The Paläontologische Gesellschaft founded in Greifswald in 1912 is one of the oldest active palaeontological societies worldwide.
Its founder and first president (1912-1921) was the German palaeontologist Otto Jaekel (1863-1929). He was one of the most versatile palaeontologists of his time and worked mainly on fossil fish, reptiles and echinoderms. Not to be forgotten are his systematic excavations of fossil tank fish in Bad Wildungen (1900-1912) and of dinosaurs in Halberstadt (1910-1927).
Otto Jaekel is regarded as one of the main advocates of palaeontology as an independent science; for example, since 1894 he has propagated a closer connection between palaeontology and the life sciences and the creation of palaeontological professorships in Prussia. Surprisingly, to this day there has not been a single honour or tribute named after our founder, first president and honorary member of the Paläontologische Gesellschaft.
The Managing board of the Paläontologische Gesellschaft therefore decided in spring 2013 to create and introduce a new Medal of the Paläontologische Gesellschaft as the highest award besides honorary membership.
Palaeontological Society of China (Website)
In memory of the early (and future) cooperation between German and Chinese palaeontologists, including Otto Jaekel, who taught at Sun Yat-sen University in Canton (Guangzhou) from 1928 until his death.
Adolf Seilacher (1925-2014)
To our longstanding honorary member (1995), former chairman (1977-1979) and nestor of German innovative palaeobiological research.
Paläontologische Gesellschaft e.V.
c/o Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
Senckenberganlage 25
60325 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: +49 157 806 706 78
Email: info@palges.de
Internet: www.palges.de