2.12 Professor Fritz Haber
By the time Robert arrived at Karlsruhe in September 1906, Haber had
established a formidable international reputation for himself. Indeed, in some
ways Haber was Karlsruhe and he was at the ‘top of his game’. Through his
achievements, his natural confidence and his military training he gave the
impression that he was a ‘great man’ and a great man he eventually became
when early in 1906 Max Julius Le Blanc—the incumbent professor of
physical chemistry at Karlsruhe—left for a position at Leipzig. Le Blanc and
Haber were not the best of friends. Haber coveted Le Blanc’s position and
wasted no opportunity to torment, criticise and belittle him within the
Institute. When Le Blanc left, Haber called on all his friends to support his
candidature for the vacant chair, and on August 10th 1906—just before
Robert’s arrival—Grand Duke Friedrich, Monarch of Baden, signed the
official order appointing Dr. Fritz Jakob Haber to the lifelong position of
(ordentlicher) Professor in the civil service of the German state.
Aged just thirty-seven, and taking up residence at 14 Weberstrasse
49 on the
western side of the city, Haber easily slipped into his new role. The life of a
full professor was what he had aspired to since leaving his parental home.
Previously he had been rejected by the ‘establishment’ of physical chemists yet
he had fought back through intelligent work to reach a respected position.
Indeed, he became one of German chemistry’s ‘young bucks’. Now he had
money to spare, money which he freely spent and often shared, and he had a
scientific ‘kingdom’ that covered half of one floor of the yellow brick building
that housed the Institute’s chemistry laboratories. Haber also developed a
characteristic unlike that of most professors of his time—a rapport with his
students. Students galvanised Haber and he genuinely relished the role of
scientific patron, shaping the professional lives of his youngsters. Nowhere
was ‘off limits’ for him, in the streets, in the bars and in the laboratory,
students were likely to encounter Haber’s advice, and difficult as some of his
questions could be, they loved him for his attention nevertheless.
Haber also used his home to be amongst his students. Frequent dinner
parties saw him entertain his guests with an endless series of stories, jokes and
rhymes composed on the spot. But home life also meant Clara, and much of
Fritz’s behaviour distressed her. His inability to economise both in his time
and money generated constant friction between the two but Fritz also frequently failed to discharge his parental
50 responsibilities preferring instead to
bury himself in his work. Clara remarked that ‘if I didn’t bring him to his son
once in a while, he wouldn’t even know he was a father!’ By this time Haber had
66
D. Sheppard
By the time Robert arrived at Karlsruhe in September 1906, Haber had
established a formidable international reputation for himself. Indeed, in some
ways Haber was Karlsruhe and he was at the ‘top of his game’. Through his
achievements, his natural confidence and his military training he gave the
impression that he was a ‘great man’ and a great man he eventually became
when early in 1906 Max Julius Le Blanc—the incumbent professor of
physical chemistry at Karlsruhe—left for a position at Leipzig. Le Blanc and
Haber were not the best of friends. Haber coveted Le Blanc’s position and
wasted no opportunity to torment, criticise and belittle him within the
Institute. When Le Blanc left, Haber called on all his friends to support his
candidature for the vacant chair, and on August 10th 1906—just before
Robert’s arrival—Grand Duke Friedrich, Monarch of Baden, signed the
official order appointing Dr. Fritz Jakob Haber to the lifelong position of
(ordentlicher) Professor in the civil service of the German state.
Aged just thirty-seven, and taking up residence at 14 Weberstrasse
49 on the
western side of the city, Haber easily slipped into his new role. The life of a
full professor was what he had aspired to since leaving his parental home.
Previously he had been rejected by the ‘establishment’ of physical chemists yet
he had fought back through intelligent work to reach a respected position.
Indeed, he became one of German chemistry’s ‘young bucks’. Now he had
money to spare, money which he freely spent and often shared, and he had a
scientific ‘kingdom’ that covered half of one floor of the yellow brick building
that housed the Institute’s chemistry laboratories. Haber also developed a
characteristic unlike that of most professors of his time—a rapport with his
students. Students galvanised Haber and he genuinely relished the role of
scientific patron, shaping the professional lives of his youngsters. Nowhere
was ‘off limits’ for him, in the streets, in the bars and in the laboratory,
students were likely to encounter Haber’s advice, and difficult as some of his
questions could be, they loved him for his attention nevertheless.
Haber also used his home to be amongst his students. Frequent dinner
parties saw him entertain his guests with an endless series of stories, jokes and
rhymes composed on the spot. But home life also meant Clara, and much of
Fritz’s behaviour distressed her. His inability to economise both in his time
and money generated constant friction between the two but Fritz also frequently failed to discharge his parental
50 responsibilities preferring instead to
bury himself in his work. Clara remarked that ‘if I didn’t bring him to his son
once in a while, he wouldn’t even know he was a father!’ By this time Haber had
66
D. Sheppard