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Essays

History of Science A Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for ! Emil Fischer, Konrad Adenauer, and the Meirowsky Endowment** Lothar Jaenicke and Frieder W. Lichtenthaler*

Dedicated to Professor Klaus Hafner on the occasion of his 75th Birthday

Keywords: Emil Fischer ¥ history of science ¥

The award of the Nobel Prize for In March 1914 the Senate of the KWI Chemistry to Emil Fischer (Figure 1, had decided to set up a KWI for left) just over 100 years ago,[1] which fell Physiology in -,[10] for into the year of his 50th birthday, gave which Emil Fischer suggested his long- many a reason to pay tribute to the time collaborator, friend, and colleague personality and scientific legacy of one Emil Abderhalden, Professor of Physi- of the towering figures of our science.[2±5] ology at Halle University since 1908, However, it also presents the opportu- whom he held in high regard.[11] After nity to remember facets of his work negotiations throughout April 1914 Ab- other than his scientific achieve- derhalden had agreed to accept the ments.[6, 7] It was largely due to his appointment. In public relations and Figure 1. Left: Emil Fischer (around 1915), inspiration and untiring energy that the the art of obtaining industrial sponsor- right: Konrad Adenauer (in 1917). idea of research, free from teaching ship he was a thoroughly modern per- duties–which he always regarded as for that purpose, and which was realized son, otherwise a child of his time and the an obvious duty but with increasing poor in 1911 with the foundation of the Swiss countryside.[12] His research cen- health also as a burden–took shape in Kaiser Wilhelm Gesellschaft (KWG), tered around the chemistry and action of the form of institutes established solely financed through the sponsorship of protein degradation products which im- patrons. The first Kaiser Wilhelm Insti- pressed medical doctors and the general tutes (KWIs)1 for Chemistry (Directors public. The KWI for Physiology was [*] Prof. Dr. F. W. Lichtenthaler Ernst Beckmann, Richard Willst‰tter) intended to provide favorable working Institut f¸r Organische Chemie and for Physical Chemistry and Electro- conditions for his proximity to practical Technische Universit‰t Darmstadt chemistry (Director ) were medicine. This institute was to have Petersenstrasse 22, 64287 Darmstadt () opened with much festivity as early as been completed in 1914, however, the Fax : (þ 49)6151-166-674 .[8] The Institute for Ex- well-advanced plans were abandoned in E-mail: [email protected] perimental Therapy and 1916 because of the war; instead, from stadt.de (Directors , 1917 onwards, annual allowances were Prof. Dr. L. Jaenicke ) followed a year later. paid by the KWG to the ™Abderhalden Institut f¸r Biochemie The KWI for Coal Research, the first research post∫ in Halle to promote Universit‰t zu Kˆln outside the Berlin-Dahlem area, the ™comparative biochemical investiga- Z¸lpicher Strasse 47, 50674 Cologne research profile of which Emil Fischer tions on the structure of proteins∫, and (Germany) [9] Fax : (þ 49)221-470-6431 laid down with determined foresight, later, when the terms became establish- [13] [**] We thank Frau Erna L‰mmel (Leopoldina opened in 1914 in M¸lheim (Ruhr) ed, ™vitamins and hormones∫. Abder- Archive, Halle), Dr. R. Rider (Bancroft under the leadership of Franz Fischer. halden, who did not consider himself Library, UC at Berkeley), J. Deres (Histor- Geographic dispersion and the incorpo- bound to Halle, was open to offers, even ical Archive of the City of Cologne), and T. ration of local interests for applied basic though he put down firm roots there M¸ller (University Archive, Cologne), for research were desired. later as the President of the Leopol- generously providing information. Picture dina2. credits: Edgar Fahs Smith Collection, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 1 As the successor organization to the Kaiser (E. Fischer), Stiftung Bundeskanzler-Ade- Wilhelm Society the Society was 2 Leopoldina: German Academy of Natural nauer-Haus Rhˆndorf (K. Adenauer), and formed in 1948 as an independent research Scientists, founded 1652, the first scientific ref. [24] (M. Meirowsky). organization. academy world-wide.

