HISTORICAL PERSONALITY IN THE FIELD OF GALychyna METROLOGY – PROFESSOR DOCTOR J. x. LIESGANIG (1719–1799)

In 2019, 100 years since the founding of the Department of Information and Measurement Technologies of the Lviv  Polytechnic  National  University,  there  is  an  urgent  need  to  look  back  in  the  historical  perspective  and  analyze  the contribution of certain historical figures to the development of engineering thought and the principles of metrology in the areas of Western Ukraine  and,  in particular,  in  the  territories of Galychyna. First of  all  it  concerns  those  individuals whose  activities  in Ukraine  are  insufficiently  covered,  and  their  merits  can  be  considered  undervalued  precisely  in  the  field  of  metrology  and metrological  support.  In  this  regard,  the  figure  of  Joseph  Xaver  Liesganig,  who  is  well-known  in  Europe  as  a  prominent astronomer, geodesist, cartographer, mathematician,  teacher,  theologian, architect, builder, metrologist, designer of astronomical instruments and one of the pioneers in determining the size of the Earth. In Ukraine, are known not much information about the activities of Joseph Xaver Liesganig. In detail, the work of Joseph Xaver Liesganig was studied and analyzed by a graduate of the Lviv Polytechnic, and then an employee of the Research Geodetic, Topographic and Cartographic Institute in the Czech Republic Alexander Drbal. 

The  article  describes  the  life  course  and  professional  activities  of  the  eminent  scientist  Professor  Dr.  Joseph  Xaver Liesganig  (1719-1799).  Particular  attention  is paid  to  the  first  degree measurements made by  him  in  the Austrian Empire,  the cadastral mapping of Galychyna, Volodymyria and Bukovina and the creation of  the  first state metrology service  in Galychyna, namely  in Lviv. As  you  know,  reference models with  the  state  brand were  stored  in  18  cities  of Galychyna:  198 measures  of capacity, 36 measures of length, 360 units of measure of weight. For the supervision of measures, the Decree of December 5, 1785, at the Galychynian governorate, there was created the Inspectorate of Measures and Weights, the first state metrology service of Galychyna, the first in Ukraine. The duties of the inspectorate consisted of typing, implementation, supervision of compliance with measures and weights, training of responsible persons in district towns, making and adjusting of measuring instruments. The first inspector, part-time director of navigation and engineering in Galychyna, was precisely Joseph Xaver Liesganig.