BERLIN IN DER CHEMIE

Abstract

The scientific importance of Berlin took its start with the foundation of the Society of Sciences, later the Prussian Academy of Sciences. Its significance gradually increased, and between 1870 and 1933, Berlin could indeed be considered the scientific capital of the world. This is demonstrated by the fact that in our century, from the first distribution of the Nobel prize till the end of the Second World War, researchers from Berlin won 23 Nobel prizes, including 11 Nobel prizes in chemistry, that is, 20% of all the scientific Nobel prizes distributed over that period. The discovery of 13 elements among the 90 natural elements is connected with Berlin. These discoveries occurred mainly between 1790 and 1850. The difference between K and Na was first pointed out by Marggraf in Berlin, in 1750. and he was the first, in 1754. to mention the existence of an unknown metal, aluminium, in alumina. Aluminium in a pure state was also first prepared in Berlin, by Wähler in 1827, who also was the first to prepare pure Y and Be. Klaproth discovered U (789), Zr (1789) and Ce (1804), and confirmed the existence presumed already earlier of the elements Te, Sr and Ti. The discovery of Nb is the merit of H. Rose (1847). The much searched-for element with the atomic number 75 was discovered by Noddack and Tacke in 1925 and named Rh by them. The discovery and manufacture of beet sugar is due to Marggrafs and Achard's research activity in Berlin. The urea symhesis performed by Wähler in Berlin in 1827 is regarded as the birth of organic synthesis. The Kaiser Wilhelm Institut für Chemie founded in 1912 served as model for the scientific research institutes of our era. The institute acquired importance for worid history in 1938 by the discovery of uranium fission (Hahn and Strassmann, 1938).