722 ¹ 2003 Wiley-VCH VerlagGmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim 1433-7851/03/4207-0722 $ 20.00+.50/0 Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2003, 42, No. 7 Angewandte Chemie

From his political contacts in Berlin, and Abderhalden. Both clearly came to the prestige of scientific research and the conclusion that the City of Cologne circumstances surrounding the KWI for had more to do than merely solve the For the KWG a university en- Physiology were apparently known to question of the site, especially as the vironment was an essential Konrad Adenauer (Figure 1, right)[14] university environment, according to requirement, it promoted in- and appeared to be of use to him for the objectives of the KWG a prerequi- terdisciplinary basic research the benefit of his home town. Since site for interactive basic research, was 1908, Adenauer had been the first lacking. Cologne university, the oldest deputy mayor of the City of Cologne, and from 1917 onwards, at 41, the youngest Lord Mayor of the fourth- largest city in the and His Excellency as such a member of the Prussian Director of the Chemical Institute Herrenhaus (upper house). It is indica- Member of the Scientific Deputation for Medical Science tive of his ambitious vision that in Privy Councilor Dr. Fischer November 1917 he wanted to use ac- Berlin N.4 crued war gains of 1.2 million gold Cologne, May 23, 1918 marks donated to the city by an initially Your Excellency, anonymous Cologne industrialist to at- On the 10/11 of this month I was in Berlin on a matter concerning the Kaiser Wilhelm tract a KWI to his city, which in the Society. I was unable to discuss my suggestion with your Excellency in person, since you were, conception of the benefactor, Max Mei- so I had heard, absent from Berlin. I have therefore taken the liberty of bringing the matter to rowsky (Figure 2), was to be directed at your Excellency©s attention in writing, and I hope also to be able to discuss the matter with you in person during my next visit to Berlin on the occasion of the meeting of the Upper House on the June 5. A citizen of Cologne is willing to make 1200000 M available to the Kaiser Wilhelm Society for the Institute for Physiology planned by the Society on the condition that the Institute is established in Cologne with the leader designate, Professor Abderhalden and is to receive the grants previously planned by the Kaiser Wilhelm Society and the State. As I heard in Berlin, a site is to be made available by the provincial government free of charge for the Institute in Berlin-Dahlem. It became obvious to me that the City of Cologne would also have to make a site available without cost if the Institute were to come to Cologne. To make such a site available would not come up against any obstacle in the City of Cologne, but on the other hand it would not be to the benefactor©s liking as he would find it embarrassing that as a result of a donation, planned and given by him to the City of Cologne for reasons of pure Figure 2. Max Meirowsky. philanthropy, the city would be left with a burden. I am sure a way out of this difficulty will be found should it be absolutely necessary, even with consideration of the legitimate sensitivity of research into human, and in particular the benefactor, although at the moment it is not clear to me how this difficulty can be children©s nutrition, as he had been overcome. Privy councilor Abderhalden, with whom I have discussed this matter, would deeply moved by the misery of the warmly welcome the establishment of the Institute in Cologne and the increase in resources winter of hunger (1916/17) and the made possible by this endowment. I assume that he will correspondingly discuss his intentions suffering of children. with your Excellency in person. He has further assured me that constructional and material This induced Adenauer, after pre- difficulties would not arise for the Kaiser Wilhelm Society from the separation of the Institute liminary discussions with Abderhal- for Physiology from the other institutes to be established in Berlin-Dahlem. The foundation of den,[15] to a letter to Emil Fischer, the the Institute within its walls is of considerable interest for the City of Cologne. In the first vice-president of the KWG, written in instance, the reputation of Cologne and its scientific institutions would in this way be fostered, his characteristic administrative style a point upon which I lay great weight, because Kaiser Wilhelm Institutes are also established (see letter of May 23, 1918):[16] in Breslau and D¸sseldorf, but also, and I put great value upon this, it is of utmost importance This letter obviously initiated prob- for the intellectual life of Cologne with its 650000 inhabitants to have scientific establish- ing discussions between Adolf von Har- ments and prominent men within its walls so that the intellectual life emanating from them nack, the president of the KWG, and will counteract the strongly materialistic features of this large city. I would be especially obliged Emil Fischer, as well as between Fischer to your Excellency if you would intercede in favor of the establishment of the Institute in Cologne. I would also add that according to the explicit declaration of the benefactor, should his donation find no acceptance under the above conditions the sum will not be granted for Konrad Adenauer wished to use scientific purposes. I remain, your Excellency©s devoted servant the money donated by an Adenauer industrialist for the founding of Lord Mayor a KWI in Cologne

