Fritz Haber
‘The scientist of life and death’
How can a single life story help us to
answer big questions?
You might not exist without Haber’s work!
Astounding facts about Haber’s
work!
The Haber-Bosch process - the
most important invention of the
20th century?
• Why? Produces ammonia
• So what? Makes fertiliser to grow more food
So, Haber is a hero?
• Well, yes and no! He led a fascinating and
complex life
• The rest of this powerpoint explores Haber’s
life by asking different questions
Fritz Haber was born in northern Germany in December 1868
into a German Jewish family. His father was a wealthy
chemical merchant. Fritz was educated in Germany and
Switzerland, then worked for his father, did university
research and became a chemistry teacher and researcher in a
school.
Now over to you!
What practical problems did Haber
seek to solve in his work?
• Before the war, Fritz Haber produced large quantities
of ammonia.
• During World War 1 he worked tirelessly to help
Germans in the war with science.
• In the 1920s Haber tried obtaining gold from the sea
water in the hope of solving Germany’s debt.
• His laboratory developed the cyanide gas
formulation Zyklon B, originally made as an
insecticide and a fumigant in grain stores.
• Life for Women
Women were forced to stay at home, to look after their children and to
clean their home, even if they were educated with a good job
• Life for the Jewish
Although Jewish people were accepted in Germany, there were still
prejudices between the German Christians and German Jews.
• German society
Germany was a new country in the 20th century, therefore they were very
proud of their achievements. Across the world Germany was known for it’s
intelligence and culture
What sacrifices did Haber make to
become successful?
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•
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Converted to Christianity so he could become a full part of German society
Family sacrificed Klaras job so that Haber could continue to work
Unable to see his young son because of how busy he was
Created weapons for Germany when he was a captain that killed and
injured thousands of peoples
• Defended gas warfare against accusations it was inhumane
• Was left isolated from the scientific community
• Had to leave Germany in 1933 because of Jewish heritage
How has Haber’s
reputation changed
over time?
• 1909- Haber developed the Haber-Bosch process. He was considered a
brilliant chemist by everyone who knew him.
• 1915- Haber’s work on poison gas killed 1000’s of soldiers. People felt he
was blinded by his love for Germany.
• 1918- He won the Nobel prize for chemistry.
• 1920- Haber helped Germany recover from their war debts. He was very
unpopular at this time.
• 1933- Due to his Jewish nationality Haber was fired from work.
• 1934- Haber died from a heart attack. People held a memorial service for
him as a great chemist.
• 2014- Nowadays 2/5 of the world’s population owe their lives to Haber.
He is still very controversial but most people consider him a great
chemist. However, many young Germans think of him as a murderer.
How can a single life story help us to
answer big questions?
• What were some of the scientific concerns of
the early 20th century?
• What was European society and culture like in
the early 20th century?
• What does it mean to be a great scientist?
• Why was the 20th century not ‘The German
Century’?