Gottlieb Tobias Wilhelm

Gottlieb Tobias Wilhelm (16 October 1758, Augsburg - 12 December 1811, Augsburg) was a Protestant pastor and natural history writer, probably best known for his monumental "Unterhaltungen aus der Naturgeschichte" ("Conversations from natural history") published originally in 19 volumes with posthumous additions extending it to 25 volumes.

After receiving a scholarship he studied theology, philosophy and philology at Leipzig under Professor Ernst Platner, Samuel Frederick Nathanael Morus and Johann August Ernesti.

From 1792 publication of his "Unterhaltungen aus der Naturgeschichte" (Discourses on Natural History) in weekly installments from his father's publishing house which was then run by his brother Paul Martin, with nearly 1500 copperplate illustrations by renowned Augsburg engravers such as Jacob Xaver Schmuzer.

It included descriptions of freaks like the conjoined sisters Helen and Judith (1701–1723) based possibly on a 1773 work by Statius Müller.

The Bavarian Government awarded him a Great Gold Medal of Honor and made the books official reading material for public schools.