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2003, 42, 722 ± 726 ¹ 2003 Wiley-VCH VerlagGmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim 1433-7851/03/4207-0723 $ 20.00+.50/0 723 Essays

German municipal university was founded in 1388, yet converted into French-type central school in 1798 by Lord Mayor Adenauer the French Ministry of Education to Member of the Upper House which Cologne was subordinate after Berlin June 3, 1918 the annexation of the left border Rhine- Dear Lord Mayor, land; after the ™Wars of Freedom∫, Please accept my apologies that I only today reply to your letter of May 23, but I believed it unlike Bonn university, it had not been necessary to refer the matter to my colleague His Excellency von Harnack following an reopened by the Prussian controlling exchange of correspondence with my friend and former student Abderhalden on the offer from powers. Chemistry lay fallow, only the the City of Cologne. business school fostered it,[17] even the It is a pleasant sign of the times that the large German cities desire to see scientific institutes Medical Academy had no preclinical established within their walls, and the Kaiser Wilhelm Society is highly interested in supporting foundation.[18] Thus Emil Fischer©s per- these efforts. It is within this context that I and my colleague Harnack, and presumably all fectly worded reply was, despite all its other members of the administrative board and the administrative council of the Kaiser courteous and diplomatic niceties, quite Wilhelm Society, welcome the offer from Cologne. On the other hand there are, however, unambiguous (see letter of June 3, certain misgivings about relocating the Institute for Physiology from Dahlem to Cologne 1918).[19] which I can not conceal and about which Herr Abderhalden has probably already informed you. That is the isolation of the institute because it would be uprooted from intimate connection with the other institutions existing in Dahlem; for physiology is linked by numerous threads to physics, chemistry, and the other biological sciences. In June 1918 the Senate of the The support of the representatives of the related sciences would be missed by the Biological KWG decided to give the in- Institute in Cologne; for the Medical Academy cannot replace it, and even though Bonn stitute to Cologne University is very close and easy to reach, the possibility of daily interchange is missing. In addition certain difficulties would arise for the younger academics, who the Institute must have, whose choice would be very difficult as they lack the association with the university. As long as Abderhalden, who is an unusually energetic and talented man, remains at the head of the institute these disadvantages would not be so apparent because he is used to The meeting between Fischer and overcoming all difficulties through his energy. However, in the future, if a change in personnel Adenauer mentioned in this letter took becomes necessary, serious attention would have to be given to this problem. Therefore, in the place in Berlin on June 7, 1918. The interest of the Institute I consider it necessary that this immense disadvantage is offset by negotiations progressed sluggishly, but advantages which would accrue to it in Cologne. This includes without doubt the imposing with mutual respect, for in a letter to sum of 1.2 million which your anonymous citizen is to make available, from which the interest Abderhalden of June 24[20] Fischer re- would be a very welcome increase in operating resources. However, a further idealistic marked amongst other things: ™It may advantage would need to be forthcoming. In my opinion that would be the assurance that the be advisable maintaining towards Lord benevolent interest of the citizens of Cologne in the Institute would continue to flourish. Mayor Adenauer, who to me appears to The Kaiser Wilhelm Institutes which have previously been established or are planned in cities be an excellent man, that a budget of without universities have specific practical objectives, I mention in this context the Coal 200000 marks will have to be raised.∫ Research Institute in M¸lheim/Ruhr, the Iron Institute in D¸sseldorf, and finally the planned There are apparently no records of institute for the textile industry. the meetings between Emil Fischer and It should be possible to give the Institute for Physiology in Cologne a distinctive character Konrad Adenauer–a second took which is at the same time evocative of daily life. That would be the nutrition of mankind and place on July 18, 1918–but as early as animals, which currently occupies the interest of many circles. When one plans such tasks June 1918 a resolution of the KWG extending beyond the more restricted scope of scientific research then Cologne would be the Senate followed,[21] ™to move the Insti- right place for the Institute, but then considerably larger resources than before would need to tute for Physiology to Cologne on the be made available to the Institute. condition that it is extended by the Perhaps you would be so kind, distinguished Lord Mayor, as to take these thoughts into addition of a Section for Nutritional consideration and disseminate them amongst your fellow citizens. One would hope that in Science and that the City of Cologne this way it would be possible to obtain further donations for the Institute, and move the city raises the necessary annual operating government to greater sacrifice than the mere concession of a site. budget of 200000 Marks–that much is It would be a particular pleasure to be able to discuss this matter with you personally. As a necessary according to the judgment of convalescent from a long and serious illness which I suffered during the Spring I am, however, Excellency Fischer–which means a still spending much of the time in Wannsee, but I am quite willing to come to Berlin for a contribution of 70±80000 Mark to the meeting. Best for me would be the time between 11 and 1 o©clock, or 4.30 to 6.30. I am happy resources available.∫ to leave the choice of venue to you. Should you consider it useful we could meet with Harnack In further negotiations a figure of at the Royal Library. My telephone number is Wannsee exchange no. 75. 153000 Mark was agreed upon, where- I remain yours sincerely, after Konrad Adenauer expressed his Emil Fischer gratitude to Emil Fischer on August 14, 1918:[22] ™It is with great pleasure that I

