Year

Comment

1875

Born in Waldfeucht (Rheinland), Germany.

1894

Started to study maths and astronomy at the University of Bonn, but became interested in chemistry. He was very much influenced by Friedrich August Kekulé who was working at the University of Bonn at this time. Other academic lecturers included: Anschütz, Bender, Bredt, Curtius, Heusler, Kayser, Klinger, Laspeyres, Lipschitz, Litzmann, Lorberg, Neuhaeuser, Noll, Schaarschmidt, Schenk, Strasburger and Wolff.

1898

Awarded his PhD completed under the supervision of Konrad J. Bredt at the University of Bonn.

1898–1908

Worked as an assistant at both the University of Bonn and TH Aachen.

1908

Went to work for Emil Fischer at the Chemical Institute, University of Berlin where he qualified as a university lecturer.

1913

Started working on Theodor Weyl’s Methoden der organischen Chemie.

1914–1917

Sent to the frontline in World War I as an aide to the Batallion General. After being wounded several times was made Head of the War Laboratory.

1917–1919

Appointed assistant professor at the Technological Institute at the University of Berlin.

1921

Also, appointed to professor at the Institute for Biology in Berlin-Dahlem. Married Elsbet Wagenhäuser in Berlin. No children.

1933

Retired by the National Socialists for political reasons.

1940

Died in Tübingen, Germany.