Klaus Lackschewitz papers, 1965-1998

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Lackschewitz, Klaus, 1911-1995
Title
Klaus Lackschewitz papers
Dates
1965-1998 (inclusive)
Quantity
2.0 linear feet
Collection Number
Mss 821
Summary
Klaus Lackschewitz was a horticulturalist, plant taxonomist, and botanist at the University of Montana, Missoula. This collection consists of Lackshewitz’s autobiography, biographies, articles he wrote, clippings, correspondence, field notebooks and notes, maps, photos, reports and publications about plant findings named after him (Astragalus lachschewitzii and Erigeo lackschewitzii).
Repository
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Klaus Heinrich Lackschewitz was born on May 4, 1911 to Werner Lackschewitz and his wife in the then Russian province of Livonia which would become the independent republic of Latvia in 1918. Klaus spent his early years in Dorpat, now Tartu, Estonia. Shortly after the founding of the independent republic of Latvia in 1918, Klaus’s father, who earned his forestry degree in Germany, was appointed to the State Department of Forestry in Riga. In Riga, Klaus Lackschewitz graduated from a German Gymnasium with a Classics emphasis. His father and teachers strongly encouraged his interests in the natural sciences. Lackschewitz studied botany and zoology for several years at the Institutum Herderianum Rignese, a German College.

Due to the virulent political climate of the 1930s, the German minority in the Baltic was increasingly disenfranchised; under severe economic pressure Lackschewitz turned from an academic career to a practical one. He took a two year intensive course in agriculture at Landwirschaftliche Schule near Berlin. From 1935 to 1939 he leased a farm in Latvia. He was married to his first wife sometime before 1939.

After Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Treaty of Non-Aggression in 1939, Latvia was annexed to the Soviet Union. As a result, one hundred and fifty thousand ethnic Germans, including Lackschewitz, were exiled from Latvia and ordered to resettle western Poland. Shortly thereafter, Lackschewitz was drafted into the German Army. He served on the Russian Southern Front from 1941-1945. He was wounded, captured, and placed in a POW camp in northern Russia from 1945-1947 where he served as an interpreter. His knowledge of edible plants augmented their starvation rations. Lackschewitz returned to a West Germany devastated by war in 1947. He had a hard time fitting back into society and decided that he could not resume a relationship with his first wife.

While in West Germany, Lackshewitz worked a number of odd jobs. Before immigrating to the United States in the spring of 1952, he was hired by a German born sponsor to rehabilitate a farm in New Jersey but had little success. He worked in greenhouses and for landscaping companies in the New York area from 1952-1960, making a livelihood from his beloved hobby of gardening. He married Gertrud Degenhard in 1954.

The University of Montana hired Gertrud Lacksckewitz as a German instructor in 1960. Klaus took an immediate interest in the native flora of Montana especially in the alpine regions. In 1965 he was working in the University’s Herbarium. This allowed him to pursue his passions: investigating and collecting native plants in their natural habitat to further one’s knowledge about them and weaving their austere beauty into garden design. From 1965 to 1976, Lackshewitz worked as a horticulturist for the Department of Botany at the University of Montana. In 1966, he worked on the Native Plant Garden around the University of Montana Botany Building with the help of chairman Sherman Preece. He was the botanist in 1977 for a floristic project in Colorado. From 1978-1979, he was employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on a floristic study of the C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and the Fort Peck Refuge. He established a herbarium in Lewistown, Montana, for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. From 1979-1980, he was employed by Gulf Oil Company to survey Dawson, Richland, Roosevelt, and Sheridan counties in Montana. He was the assistant to the curator of the University of Montana Herbarium and a Faculty Affiliate of the Department of Botany, University of Montana from 1968-1982.

Lackschewitz collected sheets of notes for over twelve thousand herbarium specimens, mostly from Montana mountain ranges. The Anaconda Pintler Mountains, Bitterroot, Beartooth Plateau, and the Front Range east of the Continental Divide yielded the largest collections. He visited many other mountains as well. Many of Lacksckewitz’s specimens had never been collected in Montana before. Agoseris lackschewitzii and Lesquerella klasii turned out to each be unknown species. He wrote the guidebook Vascular Plants of West Central Montana in 1991 which contains the fruit of his observations.

Lackshewitz had six children; four from his first marriage: Klaus Christian Lackschewitz, Immo Lackschewitz, Burigna Lackschewitz, and Bagman Tacherech and two from his second marriage: Anna McCall, and Elizabeth Underwood. He died on August 10, 1995 in Missoula, Montana.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Klaus Lackschewitz Papers consists of his autobiographies, a copy of Beartooth Country by Bob Anderson, biographies, articles written by Lackschewitz, clippings, correspondence, descriptions of less common plants, field notebooks and notes, maps, plant collections, photos, reports and publications about plant findings named after him (Astragalus lachschewitzii and Erigeo lackschewitzii). The bulk of the collection consists of field notebooks, notes, and information about his collections.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Non-exclusive copyright transferred to The University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], Klaus Lackschewitz Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is divided into four series:

Series I: Personal, 0.2 linear feet, 1965-1995

Series II: Plants Named After Klaus Lackschewitz , 0.2 linear feet, 1977-1998

Series III: Field Notebooks and Field Notes, 1.2 linear feet, 1966-1994.

