Chemical Industry Fund awards literary prize

The Wiley-VCH The book “The Development of Chemistry” traces the development of chemistry from its clumsy beginnings to the modern natural science that today influences all aspects of society.

“Anyone who thinks that chemistry textbooks have to be boring is in for a surprise. The ‘Becoming of Chemistry’ is particularly impressive due to its ability to explain a wide range of phenomena from nature and everyday life in a language that is generally understandable. In this way, basic concepts of chemistry are conveyed in a pleasant and accessible way that arouses interest in chemistry and the natural sciences,” said FCI Managing Director Ulrike Zimmer, explaining the award of the prize, which is endowed with 10,000 EUR.

“With exciting chemical facts that arouse curiosity, the book appeals to everyone who is interested in chemistry, as well as to the professional world. It makes a significant contribution to a positive image of chemistry in society,” said Zimmer. The extensive work is extremely attractively illustrated – with unusual photos, memorable formulas and schematic drawings that make reading a pleasure.

Günter Klar said: “Our original intention was to design the basic lecture ‘Introduction to Chemistry’ in such a way that the focus would not be so much on the chemistry of substances, but rather on the phenomena and concepts of chemistry derived from them.” Armin Reller added: “The idea stuck with us and over the last 25 years, with interruptions, our book has developed from it in its current form.”

About the authors:

Günter Klar, born in 1935 in Heidelberg, studied chemistry at the university there from 1955. After completing his doctorate under Georg Wittig, he worked as a private assistant before moving to the University of Hamburg in 1964. He qualified as a professor there in 1974. From 1977 to 2001 he was Professor of Inorganic Chemistry in Hamburg and developed numerous courses.

Armin Reller, born in Winterthur in 1952, was appointed C4 Professor to the Chair of Inorganic and Applied Chemistry at the University of Hamburg in 1992. In 1999 he moved to the University of Augsburg. There he initially held the Chair of Solid State Chemistry at the Institute of Physics before taking over the newly established Chair of Resource Strategy in 2010. Reller has been emeritus since 2019. In the same year he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit for his life’s work in the field of research and teaching.