Answer card of Zoological Museum of Berlin from 1912

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The answer card of Zoological Museum of Berlin, sent to Professor Dr. Gustav Tornier on February 12, 1912

The answer postcard, was sent to:

Herrn [Mr.] Prof. Dr. Tornier
BERLIN N. 4,
Invaliden-Straße 43
(Zoologisches Museum)

Professor Dr. Gustav Tornier, a well-known German zoologist and herpetologist who worked at the Zoologisches Museum Berlin (Berlin Museum of Natural History).
In addition, he served as a board member of the Berlin Society of Friends of Natural Science (Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin) from 1907 to 1924, and as such was closely involved with organizing the Tendaguru Expedition (1910-1912).

A large sauropod dinosaur found around 1910 in the Tendaguru formations of German East Africa, which was renamed Tornieria africanus (Fraas) after the original name Gigantosaurus had been found to be occupied.

The blue rectangular stamp indicates postal fee exemption granted to the Royal Prussian University.

Institutional seal of the Royal Geological-Paleontological Institute and Museum

The postmark from Berlin N. 4, from February 12, 1912.

The signature of the sender of the postcard.

The blue rectangular stamp on the middle of the font side Frei lt. Avers. No. 21 / Kgl. Pr. Universität indicates postal fee exemption (“Frei lt. Avers”) granted to the Royal Prussian University (Königlich Preußische Universität) — meaning it was official university correspondence.

The blue, round, institutional seal, on the bottom-left corner: Geologisch-Paläontologisches Institut u. Museum d. Kgl. Universität Berlin with the Prussian eagle emblem in the middle, can be translated as Geological-Paleontological Institute and Museum of the Royal University of Berlin.
This shows the postcard originated from the Royal Geological-Paleontological Institute and Museum, likely from one of Tornier’s academic colleagues, as the postmark on the cover have the same district of Berlin (N 4), as the recipient. The sender politely declines an invitation as he has his-own lecture on the same day.

Original text in German [Printed part] Zur Rückantwort. Die zu der Sitzung der Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde (Bericht über die Tendaguru-Expedition) zum 27. Februar übersandte Eintrittskarte kann ich ... [Handwritten part] leider nicht benutzen, da ich selbst Vortrag habe! Aufrichtigen Dank für die beiden Karten, deren Rücksendung wohl nicht nötig ist. 15/2 12 Ihr ganz ergebener [signature]

Translation to English. [Printed part] For reply. The admission ticket sent for the meeting of the Society of Friends of Natural Science on February 27 (Report on the Tendaguru Expedition) can I ... [Handwritten Part] unfortunately not use, as I have a lecture myself! Sincere thanks for the two tickets, whose return is probably not necessary. 15/2 12 Yours very sincerely [signature]

The signature is unfortunately unclear — it can be read as “Vernus” or “Bernus,” but no individual by either name appears in archival or published lists of the Berlin scientific staff.

Other personalities whom the signature can belong are:

Wilhelm Berndt (1878-1945) oversaw the zoological teaching collection at the University of Berlin from 1906, prepared teaching materials and collections, and may have served administrative roles in exchange between institutes

Jan (Johannes) Versluys (1873–1939) was a Dutch zoologist and anatomist who worked in Germany for a time, including in Berlin, and corresponded with leading zoologists there — such as Gustav Tornier, Franz Eilhard Schulze, and others at the Zoologisches Museum der Universität Berlin.
Around 1909–1912, he was active in publishing on reptile skull anatomy and vertebrate comparative morphology, and he was affiliated with the Zoological Institute of the University of Berlin for part of that period.
Versluys publications from that time often carry the affiliation “Zoologisches Institut der Universität Berlin” or “Anatomisches Institut der Universität Berlin”.

References:

• Gustav Tornier (1859-1938):
  Wikipedia,