Prof. Imre Lőrenthey (1867-1917), head of the Department of Palaeontology of the University of Budapest from 1914 to 1917

Abstract

Imre LŐRENTHEY was a pupil of Maximilián HANTKEN (1821-1893) who was the founding professor of the
Department of Palaeontology at the University of Budapest. Lőrenthey eventually became the second
professor of palaeontology of this university. He started his career with short period at the University of
Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca) and then he rose in the hierarchy through promotion at the Budapest University,
he became a full professor and Head of the Department of Palaeontology in 1914. His specialization
concentrated on young Tertiary invertebrate palaeontology and he published papers on foraminifers,
molluscs and decapod crabs from Hungary (mainly from Transdanubia and Transylvania) and abroad. His
main fields of interest were the geology of the surroundings of Budapest, the palaeontology and
stratigraphy of the youngest Tertiary (known as Pannonian), and the palaeontology of Tertiary decapod
crabs. In all these topics he published important papers and seminal monographs. He participated actively
in academic life, as a member and official of several scientific institutions and societies. When appointed to
be professor of the palaeontology department, LŐRENTHEY enthusiastically got himself deeply involved in
the work of renewing the teaching structure, renovating the infrastructure of the department itself and
enlarging the department's collecüons. His life was cut, by his untimely death in 1917, thus ending a brief
but highly fruitful career. His name and work are remembered with respect and honour on the occasion of
the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Department of Palaeontology.