Institute of Physical and Electrochemistry, but who would he chose to direct
it? Koppel knew just the man, and soon after the presentation he asked Fritz
Haber to travel to meet him in Berlin. Haber of course knew Koppel well,
and the two men discussed the Emperor’s plans for German science when
they met at the offices of Koppel and Company on Unter den Linden, a
boulevard that ran from the Brandenburg Gate to the Emperor’s palace.
Haber in turn had already seen for himself the powerful basis of American
science on his sixteen week tour of the ‘States’ in 1902, so the Emperor’s
plans struck an immediate chord with him. But soon, Koppel moved on to
his personal agenda; he was willing to fund the construction of an entire
Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for physical chemistry and electrochemistry, he
would largely cover its year-on-year operating costs—although its director
would be employed by the Prussian State—but he would do so with just one
proviso, that Haber became the Institute’s founding director.
Now in September 1909, Koppel had already tempted Haber with a
lucrative offer of a directorship in his company which Haber had declined,
(Chap. 9) but this new offer was different. Here was the call not of just of
commerce, but of Empire, a call which every German Jew longed for, viz., to
be brought ‘into the fold’, and to become accepted as ‘establishment’.
Koppel’s too had always seen much of himself in Haber, both were Jews, both
had converted to Christianity, both rose from humble beginnings and
reached the top of their professions by hard work. Both too had a taste for the
expensive, although unlike Haber, Koppel disliked publicity and unlike the
already wealthy and established Walther Nernst, Haber was still ‘hungry’ and
genuinely appreciative of success. But Koppel’s offer was not simply patronising, he realised that with such close links to Haber he would benefit from
‘special access’ to his professor, an access which in turn would allow Koppel
and Co. to benefit, through patents and licenses, from appropriate scientific
work conducted at his Institute.
This was an offer that Haber could not refuse—after all, that would
confound both the Emperor and Haber’s patriotism - and so Koppel moved
to place his plan for an Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry
before the Prussian State machine. There was initially some dissent—the
eminent Walther Nernst was preferred as director for example—but by
September 1910 Haber received an invitation to meet with officials in Berlin.
Koppel’s gift to the nation along with his chosen director were approved. It
took some time for Haber to release himself from the bonds that tied him to
Karlsruhe but by July 1911, Haber, Clara and their son Hermann left for a
new life in Berlin, a life that for Haber was to last until 1933.
10 Of Koppel and the Kaiser
207
it? Koppel knew just the man, and soon after the presentation he asked Fritz
Haber to travel to meet him in Berlin. Haber of course knew Koppel well,
and the two men discussed the Emperor’s plans for German science when
they met at the offices of Koppel and Company on Unter den Linden, a
boulevard that ran from the Brandenburg Gate to the Emperor’s palace.
Haber in turn had already seen for himself the powerful basis of American
science on his sixteen week tour of the ‘States’ in 1902, so the Emperor’s
plans struck an immediate chord with him. But soon, Koppel moved on to
his personal agenda; he was willing to fund the construction of an entire
Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for physical chemistry and electrochemistry, he
would largely cover its year-on-year operating costs—although its director
would be employed by the Prussian State—but he would do so with just one
proviso, that Haber became the Institute’s founding director.
Now in September 1909, Koppel had already tempted Haber with a
lucrative offer of a directorship in his company which Haber had declined,
(Chap. 9) but this new offer was different. Here was the call not of just of
commerce, but of Empire, a call which every German Jew longed for, viz., to
be brought ‘into the fold’, and to become accepted as ‘establishment’.
Koppel’s too had always seen much of himself in Haber, both were Jews, both
had converted to Christianity, both rose from humble beginnings and
reached the top of their professions by hard work. Both too had a taste for the
expensive, although unlike Haber, Koppel disliked publicity and unlike the
already wealthy and established Walther Nernst, Haber was still ‘hungry’ and
genuinely appreciative of success. But Koppel’s offer was not simply patronising, he realised that with such close links to Haber he would benefit from
‘special access’ to his professor, an access which in turn would allow Koppel
and Co. to benefit, through patents and licenses, from appropriate scientific
work conducted at his Institute.
This was an offer that Haber could not refuse—after all, that would
confound both the Emperor and Haber’s patriotism - and so Koppel moved
to place his plan for an Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry
before the Prussian State machine. There was initially some dissent—the
eminent Walther Nernst was preferred as director for example—but by
September 1910 Haber received an invitation to meet with officials in Berlin.
Koppel’s gift to the nation along with his chosen director were approved. It
took some time for Haber to release himself from the bonds that tied him to
Karlsruhe but by July 1911, Haber, Clara and their son Hermann left for a
new life in Berlin, a life that for Haber was to last until 1933.
10 Of Koppel and the Kaiser
207