802 GIANTS FROM THE PAST inform • December 2004 • Volume 15 (12) Hans Paul Kaufmann (1889-1971)

Gerhard Knothe

macy and chemical technology in 1946. He including chromatography and various indices became professor emeritus in 1958, although such as thiocyanogen number, diene num- acting as director of the pharmacy and food ber, and others which were used for sys- chemistry institute until April 1959. tematic analysis. Other subjects such as Although Kaufmann’s scientific con- reactions of fats, physical properties, oxi- tributions in the field of fats and oils are dation, polymerization as well as applied probably his best known, he did not publish research also found Kaufmann’s interest. in this area until 1925 according to his pub- Kaufmann distinguished himself not lication list. The thesis of his Habilitation only through his numerous scientific con- was concerned with the cyclization of acety- tributions but also through his prolific ans Paul Kaufmann, a renowned and lene. Until 1925, most of his publications and relentless organizing and adminis- Hprolific lipid chemist and founder dealt with pharmaceutical chemistry and a trative activities, including those on behalf of the International Society for Fat Research variety of other subjects, including hetero- of professional organizations, which are (ISF), was born October 20, 1889 in Frankfurt cycles and keto-enol tautomerism. He was too numerous to discuss in detail in this (Main), . After graduating from even involved in the founding of a company, brief article. The founding of the German high school, he studied chemistry in , the Chemische Werke Rudolstadt, which Society for Fat Science (Deutsche Gesell- Heidelberg, and Berlin. He obtained his gave him experience in industrial technol- schaft für Fettforschung; DGF) in October Ph.D. in January 1912 in Jena with the well- ogy and from which he departed in 1925. 1936 was a major contribution. The DGF known heterocyclic and pharmaceutical His first contact with a lipid chemist, could be seen as a successor organization chemist Ludwig Knorr (1859-1921) as F. Krafft, dates to about 1911 during stud- to another organization known by its German Doktorvater. ies in Heidelberg. In Berlin, he studied with acronym as the Wizöff (Wissen-schaftliche From 1911 to 1914 Kaufmann worked the famous , the 1902 Nobel Zentralstelle für Öl- und Fettforschung; as research assistant at the University of Laureate in chemistry. Fischer was also Scientific Center for Oil and Fat Research) Jena. With the outbreak of World War I in Knorr’s Doktorvater. Fischer was planning founded in 1920 and disbanded in 1935. 1914, he served in the German army. The systematic studies in the field of fats and Kaufmann was apparently able to maintain war caused a delay in his plans to obtain a oils at the time of his death in 1919 and had the independence of the DGF throughout Habilitation (a qualification beyond the doc- already worked on a method for the syn- the years of the national-socialist regime torate necessary in Germany and some other thesis of glycerides. Although after 1925 despite political pressure to the contrary countries in order to become a university most of his scientific efforts were related to until all such organizations were disbanded professor). He was finally able to obtain the fats and oils, Kaufmann continued to con- by the Allies at the end of World War II. Habilitation in May 1916 while on leave tribute to other subjects. He continued his The DGF reconstituted in 1948 as the from military duty. Shortly thereafter, he scientific contributions well into retirement, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Fettwissenschaft was seriously wounded at Verdun. After publishing more than 500 publications, of (German Society for Fat Science). Kaufmann recuperating from the wound, he was assigned which most not only dealt with the chem- served as the president of the DGF from its to war-related scientific work. Beginning in istry of fats and oils but also contained the inception in 1936 to 1968. 1919, he was an adjunct professor and direc- term “Studien auf dem Fettgebiet, x. These organizations, first the Wizöff and tor of the analytical division of the chem- Mitteilung” (Studies on Fats, Communication then the DGF, facilitated international coop- istry institute at the . The x) in the title. Many of these publications eration of the German lipid research com- relatively early death of Knorr caused him deal with various methods of fat analysis munity in another organization founded in to move to the pharmaceutical institute at 1931 known as the IC (Commission the University of Jena and to complete stud- Internationale de l’Étude des Corps Gras; ies in pharmacy. He taught at this institute International Commission for the Study of beginning in 1922. In 1931, Kaufmann DGF awards the Fats and Oils) in which besides Germany became full professor of pharmacy at the H.P. Kaufmann researchers from numerous other European University of Münster, and remained there countries including Austria, Czechoslovakia, until 1943 when he moved to Berlin as full Award for young Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland were professor of pharmaceutical chemistry, but scientists. represented. Kaufmann was elected its pres- returned to Münster as full professor of phar- ident in 1937. inform • December 2004 • Volume 15 (12)

