21. Geheimrat. An ‘old fashioned’ German term, a title originating in feudal
times describing a role as advisor to the throne—a privy councillor. In
modern terms an erudite elder, one whose opinion should be respected. The
actual title of ‘Geheimer Regierungsrat’ was eventually bestowed on Haber by
the Kaiser a short time after he had received a full honorary professorship at
the philosophical faculty in Berlin University in December 1911, the same
university from which he had obtained his doctorate twenty years earlier.
Also, Stoltzenberg, op. cit. (note 6), p. 114.
22. Conversion or not, Haber retained his sense of Jewishness. He continued to
associate with Jewish friends or those of Jewish descent and non-Jews often
disparaged him for this, regarding it as hypocritical and conversion merely a
clever trick.
23. According to the papers Johannes Jaenicke left to the Max Planck Society for
the Advancement of Science, Haber admitted this fact with glee! See,
Johannes Jaenicke, ‘Fritz Haber, 1868–1934’, Fridericiana, Heft 35,
Universität, Karlsruhe, a reference quoted by Bretislav Friedrich of the Fritz
Haber Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft in Fritz Haber, 1868–1934.
http://www.fhi-berlin.mpg.de/*brich/Friedrich_HaberArticle.pdf.
24. A complete list (in English) of Haber’s publications appears in M. Goran,
The Story of Fritz Haber. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma.
See also Margit Szöllössi-Janze, (note 6), where the definitive list appears in
German.
25. In Germany, the title Privatdozent (for men, Privatdozentin for women), was
conferred on academics who had earned their doctorate then written another
thesis (or possibly a book) at a level of scholarship substantially higher than
their doctorate. It was an unpaid position which allowed the carrier to lecture
to students using their fees as compensation. The title was also conditional
upon the success of a lecture before the relevant department or faculty of a
university. The status is roughly equivalent to an associate professor and
permits its holders to supervise doctoral research by students. The post is still
widely held on mainland Europe but in the USA and in the UK a Ph.D. is
sufficient for doctoral supervision.
26. An unusually reactive form of hydrogen produced in situ in the reaction
mixture. ‘Nascent’ (newly born) hydrogen can reduce compounds that do
not readily react with normal molecular hydrogen gas. The reactive capability
of nascent hydrogen is not clear. It may be in the form of short-lived atomic
hydrogen. It may also be in the form of an unstable hydride compound. It
may also be possible that ‘normal’ hydrogen molecules are indeed formed as
they are released from the reaction mixture, but in excited states that react
before they relax to their ground state. Nascent hydrogen is usually produced
by reaction of metals with acids, for example, zinc and sulphuric acid.
27. See, Andreas Sella, ‘Luggin’s capillary’, Chemistry World, (July 2012). An
eminently readable account.
2 Fritz Haber and Karlsruhe
73
times describing a role as advisor to the throne—a privy councillor. In
modern terms an erudite elder, one whose opinion should be respected. The
actual title of ‘Geheimer Regierungsrat’ was eventually bestowed on Haber by
the Kaiser a short time after he had received a full honorary professorship at
the philosophical faculty in Berlin University in December 1911, the same
university from which he had obtained his doctorate twenty years earlier.
Also, Stoltzenberg, op. cit. (note 6), p. 114.
22. Conversion or not, Haber retained his sense of Jewishness. He continued to
associate with Jewish friends or those of Jewish descent and non-Jews often
disparaged him for this, regarding it as hypocritical and conversion merely a
clever trick.
23. According to the papers Johannes Jaenicke left to the Max Planck Society for
the Advancement of Science, Haber admitted this fact with glee! See,
Johannes Jaenicke, ‘Fritz Haber, 1868–1934’, Fridericiana, Heft 35,
Universität, Karlsruhe, a reference quoted by Bretislav Friedrich of the Fritz
Haber Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft in Fritz Haber, 1868–1934.
http://www.fhi-berlin.mpg.de/*brich/Friedrich_HaberArticle.pdf.
24. A complete list (in English) of Haber’s publications appears in M. Goran,
The Story of Fritz Haber. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma.
See also Margit Szöllössi-Janze, (note 6), where the definitive list appears in
German.
25. In Germany, the title Privatdozent (for men, Privatdozentin for women), was
conferred on academics who had earned their doctorate then written another
thesis (or possibly a book) at a level of scholarship substantially higher than
their doctorate. It was an unpaid position which allowed the carrier to lecture
to students using their fees as compensation. The title was also conditional
upon the success of a lecture before the relevant department or faculty of a
university. The status is roughly equivalent to an associate professor and
permits its holders to supervise doctoral research by students. The post is still
widely held on mainland Europe but in the USA and in the UK a Ph.D. is
sufficient for doctoral supervision.
26. An unusually reactive form of hydrogen produced in situ in the reaction
mixture. ‘Nascent’ (newly born) hydrogen can reduce compounds that do
not readily react with normal molecular hydrogen gas. The reactive capability
of nascent hydrogen is not clear. It may be in the form of short-lived atomic
hydrogen. It may also be in the form of an unstable hydride compound. It
may also be possible that ‘normal’ hydrogen molecules are indeed formed as
they are released from the reaction mixture, but in excited states that react
before they relax to their ground state. Nascent hydrogen is usually produced
by reaction of metals with acids, for example, zinc and sulphuric acid.
27. See, Andreas Sella, ‘Luggin’s capillary’, Chemistry World, (July 2012). An
eminently readable account.
2 Fritz Haber and Karlsruhe
73