Annie Francé-Harrar facts for kids
Annie Francé-Harrar (born December 2, 1886, in Munich, Germany; died January 23, 1971, in Hallein, Austria) was an important Austrian writer and scientist. She spent her life studying nature, especially soil, and wrote many books and articles to share her knowledge. She believed in protecting our planet and helped develop ways to make soil healthy again.
Annie Francé-Harrar worked with her second husband, Raoul Heinrich Francé, to create a scientific way to use humus and compost to improve soil. Humus is the dark, rich part of soil formed from decayed plants and animals, and compost is a mix of decayed organic materials used to fertilize soil. During her life, she wrote 47 books, about 5,000 articles for German newspapers, and gave over 500 lectures and courses, including radio broadcasts.
Contents
Early Life and Discoveries
From a young age, Annie combined her artistic and writing talents with scientific research. Her first published work came out in 1911. It was a poem describing the lives of women through history. In the same year, she got married, but this marriage ended after six years.
In 1916, she met Raoul H. Francé, who was the director of the Biological Institute in Munich. She became his assistant. In 1920, her first novel, The Fire Souls, was published. This book talked about the problem of destroying soil fertility, which means the soil's ability to grow healthy plants. After her first marriage ended, she married Raoul Francé in 1923.
In 1924, Annie and Raoul settled in Salzburg, Austria. There, she wrote a book about the famous doctor Paracelsus, who had died in that city in 1541. Between 1924 and 1930, she traveled overseas several times, which inspired a series of books. Because her husband's health was not good, they often stayed in Ragusa (now Dubrovnik) on the southern Adriatic coast.
World War II and New Beginnings
During the Second World War, Annie and Raoul had to leave Ragusa in 1943 and went to Budapest. Sadly, Raoul Heinrich Francé died there in the same year due to an illness.
After the war ended, in the summer of 1945, Annie Francé-Harrar started building a special station in Budapest. This station was designed to turn city waste into useful material. She also developed the first Impfziegel, which was a type of bioreactor used for composting. A bioreactor is a container that supports a biologically active environment.
A Focus on Soil and Nature
In 1947, Annie returned to Austria. In 1950, her important book, The Last Chance – for a future without need, was published. This book was very popular. Even Albert Einstein admired her work and said it would always be important in world literature.
Because of The Last Chance, the government of Mexico asked her for help. For nine years, she supported Mexico in setting up a large organization focused on humus. This organization worked to fight against erosion (when soil is washed away) and soil degradation (when soil loses its quality).
After almost 40 years of hard work, her book Humus – soil life and fertility was published in 1958. After living in different places in Europe, she returned home in 1961. She continued to work actively with organizations like the World Union for Protection of Life, which aims to protect nature.
Later Years and Legacy
Annie Francé-Harrar spent her last years at a retirement home called Schloss Kahlsberg. She died there in January 1971, at 85 years old, after a short illness. On January 26, she was buried next to her husband in Oberalm-Hallein. Her work continues to inspire people to care for the environment and understand the importance of healthy soil.
Works
- Die Kette, 1911
- Die Feuerseelen, 1920
- Der Glaserne Regen (Novel), J.P. Toth Verlag, Hamburg, 1948
- Die letzte Chance – Für eine Zukunft ohne Not, München, 1950
- Und Eines Tages, J.P. Toth Verlag, Hamburg, 1952
- Humus – Bodenleben und Fruchtbarkeit, München, 1958
- So War's um Neunzehnhundert: Mein Fin De Seicle, Albert Langen - Georg Muller Verlag, Munchen, 1962
- Frag Nicht Woher Die Liebe Kommt (Roman), Langen Muller, Munchen, 1967
