wanting to leave Germany but not knowing how to achieve it. He was too
weak to research or teach full time but not ready to retire. Like some ageing
modern rock star, Haber decided it was better ‘to burn out than rust’. But
who would want him? During the summer of 1933 he tried to find out,
travelling to Holland, France and England in a sad attempt to ‘sell himself’
and procure an honorary position at a scientific institution. He found none,
but whilst in London he may have met with Robert Le Rossignol one more
time, Robert recalling in his letter to Johannes Jaenicke in August 1959
(Chap. 18) that ‘I last saw him in 1933? …’ but the question mark suggests
Robert’s recollection was vague. What is more substantially established
however is Haber’s meeting with the Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann at
London’s Russell Hotel in July 1933 when Weizmann asked if Haber would
consider moving to Palestine to help develop scientific institutions there.
19
Soon after, fascinated by Weizmann’s offer but having made no commitment,
Haber returned to Berlin. But even as he was being pressured to leave his villa
in Dahlem he still could not make up his mind what to do, and so on 03
August, he went on his travels once more, this time to meet Hermann in
Paris, then to attend a scientific conference in Spain, fully intending to return
to Berlin in three weeks time.
In Paris the offer that Haber had been longing for finally arrived. Harold
Hartley, Frederick Donnan and Sir William Pope—Britain’s WW1 ‘gas
warriors’
20
—had convinced Cambridge University to offer Haber an honorary, unpaid position there, with little teaching or research. From a room in
the Avenue George V,
21 Haber composed a letter, in German, to Sir William.
Pope’s offer, he explained, gave him all he hoped for, to remain active in
science and possibly acquire British nationality both for himself and his
children. Haber explained that;
… the most important goals in my life are that I not die as a German citizen
and that I not bequeath to my children and grandchildren the civil rights of
second-class citizenship as German law now demands.
22
Haber however was concerned that he achieve an ‘honourable separation from
Germany’. Such permission was important because if he settled in the UK
without it, Germany could demand an ‘emigration tax’ (the
‘Reichsfluchtsteuer’) for ‘unpatriotic desertion’
23 which would decimate his
finances. Haber’s monies however were held in Switzerland and (also being a
Swiss citizen) he could have ignored the tax, but that in turn would brand
him a (dishonourable) tax-evader, such was his emotional attachment to
Germany that was something he could not countenance. Confused as to how
16 The GEC Laboratories 1930–1939
377
weak to research or teach full time but not ready to retire. Like some ageing
modern rock star, Haber decided it was better ‘to burn out than rust’. But
who would want him? During the summer of 1933 he tried to find out,
travelling to Holland, France and England in a sad attempt to ‘sell himself’
and procure an honorary position at a scientific institution. He found none,
but whilst in London he may have met with Robert Le Rossignol one more
time, Robert recalling in his letter to Johannes Jaenicke in August 1959
(Chap. 18) that ‘I last saw him in 1933? …’ but the question mark suggests
Robert’s recollection was vague. What is more substantially established
however is Haber’s meeting with the Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann at
London’s Russell Hotel in July 1933 when Weizmann asked if Haber would
consider moving to Palestine to help develop scientific institutions there.
19
Soon after, fascinated by Weizmann’s offer but having made no commitment,
Haber returned to Berlin. But even as he was being pressured to leave his villa
in Dahlem he still could not make up his mind what to do, and so on 03
August, he went on his travels once more, this time to meet Hermann in
Paris, then to attend a scientific conference in Spain, fully intending to return
to Berlin in three weeks time.
In Paris the offer that Haber had been longing for finally arrived. Harold
Hartley, Frederick Donnan and Sir William Pope—Britain’s WW1 ‘gas
warriors’
20
—had convinced Cambridge University to offer Haber an honorary, unpaid position there, with little teaching or research. From a room in
the Avenue George V,
21 Haber composed a letter, in German, to Sir William.
Pope’s offer, he explained, gave him all he hoped for, to remain active in
science and possibly acquire British nationality both for himself and his
children. Haber explained that;
… the most important goals in my life are that I not die as a German citizen
and that I not bequeath to my children and grandchildren the civil rights of
second-class citizenship as German law now demands.
22
Haber however was concerned that he achieve an ‘honourable separation from
Germany’. Such permission was important because if he settled in the UK
without it, Germany could demand an ‘emigration tax’ (the
‘Reichsfluchtsteuer’) for ‘unpatriotic desertion’
23 which would decimate his
finances. Haber’s monies however were held in Switzerland and (also being a
Swiss citizen) he could have ignored the tax, but that in turn would brand
him a (dishonourable) tax-evader, such was his emotional attachment to
Germany that was something he could not countenance. Confused as to how
16 The GEC Laboratories 1930–1939
377