History of the Centre

There were no bee scientists in the newly founded "Swiss Dairy and Bacteriological Institute" which was installed in the attractive, new brick building in 1901.

Robert Burri
Robert Burri

The beginning of bee research in Liebefeld was initiated by the meritorious beekeeper Ulrich Krämer. As president of the "Association of Swiss Bee Friends" he confronted the young professor Robert Burri from the "Federal Polytechnical High School" in Zurich with beekeeping problems. One year later, at the meeting of Swiss beekeepers on the 28th of August 1904 in Sarnen, Burri presented his results on American foul brood. By means of a bacteriological test he was able to show, that the so called foul brood disease consisted in fact of two different diseases, American and European foul brood, both caused by specific bacteria.

It was important for the foundation of the bee research unit in Liebefeld, that Robert Burri, the discoverer of the European foul brood, was nominated head of the Liebefeld Research Institute in 1907. In the same year, a new research field, Research and Control of Bee Diseases, was founded. One year later, a new, finely decorated bee house was built next to the main building and put into operation.