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Abstract

In the early 1930s, as Nazism was gaining strength in Germany, two renowned German-speaking Jewish scientists found themselves on converging paths: Fritz Haber (1868–1934), one of the most influential and controversial of 20th century chemists and Chaim Weizmann (1874–1952), a successful biochemist, leader of the world Zionist movement, and future founder of the State of Israel. In their meetings and correspondence, they reflect on the history, current events, and fate of science and scientists, and strive to create a place where learning and humanism would rise above racism and hatred. This article is adapted from a recently published full-length paper [Bielik and Friedrich, Israel Journal of Chemistry, 2020, 60, 1061 – 1076.