Fricis Blumbahs (Fritz Blumbach) was one of the first Latvians to acquire higher education in astronomy and he made an outstanding contribution to the culture and science of Latvia during his lifetime. He is known as a research assistant of the prominent Russian scientist Dmitri Mendeleev in the development of metric system of measurement in Russia, in researches in metrology and astronomy, made in cooperation with leading scientists from Western countries of that time. In his old age, Blumbahs became professor of astronomy at the Latvian University and the first Honorary Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Latvian SSR, established in 1946.