724 Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2003, 42, 722 ± 726 Angewandte Chemie thank you for your kind letter of the Far more tragic–but also very typical of Style: Research Groups in the Chemical 12th of this month. There was the real its time is the fate of the Meirowskys. and Biochemical Sciences, American risk that the benefactor would change Max Meirowsky (1866±1949) had come Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, 1990, pp. 163 ± 229. his mind and use the capital for other to Cologne from East Prussia, and in [7] ™Die Bedeutung Emil Fischers f¸r die purposes. I am very pleased that now we 1894 he founded a company for the Entwicklung der Organischen Chemie can be certain to get this fine Institute to production of insulating material (mica, in Ungarn∫: F. W. Lichtenthaler, Hum- Cologne. You can be assured that I will monazite, feldspar) for the blossoming boldt Nachrichten Ungarn 2002, 22,4± do my utmost to render possible the electrical and motor industries in Porz, 12. very best working conditions. During my close to the military district and later [8] ™Vom Plan einer chemischen Reichsan- next presence to Berlin I shall take the airfield of Wahn, it flourished well and stalt zum ersten Kaiser-Wilhelm-Insti- liberty to call upon you in person.∫ in 1910 was changed into a family stock tut: Emil Fischer∫: J. A. Johnson in Geschichte und Struktur der Kaiser-Wil- In September of 1918 the loss of the company the ™Meirowsky AG∫,[24] in helm-Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (Eds.: R. war became obvious and the Empire which his brother Emil (1876±1940) Vierhaus, B. vom Brocke), DVA, Stutt- finally collapsed in November 1918; was also involved. He was a dermatol- gart, 1990, pp. 486 ± 515. Emil Fischer©s physical suffering in- ogist and in 1921 Professor for Derma- [9] E. Fischer, ™Die Aufgaben des Kaiser- creased, presumably a consequence of tology at the University of Cologne. As Wilhelm-Instituts f¸r Kohlenforschung chronic phenylhydrazine poisoning, and a Jew he was dismissed in 1933, his zu M¸lheim (Ruhr)∫ (™The Tasks of the emotional depression from the death of license to practice medicine was re- Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Coal Re- search in M¸lheim (Ruhr)∫): Lecture on the younger two of his three sons as a voked in 1936, and in 1939 he emigrated July 29, 1912 in Solbad Raffelberg in result of the war. This all contributed to to the USA via England. His daughter M¸lheim to representatives of the State, these plans not being realized, and lastly Lisamaria (1904±1942) had an Edith industry, the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, the donation, raised to three million Stein fate:[25] she graduated with a and the city of M¸lheim, in E. Fischer, gold marks by Max Meirowsky in 1919, double doctorate in medicine, converted Untersuchungen aus verschiedenen Ge- was forfeited through under emotional stress bieten (Ed.: M. Bergmann), Springer conflict of interests, in 1933, became a nun in Verlag, Berlin, 1924, pp. 810 ± 822. Forschung mainly in the Linden- a nursing order in 1938 [10] R. Vierhaus, B. vom Brocke, The donation of three- im Spannungsfeld von Politik und Ge- burg Clinic, and finally in Holland, and in 1941 million gold marks was sellschaft. Geschichte und Struktur der because of inflation. was porter and medical Kaiser-Wilhelm-Max-Planck-Gesell- Despite this sad end forfeited through con- sister