August Herold

August Karl Herold (August 7, 1902 in Neckarsulm – January 8, 1973 in Neckarsulm) was a German grape breeder.

Herold graduated from the Agricultural College Hohenheim in 1925, worked at a grape breeding station in Naumburg 1926–1928 and in 1928 became the head of a grape breeding station in Weinsberg, which during his early years was called Württembergischen Anstalt für Rebenzüchtung und Rebenpfropfung and from 1947 Staatliche Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt für Wein- und Obstbau Weinsberg (LVWO). During the years 1941–1948 Herold was first called up for military service during World War II and then ended up as a prisoner of war of the Soviet Union. After coming home in 1948, he resumed his duties in Weinsberg and stayed on this post until retirement at the end of 1964.^[1][2]

Herold's main contributions to viticulture was a scientifically based grape breeding programme in Weinsberg, which produced several much-cultivated grape varieties. Among the varieties bred by him are Helfensteiner, Heroldrebe (named after him), Dornfelder and Kerner.^[1]