Less, Emil

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LESS, EMIL

LESS, EMIL (1855–1935), German meteorologist. Born in Koenigsberg (Kaliningrad), Less was director of the Berlin weather bureau (1884–1923) and in 1897 was appointed to the Landwirtschaftliche Hochschule of Berlin. He was also associate professor at the Kaiser Frederick William University of Berlin. Less was among the founders of the Deutsche Meteorologische Gesellschaft. During the years he directed the Berlin weather bureau, he published the annual and general reports on the climatic elements of Germany. In 1914 he was enlisted as an officer in the army, providing meteorological guidance and weather information for the pilots of the Air Force.

bibliography:

J.C. Poggendorff, Biographisch-literarisches Handwoerterbuch, 4 (1904); 5 (1926); 6 (1938), s.v., includes bibliography; Kuerschners Deutscher Gelehrten-Kalender, 3 (1929); 4 (1931), s.v., incl. bibl.

[Dov Ashbel]