Clara Immerwahr
Encyclopedia
Clara Immerwahr was a Jewish-German
chemist
and the wife of fellow chemist Fritz Haber
.
in chemistry
. She was the first woman Ph.D. at the University of Breslau.
s of the time, her scientific research was hindered. She instead contributed to her husband's work without recognition, translating his works into the English language
.
Confiding in a friend, Immerwahr bemoaned her newfound subservient role as a housewife:
During World War I
, Haber became a staunch supporter of the German military effort and played an important role in the development of chemical weapons
(particularly poison gases). His efforts would culminate in his supervision of the first gas attack in military history
in Flanders
, Belgium
on April 22, 1915. Haber thereafter returned home to Berlin
.
. Her suicide
remained largely in the dark; it was never in the newspapers and there is no evidence of an autopsy
. The undocumented nature of her death has led to much controversy as to her motives.
Fritz Haber later married again. Eventually, he left Germany because of Nazi persecution. Fritz Haber died in Basel
, Switzerland
in 1934 and was cremated. Eventually Fritz's ashes and Clara's ashes were buried together in a cemetery in Basel
. Subsequently, Clara Immerwahr's son with Fritz Haber, Hermann Haber, emigrated to the United States
and later committed suicide in 1946. One of his other children, Ludwig ("Lutz") Fritz Haber (1921–2004, son of Fritz Haber and his second wife, Charlotte), published a book on the history of poison gas, The Poisonous Cloud (1986).
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
and the wife of fellow chemist Fritz Haber
Fritz Haber
Fritz Haber was a German chemist, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1918 for his development for synthesizing ammonia, important for fertilizers and explosives. Haber, along with Max Born, proposed the Born–Haber cycle as a method for evaluating the lattice energy of an ionic solid...
.
Education
Immerwahr studied at the University of Breslau, attaining her degree and a Ph.D.Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. She was the first woman Ph.D. at the University of Breslau.
Marriage and work
Immerwahr married Haber in 1901. Constrained by the female stereotypeGender role
Gender roles refer to the set of social and behavioral norms that are considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex in the context of a specific culture, which differ widely between cultures and over time...
s of the time, her scientific research was hindered. She instead contributed to her husband's work without recognition, translating his works into the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Confiding in a friend, Immerwahr bemoaned her newfound subservient role as a housewife:
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Haber became a staunch supporter of the German military effort and played an important role in the development of chemical weapons
Chemical warfare
Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from Nuclear warfare and Biological warfare, which together make up NBC, the military acronym for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical...
(particularly poison gases). His efforts would culminate in his supervision of the first gas attack in military history
Second Battle of Ypres
The Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in the First World War and the first time a former colonial force pushed back a major European power on European soil, which occurred in the battle of St...
in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
on April 22, 1915. Haber thereafter returned home to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Death
Shortly after her return, Immerwahr picked up Haber's military pistol and shot herself in the chest. She died in her son's arms. The morning after her death, Haber immediately left home to stage the first gas attack against the Russians on the Eastern FrontEastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...
. Her suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
remained largely in the dark; it was never in the newspapers and there is no evidence of an autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
. The undocumented nature of her death has led to much controversy as to her motives.
Fritz Haber later married again. Eventually, he left Germany because of Nazi persecution. Fritz Haber died in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 1934 and was cremated. Eventually Fritz's ashes and Clara's ashes were buried together in a cemetery in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. Subsequently, Clara Immerwahr's son with Fritz Haber, Hermann Haber, emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and later committed suicide in 1946. One of his other children, Ludwig ("Lutz") Fritz Haber (1921–2004, son of Fritz Haber and his second wife, Charlotte), published a book on the history of poison gas, The Poisonous Cloud (1986).