Series IV: Other Botanical Work, 0.4 linear feet, 1968-1994.

Custodial History

The first three series of the collection were held by Gertrud Lackschewitz following Klaus Lackschewitz' death. Items from Series IV were lent to Peter Stickney by Klaus Lackschewitz and then given from Stickney to the UM Herbarium and then from the Herbarium to the UM Archives.

Acquisition Information

Materials held by Gertrud Lackschewitz were donated to the Archives in May 2012. Materials held by Peter Stickney were donated to the Archives in August 2012.

Processing Note

The bulk of the material was received in three-ringed binders or in folders. The pages from these binders and folders were maintained intact and placed into labeled folders. Some of the binders contained notes physically written on the binder. For these cases, the binder was photocopied. The photo copy was then placed in the appropriate folder. The few photos that were received in this collection were maintained intact and placed in plastic protectors. The autobiographical sketch titled “My Botanical Work” was removed from the fourth series which was donated by Dave Dyer and placed into Series I: Personal.

Separated Materials

A total of five plant specimens have been separated from the Klaus Lackschewitz Papers and are located at the University of Montana Herbarium.

Bibliography

List of Woody Plants Occurring in Western Montana and Adjacent Areas with Some Horticultural Annotations, Klaus Lackschewitz Plants of West-Central Montana: Identification and Ecology: Annotated Checklist, Klaus Lackschewitz Plants of West-Central Montana: Identification and Ecology: Technical Keys and Descriptions, Klaus Lackschewitz Vascular Plants of West-Central Montana: Identification Guide Book, Klaus Lackschewitz

Related Materials

Archives and Special Collections holds two oral history interviews of Gertrud Lackschewitz, OH 434-01 and OH 434-02, that include information about Klaus Lackschewitz.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I:  Personal, 1965-1995Return to Top

0.2 linear ft.

This series contains articles published by Lackshewitz, autobiographies, biographies, and clippings about Lackshewitz.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Articles published by Klaus Lackshewitz
1965-1982
1/2
Autobiographical sketch
1995
1/3
Autobiographical sketch titled “My Botanical Work”
November 26, 1994
1/4
Biographical sketch by Gertrud Lackshewitz,
January 1995
1/5
Biographical sketch by Jerry DeSanto
1995
1/6
Clippings about Klaus Lackschewitz
1974-1993
1/7
List of Woody Plants Occurring in Western Montana and Adjacent Areas with Some Horticultural Annotations
Materials added in 2016.
1970s

Series II:  Plants Named After Klaus Lackschewitz, 1965-1998Return to Top

0.2 linear ft.

This series contains articles, documents, and reports regarding the two plant species, Astragalus lackschewitzii and Erigeron lackschewitzii, which were discovered by and named after Klaus Lackschewitz.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/8
Publications and clippings about plant species discovered by Lackschewitz
1983-1994
1/9
Documents about Astragalus lackschewitzii
1997 and 1998
1/10
Preliminary Report on taxonomy of Erigeron lackschewitzii
1993
1/11
Report on the conservation status of Erigeron lackschewatzii
1993

Series III:  Botanical Diaries and Field Notes, 1966-1994Return to Top

1.2 linear ft.

