Guest post by JessTheChemist
‘In order to avert such shameful occurrences for all future time, I decree with this day the foundation of a German national prize for art and science. Acceptance of the Nobel prize is herewith forbidden to all Germans for all future time. Executive orders will be issued by the Reich minister for popular enlightenment and propaganda.’ – Adolf Hitler, 1937
Portrait of Richard Kuhn
By ETH Zürich (ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Bildarchiv) CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Since my February blog post on Carl Djerassi, I have been wondering more and more about all the chemists out there who may have deserved a Nobel prize in chemistry but perhaps died before they could be awarded one or who were prevented from winning a medal for reasons out of their control.
It is well known that the second world war led to huge advancements in chemistry, with, for example, the first organophosphate compounds developed. These were initially used as deadly chemical weapons but have since changed the world through their use as pesticides. While many German scientists were advancing their field, two were forced to decline their Nobel prize in chemistry due to threats of violence and a decree by Adolf Hitler. These talented chemists were Adolf Butenandt from Austria and Richard Kuhn from Germany.
In 1929, Butenandt isolated estrone, a female sex hormone responsible for sexual development and function. He later isolated and identified androsterone, a male sex hormone. Butenandt was awarded the Nobel prize in chemistry in 1939, along with Leopold Ružička, for the identification of the sex hormones including oestrogen, progesterone and androsterone. Kuhn is known for synthesizing vitamins B2 and B6 and discovering carotenoids, the red and yellow coloured biological pigments. He also discovered the nerve agent Soman (o-pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate) while carrying out research for the German army. In 1938 Kuhn was awarded the Nobel prize for chemistry for his work into carotenoids and vitamins. Both Butenandt and Kuhn declined their prizes due to political pressures but were both able to accept their medals and diplomas after the war.
Butenandt and Kuhn’s academic family trees are intertwined and contain a number of very well-known names that you may recognise from your lab cupboards (including Bunsen and Schlenk). In 1902 the German chemist, Hermann Fischer, won the Nobel prize in chemistry for his discovery of the Fischer esterification. A few years later, in 1905, Adolf von Baeyer won the prize for his work into organic dyes and hydroaromatic compounds. Richard Willstätter, yet another German chemist, researched the structure of plant pigments, including chlorophyll, and won the prize in 1915. Adolf Windaus won in 1928 for his work on sterols and vitamins. In addition to chemists, Butenandt and Kuhn are both connected to Otto Warburg, a physiologist who investigated the metabolism of tumors and the respiration of cells. In 1931 he was awarded the Nobel prize in physiology for his work into the respiratory enzyme.
What is very obvious from this academic tree is that both of these chemists were destined to excel in chemistry due to the sheer number of Nobel prize winners that they are connected to. Another obvious conclusion is that chemistry was really progressing in Germany before the second world war; at the beginning of the 20th century, Germany won more Nobel prizes than any other country (38 between 1901 and 1931). After the second world war, Germany’s domination in science was reduced significantly and only 16 Nobel prizes were awarded to German scientists between 1950 and 1980.
As ever, if you would like to see your favourite or even least favourite Nobel prize winner’s family tree explored, send a tweet to @Jessthechemist.
