• “He was a research scientist, a teacher and an apostle. [. . .] His inquiring mind drove
him to follow unexplored paths, which may well involve hard and uncomfortable work
but which were, on the other hand, necessary in order to open up virgin territory for
research, teaching and applied science” [47, p. 93].
The final words come, appropriately enough, from his widow:
A year later, three Japanese stood before me: they wanted to be shown Hermann
Staudinger’s grave, because they said they had been asked to hold a memorial ceremony
in accordance with their particular rite. They put a large bouquet of white flowers on the
grave – white is their mourning colour. They then lit incense sticks they had brought with
them and started to recite the words of their rite, bowing down almost to the ground again
and again in front of the grave with the fragrant burning incense sticks in both hands. I have
to admit that I was very moved. A completely different, distant country, a completely
different, unfamiliar religion honoured a man here who had added to the world’s pool of
knowledge. This world has become a small one thanks to our technology; we are all
neighbours. And that means we have an increasingly urgent commitment to humane
behaviour as creatures who share mother earth. Because that is the only way we will
survive. Hermann Staudinger was a strong advocate of this in various ways throughout his
life. And I think that this can be considered to be his legacy. [40, pp. 27–28]
Appendix 1
Addition is the name given in chemistry to a process in which a new substance is
formed from two other substances without any by-products. In addition polymerisation, molecular components or monomers with different structures are linked to
create high polymers with the migration of hydrogen atoms. This type of polymerisation is generally carried out by subjecting the monomers to heat and pressure.
Two significant groups of plastics are manufactured by this process nowadays:
polyurethanes and epoxy resins. Condensation polymerisation can take place when
the reactants each have two functional groups that can combine with each other by
producing water. Staudinger ([1], p. 108) writes: “Condensation polymerisation is
characterised by a chemical reaction between two compounds with groups that are
of the same or different kinds but are reactive, in which [. . .] there are
low-molecular by-products such as water, alcohols, ammonia, hydrochloric acid
or similar substances. [. . .] It is an absolute technical necessity for the by-products
of the reaction to be removed in the condensation process [. . .] for the reaction to go
smoothly and successfully. The list of technically important plastic groups that are
manufactured by the condensation polymerisation process includes the following:
(1) the group of phenol formaldehyde resins (i.e. typical duroplasts such as Bakelite); (2) polyamides (nylon and perlon) and linear polyesters (particularly
polycarbonates as thermoplastics); and (3) crosslinked polyesters as lacquer and
casting resins. [. . .] (In addition to this list, editor’s note) silicones”.
Courageous Questioning of Established Thinking: The Life and Work of Hermann. . .
133
him to follow unexplored paths, which may well involve hard and uncomfortable work
but which were, on the other hand, necessary in order to open up virgin territory for
research, teaching and applied science” [47, p. 93].
The final words come, appropriately enough, from his widow:
A year later, three Japanese stood before me: they wanted to be shown Hermann
Staudinger’s grave, because they said they had been asked to hold a memorial ceremony
in accordance with their particular rite. They put a large bouquet of white flowers on the
grave – white is their mourning colour. They then lit incense sticks they had brought with
them and started to recite the words of their rite, bowing down almost to the ground again
and again in front of the grave with the fragrant burning incense sticks in both hands. I have
to admit that I was very moved. A completely different, distant country, a completely
different, unfamiliar religion honoured a man here who had added to the world’s pool of
knowledge. This world has become a small one thanks to our technology; we are all
neighbours. And that means we have an increasingly urgent commitment to humane
behaviour as creatures who share mother earth. Because that is the only way we will
survive. Hermann Staudinger was a strong advocate of this in various ways throughout his
life. And I think that this can be considered to be his legacy. [40, pp. 27–28]
Appendix 1
Addition is the name given in chemistry to a process in which a new substance is
formed from two other substances without any by-products. In addition polymerisation, molecular components or monomers with different structures are linked to
create high polymers with the migration of hydrogen atoms. This type of polymerisation is generally carried out by subjecting the monomers to heat and pressure.
Two significant groups of plastics are manufactured by this process nowadays:
polyurethanes and epoxy resins. Condensation polymerisation can take place when
the reactants each have two functional groups that can combine with each other by
producing water. Staudinger ([1], p. 108) writes: “Condensation polymerisation is
characterised by a chemical reaction between two compounds with groups that are
of the same or different kinds but are reactive, in which [. . .] there are
low-molecular by-products such as water, alcohols, ammonia, hydrochloric acid
or similar substances. [. . .] It is an absolute technical necessity for the by-products
of the reaction to be removed in the condensation process [. . .] for the reaction to go
smoothly and successfully. The list of technically important plastic groups that are
manufactured by the condensation polymerisation process includes the following:
(1) the group of phenol formaldehyde resins (i.e. typical duroplasts such as Bakelite); (2) polyamides (nylon and perlon) and linear polyesters (particularly
polycarbonates as thermoplastics); and (3) crosslinked polyesters as lacquer and
casting resins. [. . .] (In addition to this list, editor’s note) silicones”.
Courageous Questioning of Established Thinking: The Life and Work of Hermann. . .
133