in the Konigsoord schaft (Research in Regions of Political to extensive efforts it flict of interests and Trappist monastery in and Social Tension), DVA, , was indeed the Mei- finally because of in- Brabant. From there 1990, pp. 147 and 916. rowsky donation which she was deported in Au- [11] E. Fischer, Letters to E. Abderhalden of brought together two flation gust 1942 with several December 27, 1913 and January 22, 1914. Copies in Emil Fischer Papers, Bancroft important personali- companions via Wester- Library, UC at Berkeley.. ties–one at the end of bork to Auschwitz, and [12] ™Sensation, Wissenschaft, Betrug? ± his career, the other at the beginning. It there immediately sent to the gas cham- Emil Abderhalden und die Geschichte can be rightly assumed that these nego- ber. Apart from her dissertation there der Abwehrfermente∫ (™Sensation, Sci- tiations, particularly Emil Fischer©s ar- are no other traces of her existence. The ence, Fraud?–Emil Abderhalden and guments that in Cologne ™connection to Meirowsky AG was aryanized as Diel- the History of Defense ∫): M. the university is lacking for the Direc- ektra AG in 1941; Max Meirowsky, its Kaasch, Acta Historica Leopoldina 2000, 36, 145 ± 210. tor∫ and, as he wrote to Abderhalden[23] founder, died in exile in Geneva. [13] KWG Senate resolution of May 11, 1917. yet presumably also told Adenauer, that The grants of the KWG to Abderhalden the Director there ™sits on an isolation amounted to 10.000 Mark per annum, stool∫, were incentives for Adenauer to [1] http:\\www.nobel.se/chemistry/ but were later increased. This ruling give further momentum to the much laureates/1902/fischer-bio.html. continued to 1930 (c.f.. ref. [10], p. 241 longer-running efforts for reestablishing [2] ™Emil Fischer, his Personality, his Ach- and 333). the University of Cologne and for inte- ievements, and his Scientific Progeny∫: [14] Konrad Adenauer (1876±1967), admin- grating it into the political vision of the F. W. Lichtenthaler, Eur. J. Org. Chem. istration lawyer, Lord Mayor of Cologne 2002, 4095 ± 4122. 1917, single-mindedly made his city to Rhineland as a bridge, especially be- [3] ™Emil H. Fischer (1852±1919)– the economic and cultural capital of the tween Germany and France. Indeed, his Gro˚kophta der Bioorganik∫: L. Jae- Rhineland through tactical shrewdness roguish extortionate negotiations with nicke, BIOspektrum 2002, 8, 725 ± 727. and strategic skill: town planning and the Prussian Ministry of Education led [4] H. Kunz, Angew. Chem. 2002, 114, expansion into the surrounding area, re- in May 1919 to a contract between the 4619 ± 4632; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. opening of the university, development Prussian State Government and the City 2002, 41, 4439 ± 4451. of trade fairs. In 1933 driven out of office of Cologne for the establishment of a [5] ™Ein Jahrhundertdatum: 1902. Das Ge- by the National Socialist regime as a burtsjahr der Peptid-Chemie∫: L. Jae- republican catholic and outlawed, was city-sponsored university. Thus, Emil nicke, Chem. Unserer Zeit 2002, 36, 338 ± reinstated in 1945, but soon changed to Fischer had–in an admittedly indirect 341. become chairman of the Christian Dem- way–a certain share in the reopening of [6] ™Emil Fischer and Franz Hofmeister∫: ocratic Party (CDU) co-founded by him. the University of Cologne in 1919. J. S. Fruton in Contrasts in Scientific In 1948 President of the Parliamentary

