in 1908 therefore, Engler asked Haber if he would like to enter into a binding
contractual agreement with BASF to investigate nitrogen fixation further and
soon after, BASF director August Bernthsen visited Haber in Karlsruhe. Now,
when working for his father Siegfried, Haber’s business decisions were
lamentable but something must have persisted ‘in the genes’, and given the
confidence that came from being ‘courted’ by BASF, he tried to drive a hard
bargain with Berthnsen. Haber’s vigorous and varied demands ruffled a few of
Berthnsen’s feathers and Engler had to subsequently write to the Board in his
support, recommending Haber as;
… a very energetic man, from whose talent and enterprising attitude I expect
important results and whose solutions of disputed matters in the field of
electrochemistry show that he is as much a fundamentally sound expert as he is
a sharp and clever dialectician. As he is not unaware of his worth, and, like
Ostwald and his pupils, he would like to earn something, he does not come
naturally quite cheap ….
12
As a result of Engler’s mentoring, two agreements were concluded with BASF
on 06 March 1908. These essentially marked the serious progression of
Haber from civil servant to private entrepreneur,
13 a progression easily
understood given Haber’s earlier experience of the chemical industry,
(Chap. 2) and it began a complex web of financial dealings over the years with
his co-workers and BASF which have never been fully resolved. Haber subsequently became funded by BASF, doubling or tripling his already generous
salary which he used to hire assistants and/or pay for equipment. Indeed,
BASF became Haber’s sponsor and his laboratory received more money than
the whole Hochschule itself. For an academic however, the sponsorship came
at a high price. The contracts placed severe restrictions on Haber’s ability to
disseminate his work. He was not allowed to publish without the express
approval of BASF, he was not allowed to divulge technical detail, and he was
not allowed to work with other firms without BASF’s authorisation.
14 In
short Haber had to accept a ‘gagging order’ and its secrecy has left a heavy
legacy for scientific history.
The first contract between Haber and BASF concerned the synthesis of
nitrogenous gases from nitrogen and oxygen. In this contract, BASF offered
Haber a 10% share in the profits of any patentable development during the
duration of the patent (15 years at the time) but Haber asked for an additional 10,000 Marks, and when eventually in 1909 BASF got their patent,
Haber got his money. Haber also insisted on Koenig being employed by
BASF but being allowed to continue working for him. The second contract
148
D. Sheppard
contractual agreement with BASF to investigate nitrogen fixation further and
soon after, BASF director August Bernthsen visited Haber in Karlsruhe. Now,
when working for his father Siegfried, Haber’s business decisions were
lamentable but something must have persisted ‘in the genes’, and given the
confidence that came from being ‘courted’ by BASF, he tried to drive a hard
bargain with Berthnsen. Haber’s vigorous and varied demands ruffled a few of
Berthnsen’s feathers and Engler had to subsequently write to the Board in his
support, recommending Haber as;
… a very energetic man, from whose talent and enterprising attitude I expect
important results and whose solutions of disputed matters in the field of
electrochemistry show that he is as much a fundamentally sound expert as he is
a sharp and clever dialectician. As he is not unaware of his worth, and, like
Ostwald and his pupils, he would like to earn something, he does not come
naturally quite cheap ….
12
As a result of Engler’s mentoring, two agreements were concluded with BASF
on 06 March 1908. These essentially marked the serious progression of
Haber from civil servant to private entrepreneur,
13 a progression easily
understood given Haber’s earlier experience of the chemical industry,
(Chap. 2) and it began a complex web of financial dealings over the years with
his co-workers and BASF which have never been fully resolved. Haber subsequently became funded by BASF, doubling or tripling his already generous
salary which he used to hire assistants and/or pay for equipment. Indeed,
BASF became Haber’s sponsor and his laboratory received more money than
the whole Hochschule itself. For an academic however, the sponsorship came
at a high price. The contracts placed severe restrictions on Haber’s ability to
disseminate his work. He was not allowed to publish without the express
approval of BASF, he was not allowed to divulge technical detail, and he was
not allowed to work with other firms without BASF’s authorisation.
14 In
short Haber had to accept a ‘gagging order’ and its secrecy has left a heavy
legacy for scientific history.
The first contract between Haber and BASF concerned the synthesis of
nitrogenous gases from nitrogen and oxygen. In this contract, BASF offered
Haber a 10% share in the profits of any patentable development during the
duration of the patent (15 years at the time) but Haber asked for an additional 10,000 Marks, and when eventually in 1909 BASF got their patent,
Haber got his money. Haber also insisted on Koenig being employed by
BASF but being allowed to continue working for him. The second contract
148
D. Sheppard