6
Bestimmung Des
Ammoniakgleichgewichtes
Unter Druck
Determination of the ammonia equilibrium under
pressure.
1
We found out that Nernst’s equilibrium [for Hamburg] was very bad ….
Robert Le Rossignol in conversation with Johannes Jaenicke in 1959.
2
6.1 The Legacy of Hamburg
After the horror of Hamburg, it was clear that Haber was deeply offended by
Nernst’s opinion of his work and mindful of its effect on his perception by
others. Quite naturally, he took it as a personal slight and an injury to his
reputation causing him to fall into sombre mood. As usual, this began to
affect his health and a few weeks later Clara wrote to their friend Richard
Abegg expressing her concerns
3
…. Fritz is again suffering from his old sickness - stomach, digestion, nerves,
skin problems – all of which weaken him ….
Quite naturally too, biographical accounts of the period have concentrated on
Haber, and there is no doubt that both on the day, and biographically, Haber
‘took the hit’. But Robert too must have been hurt by Nernst’s criticism
because it was his experimental practise that Nernst had publicly denounced.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
D. Sheppard, Robert Le Rossignol, Springer Biographies,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29714-5_6
129