After World War II, European scientists Besides founding and furthering the found that their communication network had cause of professional organizations, broken down along national lines. In an effort Kaufmann’s efforts were responsible for to reopen that network, so critical to scien- enhancing lipid research in Germany, tists in their work, Kaufmann proposed that specifically at the University of Münster. a meeting be held every two years, hosted When Kaufmann accepted the position by a different European country’s national in Münster in 1931, he was promised an oilseed association each time. Kaufmann’s institute and a new building for pharma- concept for The International Society for Fat ceutical chemistry. However, due to the Research (ISF) was approved in Hanover, dire financial situation in Germany at that Germany at the DGF Congress in 1954. time, this promise was not fulfilled. As The ISF exists today in an expanded a solution to this problem, he instigated role, bringing together scientists from around the purchase of a large private house, the world. The structure of the organiza- which was eventually converted with only tion was changed to reflect a federation modest funds to such an institute. After model in 1992, with a Secretariat chosen the war, he was instrumental in recon- to ensure the perpetuation of the meeting. stituting efforts for a new building but it Today there are 25 member organizations was only constructed after his retirement. of ISF including The Korean Society of He was also furthered the cause of food Food Science and Technology (KoSFoST), chemistry at the University of Münster. which was accepted into membership at the His educational activities in Münster, ISF Board meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland, Berlin and Jena were expressed by lec- this past September. An award is given to turing in chemistry and pharmacy, serv- a prominent scientist in Kaufmann’s mem- ing as an advisor to more than 150 ory at each meeting of the ISF. dissertations, and more than 1,600 stu- Another result of the activities of the dents taking their examinations as phar- DGF was the founding of a Reichsinstitut macists under his direction. für Fettforschung (Reichs-Institute for Fat Kaufmann organized educational Research) during World War II, prompted courses for pharmacists and also introduced by a shortage of fats. Kaufmann was the chemists and physicians to fat analysis honorary director of this institute during by means of DGF courses. He published a his professorship in Berlin. After the war, textbook on chemistry for physicians and his efforts in Münster led to the founding a two-volume work on analysis of fats and of the Deutsches Institut für Fettforschung fat products. After taking over as editor of (German Center for Fat Research), which the journal Fettchemische Umschau in 1936, was administratively connected with he continued it as Fette und Seifen and then the Bundesanstalt für Milchforschung as Fette - Seifen - Anstrichmittel. This jour- (Federal Center for Milk Research) in nal later metamorphosed into Fett - Lipid 1953. In 1964, the Münster center became and now is the European Journal of Lipid the Bundesanstalt für Fettforschung Science and Technology. (Federal Center for Fat Research) and in Kaufmann received numerous hon- 1969 merged with the Institut für indus- ors and awards for his accomplishments, trielle Fettforschung (Institution for Industrial among them honorary doctorates from Fat Research) of the DGF. One unit was the Free University of Berlin and the named the Institut für Technologie und Technical University of Graz, Austria, Biochemie - H.P.Kaufmann-Institut, hon- the Normann Medal of the DGF, the oring Kauf-mann, which is now part of the German Gro§es Bundesverdienstkreuz Bundes-forschungsanstalt für Ernährung (Great Federal Cross of Merit) as well as und Lebensmittel (Federal Research Center foreign ones including recognition from for Nutrition and Food). Egypt, Italy, and Spain. He consulted with Kaufmann also initiated a “Verband government agencies in Turkey and Brazil der Direktoren pharmazeutischer Hochschul- and traveled to numerous countries includ- institute” (Association of the directors of ing the United States, Egypt, Hungary, pharmaceutical university institutes) which Japan, Poland and the former Soviet Union he chaired for more than ten years. He was to give lectures. involved in founding the Chemisches Hans Paul Kaufmann died October 2, Landesuntersuchungsamt Nordrhein- 1971, after an extended illness. In Westfalen (Chemical Analysis Agency of Kaufmann’s memory the DGF now the State of North Rhine Westphalia) of awards the “H.P. Kaufmann Award” for which he was honorary director for eight young scientists and sponsors the years. Besides these accomplishments, he H.P.Kaufmann lecture at the ISF World was engaged in other honorary activities. Congress.