Müller Karl

Professor Dr. Karl Müller (1881-1955) studied botany and chemistry at the universities of Munich and Freiburg. In 1907 he became an assistant at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute (Institute for Fungal Diseases) in Bromberg, in 1909 he worked at the Agricultural Experimental Station in Augustenberg, later on he became head of the Department for Plant Protection in Baden, of the vine breeding institute at the Jesuit castle in Freiburg and head of the state phylloxera control. In 1921 he was appointed the first director of the newly founded Viticulture Institute in Freiburg. In the 1920s and 1930s Müller developed a comprehensive research, experimental and information activity. His main focus was on vine protection including the control of phylloxera, viticulture and the reorganisation of the cellar economy. After research on downy mildew, he developed the so-called incubation calendar to determine the dates of control. He introduced the sulphurization of the must, for which he was also called "Schwefelkarle" (sulphur carle). In 1922, he founded the journal "Weinbau und Kellerwirtschaft" (Viticulture and Cellar Management) and earned great merits with the publication of the Weinbau-Lexicon in 1930. According to his own statements he wrote and published almost 400 papers. Müller also created the new Freisamer variety.