1 How a House Got a Name
In early spring of 1980, the two directors of the Institute for Macromolecular
Chemistry of the Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg in Germany started to
deliberate how to commemorate the 100th birthday of the late Hermann Staudinger
(1881–1965), famous proponent of macromolecular chemistry and former Professor
of Organic Chemistry and head of the “Chemical Laboratory” of this university from
1926 to 1951. The event was due in the following year and was to be connected with
the traditional “Makromolekulares Kolloquium,” the yearly gathering of polymer
scientists at Freiburg. The fact that Hermann Staudinger had received the Nobel
Prize in Chemistry in 1953 for his many contributions to macromolecular chemistry
had greatly enhanced his fame and made his scientific legacy even more important.
In 1980, there was no visible memory of his achievements, neither in the University
and nor in the city of Freiburg except in the archives and in the mind of his
contemporaries. Therefore, the two directors in charge of the Institute created the
idea to name the Institute for Hermann Staudinger on occasion of the celebration of his
100th birthday in 1981. Hans-Joachim Cantow (born 1923) was the elder of the two
directors and had held a Chair in Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules at the
Institute since 1965. The younger one was Gerhard Wegner (born 1940), who had
been appointed a professor in Macromolecular Chemistry at the Institute in 1974.
It turned out to be a difficult task to realize the initial idea because of two major
obstacles. First, one needed permission from the university authorities for this
action and, second, more difficult, one needed consent from the widow of Hermann
Staudinger, Dr. Magda Staudinger (1902–1997), who was a fierce and powerful
custodian of the scientific legacy of her late husband.
With the backing of the Faculty of Chemistry H.-J. C. and G.W. approached the
chief administrator of the University, Dr. Siburg, who flatly refused to give consent
to the request. Dr. Siburg, who carried the title “Chancellor of the University” was a
dyed-in-the-wool bureaucrat. He had a sincere antipathy to anything for which there
was no precedent. And indeed, in Freiburg at that time there was no example where
the name of a former scientist and/or university teacher of fame was linked to a
scientific institute or institution.
In consequence, Dr. Siburg heavily resisted the idea proposed by H.-J. C. and
G.W. In hindsight, he might have had good reason, for the University of Freiburg
had a history rich in outstanding scientists, philosophers, and historians, as well as
professors in medicine who – besides their role in academia – had a life beyond the
walls of academia. The latter gave reason to heated debates in the public and the
press. The chancellor probably liked to protect “his” university from such ugly
debates. However, in the case of H.S. there was evidence beyond any doubt that
H.S. was involved in deplorable activities.
Eventually, H.-J. C. and G.W. had a decisive meeting with the chancellor in May
of 1980 in which a compromise was found after long debates. H.-J. C. and G.W. no
40
G. Wegner
In early spring of 1980, the two directors of the Institute for Macromolecular
Chemistry of the Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg in Germany started to
deliberate how to commemorate the 100th birthday of the late Hermann Staudinger
(1881–1965), famous proponent of macromolecular chemistry and former Professor
of Organic Chemistry and head of the “Chemical Laboratory” of this university from
1926 to 1951. The event was due in the following year and was to be connected with
the traditional “Makromolekulares Kolloquium,” the yearly gathering of polymer
scientists at Freiburg. The fact that Hermann Staudinger had received the Nobel
Prize in Chemistry in 1953 for his many contributions to macromolecular chemistry
had greatly enhanced his fame and made his scientific legacy even more important.
In 1980, there was no visible memory of his achievements, neither in the University
and nor in the city of Freiburg except in the archives and in the mind of his
contemporaries. Therefore, the two directors in charge of the Institute created the
idea to name the Institute for Hermann Staudinger on occasion of the celebration of his
100th birthday in 1981. Hans-Joachim Cantow (born 1923) was the elder of the two
directors and had held a Chair in Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules at the
Institute since 1965. The younger one was Gerhard Wegner (born 1940), who had
been appointed a professor in Macromolecular Chemistry at the Institute in 1974.
It turned out to be a difficult task to realize the initial idea because of two major
obstacles. First, one needed permission from the university authorities for this
action and, second, more difficult, one needed consent from the widow of Hermann
Staudinger, Dr. Magda Staudinger (1902–1997), who was a fierce and powerful
custodian of the scientific legacy of her late husband.
With the backing of the Faculty of Chemistry H.-J. C. and G.W. approached the
chief administrator of the University, Dr. Siburg, who flatly refused to give consent
to the request. Dr. Siburg, who carried the title “Chancellor of the University” was a
dyed-in-the-wool bureaucrat. He had a sincere antipathy to anything for which there
was no precedent. And indeed, in Freiburg at that time there was no example where
the name of a former scientist and/or university teacher of fame was linked to a
scientific institute or institution.
In consequence, Dr. Siburg heavily resisted the idea proposed by H.-J. C. and
G.W. In hindsight, he might have had good reason, for the University of Freiburg
had a history rich in outstanding scientists, philosophers, and historians, as well as
professors in medicine who – besides their role in academia – had a life beyond the
walls of academia. The latter gave reason to heated debates in the public and the
press. The chancellor probably liked to protect “his” university from such ugly
debates. However, in the case of H.S. there was evidence beyond any doubt that
H.S. was involved in deplorable activities.
Eventually, H.-J. C. and G.W. had a decisive meeting with the chancellor in May
of 1980 in which a compromise was found after long debates. H.-J. C. and G.W. no
40
G. Wegner