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Council, between 1949 and 1963 four [18] ™Vor 75 Jahren: Erˆffnung des vorklini- Rechtsrheinisches Kˆln, Jahrbuch f¸r times Bundeskanzler (Federal Chancel- schen Studiums an der Universit‰t zu Geschichte und Landeskunde 1992, 16, lor). Stabilized bonds with the West and Kˆln∫ (™75 Years Ago: the Opening of 129 ± 162. the economic ties of the Federal Repub- the Preclinical Course at the University [25] Edith Stein (1891±1942), from a devout lic as well as social conditions until the of Cologne∫): L. Jaenicke in J. Hoff- Breslau Jewish family, studied philoso- ™Adenauer Era∫ ended in the revolts of mann, Dokumentationen, Kˆln, 2001. phy, mainly with the transcendency 1968. [19] E. Fischer, letter to K. Adenauer, June 3, phenomenologue Edmund Husserl [15] On April 18, 1918 a discussion took 1918, copy in Emil Fischer Papers, (1859±1936), whose critical master pupil place between Meirowsky and Abder- Bancroft Library, UC at Berkeley. she became (™Vom Sinn des Seins∫). halden in his institute in Halle (letters [20] E. Fischer, letter to E. Abderhalden, Converted in 1922, taught at different from Meirowsky to Abderhalden of June 24, 1918, Leopoldina Archives, universities until her authorization to April 13 and April 16, 1918), and on Halle, EA848. teach was revoked by the National May 11, 1918 a discussion between [21] Protocol of the KWG Senate Meeting of Socialist State in 1933. Withdrew as Adenauer and Abderhalden in the Ho- June 14, 1918, MPG Archives, Berlin. Sister Theresia Benedicta a Cruce into tel Adlon, Berlin (Telegram from Ad- Extract from a handwritten letter of A. the Carmelite Convent in Cologne to enauer to Abderhalden of May 10, von Harnack to E. Abderhalden of June ™carry out service to contempla- 1918). Documents in Leopoldina Ar- 21, 1918, Leopoldina Archives, Halle, tively∫. In 1939 she was ordered against chives, Halle, EA848. EA848. her will to the Echt Convent in the [16] K. Adenauer, letter to E. Fischer, May [22] K. Adenauer, letter to E. Fischer, Au- Netherlands, where she was betrayed, 23, 1918. Original in Emil Fischer Pa- gust 14, 1918, Original in Emil Fischer and for the same reason, and on the pers, Bancroft Library, UC at Berkeley. Papers, Bancroft Library, UC at Berke- same day as Lm. Meirowsky (Sr. Maria [17] ™From Alberti Magni Studium Generale ley. Magdalena Dominica) deported to to a Modern University∫: L. Jaenicke in [23] E. Fischer, letter to Abderhalden, May Auschwitz and murdered with Cy- Nitrogen Fixation 100 Years After (Eds.: 28, 1918. Leopoldina Archives, Halle, clon B; in 1987 beatified as a ™Martyr H. J. Bothe, F. J. de Bruijn, W. E. New- EA848. of the Faith∫, canonized in 1998. ton), G. Fischer, Stuttgart, 1988, [24] ™Die Firma Meirowsky & Co., sp‰ter pp. 853 ± 868. Dielektra in Porz∫: H. A. Wessel,

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