History of the Department of Dipterology at the LIB

The history of the Department of Dipterology at the LIB began in 1947. The first curator for Diptera at the Museum Koenig was Dr Bernhard Mannheims, who started in 1947 and died at the beginning of 1971. He was head of an entomological department that included a coleopterist, a lepidopterist and a specialist in Phthiraptera, who were responsible for his group, Hemiptera and most of the other smaller insect orders.

In the same year, Dr Hans Ulrich joined the museum as curator of Diptera on 1 December 1971 and took over responsibility for the Diptera, Hymenoptera, Mecoptera and the Neuropteran orders. The Hymenoptera were also part of his responsibilities until 1986, when they were taken over by a Hymenopterist.

After Mannheim's death, under the direction of Martin Eisentraut (1971-1977), the hierarchy among the entomologists was abandoned by elevating each of the four curatorial units to an independent department (Department, Dipterological, Coleopterological, Lepidopterological Department and Department for Entomological Parasitology). A later director, Clas Naumann (1988-2004), restored the former hierarchy and reduced the entomological departments to sections.

The name Diptera section can be dated to this time, around 1992, while a competent curation of Diptera has existed in the museum since Mannheim joined in 1947. I would consider the year 1947 as the starting point in the history of dipterology at the LIB.