The death of his brother, who had contracted tuberculosis, shortly before Christmas 1839, affected him so deeply that he stayed in Blankenburg throughout the winter.

From 1841 to 1842, he spent his final year of study at the University of Würzburg, where he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree.

[5] In September 1844, he took a teaching position at a private school in Worksop near Sheffield, where he mainly taught natural sciences, anthropology, and the German language.

At the Mechanics Institute in Derby, he gave a lecture in English on human and animal vocal organs to about 400 listeners.

In July 1845, he returned to Thuringia, making a brief stop in Paris, where he furthered his medical knowledge by attending surgery courses at local clinics and hospitals.

In the revolutionary year of 1848, Sigismund sympathized with patriotic efforts and wished for a united, great, economically, and politically strong Germany.

[6] In the summer of 1850, he accepted a teaching position at the high school in Rudolstadt, where he taught natural sciences, mathematics, and English.

His literary work now focused on his experiences during his hikes in the Thuringian Forest, especially the local nature, the inhabitants, their language, customs, and peculiarities.

Due to the great interest, he received a commission from the Saxon government to travel through and describe the Ore Mountains, Upper Lusatia, and the Vogtland.

In 1862, the first volume was published, in which he described nature, landscape, population, dialects, customs, economy, state, church, school, and history.