worse Haber had become. Walking had long been a problem but now even
talking for a few minutes was to bring on severe chest pains. Stern asked Haber
to rest and then examined the old man, at the same time re-assuring him of the
regenerative properties of the milder climate. Soon however, Haber rose and
began discussing his options for the future. But that night, Haber called Stern
to his bedside immediately after retiring; he was gasping for breath as his heart
failed catastrophically. Slipping into unconsciousness, Stern tried all he knew to
revive him but despite his best efforts Haber passed away. His remains were
cremated in Basel on 01 February 1934.
A few weeks before his death, Haber had given instruction to Hermann; if
the political climate allowed it, he wanted his ashes to rest alongside Clara in
Dahlem, if not, Hermann was to find a suitable resting place and, in time,
arrange for Clara to brought there too. Hermann chose the latter, and found a
cemetery in Basel close to the German border. Haber’s ashes were buried
there on 01 February 1934. The funeral of one of the ‘mightiest men in
Germany’
27 was attended by just four people, Rudolph Stern, Hermann,
Else, and Richard Willstätter, who had travelled from Munich to say a few
words at the graveside. Haber too had wanted a few words on his gravestone;
‘In war and in peace, as long as it was granted him, a servant of his homeland’.
His grave was as close to Germany as Haber was to get, but Hermann decided
not to include the epitaph. Later, Clara’s remains were brought to Basel as
Haber wished, and today both Fritz and Clara lie together, their memorial
stone simply reading;
Fritz Haber
1868–1934
Clara Haber
Geb. Jmmerwahr 1870-1915
Everyone dies, but not everyone ‘lives’. And behind the austerity of their
memorial lies a story of two people who experienced all aspects of their
humanity; of love and neglect, triumph and tragedy, war and peace, and life
and death. Together now forever.
Fritz Haber’s story has dominated the history of the discovery of ‘fixation’.
The circumstances of his life, his powerful personality, Jaenicke’s ‘critical
mass’ of biographical evidence (Chap. 18) and the romantic Victorian notion
of the ‘gentleman scientist’ bound by honour and patriotism, (Chap. 10), has
proved attractive to historians. In terms of honour, Haber fulfilled the
16 The GEC Laboratories 1930–1939
381
talking for a few minutes was to bring on severe chest pains. Stern asked Haber
to rest and then examined the old man, at the same time re-assuring him of the
regenerative properties of the milder climate. Soon however, Haber rose and
began discussing his options for the future. But that night, Haber called Stern
to his bedside immediately after retiring; he was gasping for breath as his heart
failed catastrophically. Slipping into unconsciousness, Stern tried all he knew to
revive him but despite his best efforts Haber passed away. His remains were
cremated in Basel on 01 February 1934.
A few weeks before his death, Haber had given instruction to Hermann; if
the political climate allowed it, he wanted his ashes to rest alongside Clara in
Dahlem, if not, Hermann was to find a suitable resting place and, in time,
arrange for Clara to brought there too. Hermann chose the latter, and found a
cemetery in Basel close to the German border. Haber’s ashes were buried
there on 01 February 1934. The funeral of one of the ‘mightiest men in
Germany’
27 was attended by just four people, Rudolph Stern, Hermann,
Else, and Richard Willstätter, who had travelled from Munich to say a few
words at the graveside. Haber too had wanted a few words on his gravestone;
‘In war and in peace, as long as it was granted him, a servant of his homeland’.
His grave was as close to Germany as Haber was to get, but Hermann decided
not to include the epitaph. Later, Clara’s remains were brought to Basel as
Haber wished, and today both Fritz and Clara lie together, their memorial
stone simply reading;
Fritz Haber
1868–1934
Clara Haber
Geb. Jmmerwahr 1870-1915
Everyone dies, but not everyone ‘lives’. And behind the austerity of their
memorial lies a story of two people who experienced all aspects of their
humanity; of love and neglect, triumph and tragedy, war and peace, and life
and death. Together now forever.
Fritz Haber’s story has dominated the history of the discovery of ‘fixation’.
The circumstances of his life, his powerful personality, Jaenicke’s ‘critical
mass’ of biographical evidence (Chap. 18) and the romantic Victorian notion
of the ‘gentleman scientist’ bound by honour and patriotism, (Chap. 10), has
proved attractive to historians. In terms of honour, Haber fulfilled the
16 The GEC Laboratories 1930–1939
381