Thuringia, your Rocks

Frank Leschke’s passion for rocks and minerals has been with him all his life. For decades, this geologist-by-hobby has been building up his own lithotheque, a rock library. Now, the Erfurt resident has donated part of his life’s work to the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Jena. A selection of items from the extensive collection will be on display from 20 May in the special exhibition “Rocks! Diversity and Beauty from Thuringia and Around the World”. The exhibition will be on display until 12 November during regular opening hours (Mondays and Thursdays, 1 pm–5 pm) and by appointment. Special events will be announced on www.minsmlg.uni-jena.de/ de, and guided tours can be requested at min.museum@uni-jena.de. 

The exhibition focuses on artefacts found in Thuringia   

“This collection is, above all, a compact treasure trove of regional geology for Thuringia, one that presumably covers all the rock types found in the Free State,” says Dr Birgit Kreher-Hartmann, curator of the Mineralogical Collection. What makes it special is that Frank Leschke visited sites that are no longer accessible today. When large amounts of earth are moved, for example during road construction, there is a temporary opportunity to collect rocks. Once the construction site is finished, the geologists come away empty-handed. Frank Leschke, a long-standing member of the Thuringian Geological Society, donated around 30 card index boxes to the institute, each containing approximately 45 sawn rock slabs measuring 9 x 12 x 1 cm, plus two rock cases, each containing 60 discs. In total, there are around 1,200 specimens. As Birgit Kreher-Hartmann explains, Frank Leschke expertly prepared his finds himself, purchasing or building the necessary cutting and polishing equipment. The bulk of the collection originates from Thuringia, with finds from Scotland and Scandinavia added after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The special exhibition focuses on the Thuringian finds.    

Frank Leschke has been invited to the exhibition opening 

The exhibition “Rocks! Diversity and Beauty from Thuringia and Around the World” will open on Wednesday, 20 May at 6 pm at the Mineralogical Collection of the University of Jena (Sellierstraße 6). Geologist Dr Thomas Voigt will give an introductory talk on the topic “Thuringia: A Land of Rocks”; guests are welcome and admission is free. The donor, Frank Leschke, is also invited. 

The exhibition can be viewed during regular opening hours on Mondays and Thursdays from 1 pm to 5 pm; other times by appointment. Special events will be announced on https://www.minsmlg.de.uni-jena.de/ and in the local press. Please direct enquiries regarding guided tours to min.museum@uni-jena.de.