in Czernowitz (Cernăuți) and Suceava, graduating in 1892. He studied natural sciences at the German University in Prague. In 1897, he became a teaching assistant at its zoology institute; a year later, he received a doctorate. From 1898 to 1919 he taught natural sciences at the normal school in Czernowitz, paying particular attention to students from rural backgrounds like himself. In 1907, he became assistant professor of histology at Czernowitz University, During World War I, when the local schools were closed due to the Russian occupation, he taught at the high school in Rădăuți. In 1918, he formed part of the Romanian National Council that approved Bukovina's union with Romania. His scientific activity was known abroad as well as domestically, with many of his studies appearing in German.

An avid hunter, Botezat was also concerned with the biology and ecology of hunting in Bukovina. He studied the varieties of red deer living in the area's section of the Carpathian Mountains, analyzing the formation of their antlers and classifying them. He argued that the Austrian administration, particularly after 1870, mismanaged hunting, as it prioritized the shooting of the best specimens by nobles without concern for the state of the forests or the remaining deer. He recommended that, on the contrary, the weakest animals should be the ones targeted for hunting.

In June 1940, during the Soviet occupation of Northern Bukovina, he temporarily took over the university and handed over its administration to the Soviets, who treated him with respect. He took refuge in unoccupied Romania via Germany, settling in Bucharest. His valuable collection of hunting trophies and scientific displays was lost during World War II. He died in 1964.