allowed to retire instead (cf. [34], p. 178; [33], p. 209). This “act of mercy” [33,
p. 209] would of course have meant the end of Staudinger’s career in Germany too.
The last word had not been spoken, however, and the scandal was avoided:
“Various interventions – the Nazi mayor of Freiburg, Dr Kerber, expressed support
for Staudinger, for example, as did – presumably – the chemical industry – with the
result that the (Baden, editor’s note) Ministry of Culture withdrew the application
(made on 22 February 1934, editor’s note)” ([19], p. 397; cf. [33], p. 207).
A sensational turn of events, but not without the Nazi authorities humiliating
Staudinger again to save face: he himself “was required to submit the official
application for dismissal from the Baden civil service, which was then filed for
six months. Since the accusations were based on a situation that took place a long
time in the past, ‘an official decision’ about the application for dismissal would only
be ‘made if concerns arose again.’ This was not the case [. . .] and Staudinger was,
as agreed, allowed to withdraw his application in October 1934. The case was
closed, although it was a close shave for Staudinger” ([33], p. 208; cf. [34], p. 178;
[19], p. 398).
He continued to be resented just as much, because – as Heidegger put it – “there
cannot of course be any change [. . .] in the facts of the matter”. Staudinger realised
how thin the ice was on which he was standing. The fascinating question is how he
responded to this and what strategy he chose to make himself as untouchable as
possible. He stayed put at any rate, rejecting the offer of an appointment at Berlin
Technical University, which then chose Franz Bache ´r (1894–1987) to take over the
vacant chair – “an active Nazi and insignificant chemist” [19, p. 183]. In view of
the extent to which he was disliked by the Nazis, the capital of the Reich must
have seemed to Staudinger to be a veritable lion’s den, so he felt it was better for
him to stay in Freiburg in spite of the crisis he had just faced. The situation there did
not ease, however; if anything, it was made even more difficult for him to work:
“From June 1933 to October 1936, Staudinger made five trips abroad to various
European countries. With reference to his political past, he was, however, asked by
the Reich Ministry of Education to turn down invitations to Zurich (in 1937),
Riga (in 1937) and Rome (to the International Congress for Chemists in 1938)”
[19, p. 399]. A letter from the Reich Minister of Science and Education, Bernhard
Rust (1883–1945), to the vice-chancellor of Freiburg University, Otto Mangold
(1891–1962), dated 2 November 1938 includes the following statements about this:
I reserve the right to take the decision about applications submitted by Professor
Dr H. Staudinger, Director of the Chemical Laboratory at the University of Freiburg i.B.,
in future relating to the approval of scientific trips abroad. I request that Professor
Staudinger is informed in an appropriate way of the fact that it does not appear to me to
be desirable for Professor Staudinger to carry out scientific activities abroad until further
notice in view of his political past. (Quoted from [16], p. 192)
Due to the pressure exerted on him, Staudinger was afraid that he would be
marginalised at the international level, so that other scientists would be able to
claim responsibility for work that he had done: “In American literature, the
situation is already described frequently as if Carothers created high-molecular
chemistry”, he complained on 23 November 1934 in a letter to Georg Kra ¨nzlein
Courageous Questioning of Established Thinking: The Life and Work of Hermann. . .
115
p. 209] would of course have meant the end of Staudinger’s career in Germany too.
The last word had not been spoken, however, and the scandal was avoided:
“Various interventions – the Nazi mayor of Freiburg, Dr Kerber, expressed support
for Staudinger, for example, as did – presumably – the chemical industry – with the
result that the (Baden, editor’s note) Ministry of Culture withdrew the application
(made on 22 February 1934, editor’s note)” ([19], p. 397; cf. [33], p. 207).
A sensational turn of events, but not without the Nazi authorities humiliating
Staudinger again to save face: he himself “was required to submit the official
application for dismissal from the Baden civil service, which was then filed for
six months. Since the accusations were based on a situation that took place a long
time in the past, ‘an official decision’ about the application for dismissal would only
be ‘made if concerns arose again.’ This was not the case [. . .] and Staudinger was,
as agreed, allowed to withdraw his application in October 1934. The case was
closed, although it was a close shave for Staudinger” ([33], p. 208; cf. [34], p. 178;
[19], p. 398).
He continued to be resented just as much, because – as Heidegger put it – “there
cannot of course be any change [. . .] in the facts of the matter”. Staudinger realised
how thin the ice was on which he was standing. The fascinating question is how he
responded to this and what strategy he chose to make himself as untouchable as
possible. He stayed put at any rate, rejecting the offer of an appointment at Berlin
Technical University, which then chose Franz Bache ´r (1894–1987) to take over the
vacant chair – “an active Nazi and insignificant chemist” [19, p. 183]. In view of
the extent to which he was disliked by the Nazis, the capital of the Reich must
have seemed to Staudinger to be a veritable lion’s den, so he felt it was better for
him to stay in Freiburg in spite of the crisis he had just faced. The situation there did
not ease, however; if anything, it was made even more difficult for him to work:
“From June 1933 to October 1936, Staudinger made five trips abroad to various
European countries. With reference to his political past, he was, however, asked by
the Reich Ministry of Education to turn down invitations to Zurich (in 1937),
Riga (in 1937) and Rome (to the International Congress for Chemists in 1938)”
[19, p. 399]. A letter from the Reich Minister of Science and Education, Bernhard
Rust (1883–1945), to the vice-chancellor of Freiburg University, Otto Mangold
(1891–1962), dated 2 November 1938 includes the following statements about this:
I reserve the right to take the decision about applications submitted by Professor
Dr H. Staudinger, Director of the Chemical Laboratory at the University of Freiburg i.B.,
in future relating to the approval of scientific trips abroad. I request that Professor
Staudinger is informed in an appropriate way of the fact that it does not appear to me to
be desirable for Professor Staudinger to carry out scientific activities abroad until further
notice in view of his political past. (Quoted from [16], p. 192)
Due to the pressure exerted on him, Staudinger was afraid that he would be
marginalised at the international level, so that other scientists would be able to
claim responsibility for work that he had done: “In American literature, the
situation is already described frequently as if Carothers created high-molecular
chemistry”, he complained on 23 November 1934 in a letter to Georg Kra ¨nzlein
Courageous Questioning of Established Thinking: The Life and Work of Hermann. . .
115