Georg Lettau

Georg Lettau (1878–1951) was a German ophthalmologist and lichenologist who made contributions to the study of lichens in Central Europe. Born in Weißenfels, he initially pursued natural sciences before switching to medicine, maintaining his botanical interests throughout his career. Despite the professional and financial challenges that frequently interrupted his scientific work, particularly during the post-World War I inflation period, Lettau amassed an extensive lichen collection and published numerous works on Central European lichens. His most significant contribution was a comprehensive 14-volume work on the lichen funga of Central Europe, and he identified several new lichen species. Lettau's scientific legacy is preserved in the Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, and his influence on lichenology is commemorated through several fungal taxa named in his honour.

Early life and education

Born in 1878 in Weißenfels/Saale in the Prussian province of Saxony (now part of Sachsen-Anhalt),