This series contains the botanical diaries, field notes, and limited correspondence, maps, and photos within the botanical diaries. Each diary begins with general notes and then moves to the Herbarium Specimen List. Lackshewitz numbered each specimen that he encountered while doing field research from 1966 to 1994. If correspondence, maps, photos, and other notes are available, they tend to be towards either the front or back of the folder. Plants that were found within the materials of this series were removed and given to the University of Montana Herbarium.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/12
Botanical Diary 1966-1968 Herbarium Specimen, 1-323
1966-1968
1/13
Botanical Diary 1966-1968 Herbarium Specimen, 324-661
1966-1968
1/14
Botanical Diary 1966-1968 Herbarium Specimen, 662-1116
1966-1968
1/15
Botanical Diary 1969 Herbarium Specimen, 1118-1513
1969
1/16
Botanical Diary 1969 Herbarium Specimen, 1514-2083
1969
1/17
Botanical Diary 1970-1971 Herbarium Specimen, 2085-2610
1970-1971
1/18
Botanical Diary 1970-1971 Herbarium Specimen, 2611-2910
1970-1971
1/19
Botanical Diary 1970-1971 Herbarium Specimen, 2911-3487
1970-1971
1/20
Botanical Diary 1972-1973 Herbarium Specimen, 3489-3906
1972-1973
1/21
Botanical Diary 1972-1973 Herbarium Specimen, 3907-4208
1972-1973
1/22
Botanical Diary 1972-1973 Herbarium Specimen, 4209-4495
1972-1973
1/23
Botanical Diary 1972-1973 Herbarium Specimen, 4496-4803
1972-1973
2/1
Botanical Diary 1974-1975 Herbarium Specimen, 4805-5856
1974-1975
2/2
Botanical Diary 1974-1975 Herbarium Specimen, 5857-6421
1974-1975
2/3
Botanical Diary 1976-1977 Herbarium Specimen, 6438-6505
1976-1977
2/4
Botanical Diary 1976-1977 Herbarium Specimen, 6506-7346
1976-1977
2/5
Botanical Diary 1976-1977 Herbarium Specimen, 7347-7932
1976-1977
2/6
Botanical Diary 1978-1979 Herbarium Specimen, 7939-8419
1978-1979
2/7
Botanical Diary 1978-1979 Herbarium Specimen, 8420-8871
1978-1979
2/8
Botanical Diary 1978-1979 Herbarium Specimen, 8872-9294
1978-1979
2/9
Botanical Diary 1980-1982 Herbarium Specimen, 9300-9561
1980-1982
2/10
Botanical Diary 1980-1982 Herbarium Specimen, 9562-9994
1980-1982
2/11
Botanical Diary 1980-1982 Herbarium Specimen, 9995-10330
1980-1982
2/12
Botanical Diary 1980-1982 Herbarium Specimen, 10331-10419
1980-1982
3/1
Botanical Diary 1983-1985 Herbarium Specimen, 10421-10659
1983-1985
3/2
Botanical Diary 1983-1985 Herbarium Specimen, 10660-10746
1983-1985
3/3
Botanical Diary 1983-1985 Herbarium Specimen, 10747-10796
1983-1985
3/4
Botanical Diary 1986-1988 Herbarium Specimen, 10797-11194
1986-1988
3/5
Botanical Diary 1986-1988 Herbarium Specimen, 11195-11367
1986-1988
3/6
Botanical Diary 1986-1988 Herbarium Specimen, 11368-11560
1986-1988
3/7
Botanical Diary 1989-1994 Herbarium Specimen, 11561-11825
1989-1994
3/8
Botanical Diary 1989-1994 Herbarium Specimen, 11826-12002
1989-1994
3/9
Botanical Diary 1989-1994 Herbarium Specimen, 12003-12080
1989-1994
3/10
Field notes Anaconda/Pinter Range
1968-1993
3/11
Field notes Collecting Sites in Bitterroot Mountains
1970
3/12
Field notes Gravely Range
undated
3/13
Field notes Ravalli County
July 17, 1971
3/14
List of collected native plant species growing in the Garden of Native Plants at the University of Montana- Missoula
August 15, 1969
3/15
Miscellaneous
1966-1984

Series IV:  Other Botanical Work, 1968-1994Return to Top

0.4 linear ft.

This series contains materials loaned to Peter Stickney by Klaus Lackshewitz. Rather than incorporate the materials into existing series they have been arranged as their own grouping. These materials include field notes, Beartooth Country by Bob Anderson book, plant collections, descriptions of less common species, publication about ecosystems, notes, and correspondence.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/16
Alpine Flora of the Beartooth
1983-1889
3/17
Annuals at timberline or in the timberline
undated
3/18
Beartooth Country: Montana's Abasorka and Beartooth Mountains by Bob Anderson
1984 (annotated)
3/19
Collections exclusively mailed to the New York Botanical Garden
1973-1993
4/1
Collections in the Bitterroot Drainage for my book (Vascular Pesow-Central Montana)
1970-1983
4/2
Collection sent out for identification
1968-1994
4/3
Description of less common species
undated
4/4
Derek Craighead and Joe Antos Collections of the Scapegoat Wilderness
1972-1978
4/5
Ecosystems, Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains
undated
4/6
Extensive material for east part of the Anaconda-Pintler Mountains and some field notes from the Bitterroot Mountains
1993
4/7
Field Notes: Alpine and timberline vegetation in Montana
1969-1984
4/8
Field Notes: Alpine flora, Bitterroot and Anaconda Mountains
1993
4/9
Field Notes: Eastern Montana and Fort Peck (For Gulf Oil)
1978-1979
4/10
Field Notes: Flint Creek (Frank Task and Myself)
1974-1975
4/11
Field Notes: Flint Creek, Mission Mountains, and Swan Range
undated
4/12
Flora of the Rattlesnake by John Pierce
undated
4/13
Narrow Endemics
1976
4/14
Other Papers and Notes
1975-1988
4/15
Sporadic Occasional Botanical Correspondence
1976-1994
4/16
Vascular Plants of the Centennial Mountains Instant Study Area, Beaverhead County, Montana and Adjacent Clark and Fremont Counties, Idaho, by Porter P. Lowry II
undated
4/17
Vascular Plant Species Observed on Mountain Peak, Beaverhead Mountains
July 28, 1986

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Alien plants--Montana
  • Botany
  • Plants--Montana--Identification

Occupations

  • Botanists--Montana
  • Plant taxonomists--Montana