Open Data Insight of the Day

Sebastian Franck, born in 1499, was a German freethinker and radical reformer who spent his final years in Basel, Switzerland. He was initially a priest and became a prominent figure in the Reformation, advocating for a spiritual church and freedom of thought, which led to conflicts with authorities. In Basel, he worked as a printer and continued to publish significant works until his death. See wikipedia for more information.

Sebastian Münster, born in 1488, was a renowned German cartographer and cosmographer who made significant contributions to Hebrew studies while serving as a professor at the University of Basel. His work, Cosmographia, published in 1544, was the first comprehensive description of the world in German. Münster's legacy is closely tied to Basel, where he edited the Hebrew Bible and produced various scholarly works, ultimately passing away in the city during a plague outbreak. See wikipedia for more information.

Fritz Haber, a German chemist known for inventing the Haber process, which revolutionized fertilizer production, died in Basel, Switzerland, in 1934. His later years were marked by a controversial legacy due to his contributions to chemical warfare during World War I. He passed away in Basel while en route to a position in Mandatory Palestine. See wikipedia for more information.

On January 29, 1864, the private "Gesellschaft für die Wasserversorgung der Stadt Basel" was granted permission by the Grand Council to establish a modern water supply system in Basel. See altbasel for more information.