ERICH PIETSCH RALPH E. OESPER University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
BIOGRAPHY AND CHEMICAL RESEARCHES
THE GMELIN HANDBUCH
(Ernst Hermann) Erich Pietsch, the eminent editor of the "Gmelin Handbuch der anorganischen Chemie," was born in Berlm on May 6, 1902. He received his chemical training in the Physikalisch-Chemisches Institut of the University of Berlin. His first research dealt with absorption of gases on the glass walls of vacuum tubes under the influence of electrical discharges, and the results of this lengthy (1% years) study of the clean-up effect were published (1926) as a 213-page monograph. The doctorate was awarded in 1926; the dissertation was entitled "Reaction Kinetics a t Low Pressures: Decomposition of Methane." Pietsch had been a member of the Gmelin Handbuch staff since 1925 and was then asked t o accept a more responsible post in this organization. However. he was unwilling to devote himself exclusively to desk work. Max Bodenstein, director of the laboratory in which Pietsch had turned out such outstanding experimental work, offered him the continued use of its facilities. The necessary funds were obtained from the Notgemeinschaft der deutschen Wissenschaft and competent collaborators were engaged t o carry out the bulk of the work which Pietsch planned and directed. The principal topics studied under this arrangement were: the dissociation of the hydrogen molecule; the theory and nature of contact catalysis; methods for determiniig the activity of mixed catalysts; corrosion and passivity of iron; metal hydrides; sensitive methods of detecting indium, gallium, acetylene, carbon monoxide, etc. The valuable findings are available in Pietsch's numerous papers, and there is no need to say more about them here than to state that these researches established his reputation as a first-class physical chemist. His competency has been recognized by his being included in important committees, both German and foreign. He has repeatedly been invited to lecture on his various specialties, not only in Germany, but also in U.S.S.R., the Balkan countries, Rome, London, etc. As a recognized authority, he and Heinrich Remy represented the German Chemical Society on the International Commission on Inorganic Nomenclature and he laid the plans for its 1938 meeting in Berlm. By request of the American Chemical Society, he addressed its meetings (September, 1948) on "Future Perspectives for the Development of the Gmelin Handbook." His reviews of new books are notable; they are characterized by keen perception and often by extensive philosophical comments.
A comprehensive account of Dr. Pietsch's achievements must necessarily stress his work on the "Gmelin Handbuch der anorganischen Chemie." He has been so closely identified with this great project and it now bears such distinct evidences of his careful and sagacious planning that undoubtedly it will be his greatest legacy to the chemical world. Erich Pietsch was still attending the university when he was engaged, April 1, 1925, as part-time assistant in the editorial office of the Gmelin Handbuch. His worth became evident, and when he secured his degree he was promoted (April 1, 1927) to an assistant editorship and section head. In April, 1935, the directors of the German Chemical Society and the governing board of the Handbuch decided to continue this work with a greatly enlarged staff of workers. Dr. Pietsch was chosen to work out the details and put the plan into operation. On this basis he officially became the head of the organization on January 1, 1936, and as editorin-chief took over the complete direction of the editorial office. I n the succeeding years he created new divisions, especially history of chemistry, economic chemistry, and installed laboratory facilities, photw copying equipment, etc. Thus the organization took on the character of an institute. Dr. Pietsch continued as head of the Gmelin Institut through the war. As soon as possible after the German collapse, activities were resumed (1945) in Berlin, although the conditions there were very unfavorable. Because of the manifest importance of the work, the British and A~nerican military governments lent their support. An arrangement was also concluded with the Kaiser Wilhelm Society for the Advancement of Science, and in April, 1946, the Institut moved to Clausthal-Zellerfeld in th(. province of Hanover. Dr. Pietsch was confirmed as director of the Institut. In this capacity he was charged with the direction and continuation of the Gmelin Handbuch and management of the special functions of the Institut and its affiliated press, the G m e l i Verlag. Dr. Pietsch's objectives, especially since he took over the comulete suuervision. have extended bevond makinx the ~ a i d b u c h'the fundamental standardwork in the fields of inorganic and physical chemistry. His plan has been to expand its coverage extensively into contiguous fields such as physics, geology, mineralogy, geochemistry, chemical technology, metallurgy, and metallography. Accordiigly, the staff is no longer engaged predominantly in making compilations. The
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material is worked up not only from the archival standpoint but also is treated critically. The accepted knowledge of each topic is developed into monograph form. Although the present series is designated as the eighth edition, actu'ally the text is being assembled without reference to the previous editions of the Handbuch. Each topic is being handled directly from the original sources, beginning with the classic period of chemistry and continuing to the immediate present. It is hoped that this new treatment will provide a reliable foundation for future fruitful advances both in the pure science and its technical applications. Up to 1946 a total of 32,269 pages were issued. Immediately preceding the German debacle the average annual output was 120 sheets. Printing was resumed in November, 1946. The volumes on selenium and antimony, and one part of that on platinum, are now in press. At present (1948) the staff a t the editorial rooms is composed of about 60 scientists and a like number of technical workers; they are aided by numerous nonresident coworkers. The composition of the staff is kept fluid so that any given topic can be given expert treatment. The metals of commercial importance have a preferred status in the Gmelin program. As early as 1927 Dr. Pietsch began to develop, within the framework of the main Handbuch, a comprehensive handbook of ferrous metallurgy. The chief reason for composing this self-su5cient unit was the fact that a corresponding work had not been available to either the chemists or German metallurgists since the last quarter of the 19th century. This section of the Handbuch presented unusual difficulties both because of the wide extent of she subject and because no preparatory work had been done. The "Handbuch der Eisenhiittenkunde" is divided into five sections and about 5000 pages are now available. One of the essential portions of this special treatise on iron, namely Sections I and I1 of Part A totalling 2200 pages of text, was completed in 1939. Its analytical section was finished in 1940. During the preparation of the material for the Gmelin Handbuch it became evident that the literature in quite a number of fields is heavily burdened by the tremendous number of patents. The inclusion of these in the monographic treatment of certain topics, such as the alloy systems, would inevitably make impossible the highly desirable clear over-all picture and also interfere seriously with the critical treatment. Consequently, Dr. Pietsch decided to inaugurate a new auxiliary series, the "Gmelin Patentsammlungen." The available volumes, which were prepared in collaboration with the Reichspatentamt, g,ive a comprehensive review of the patent situation m the field of alloys. Foreign periodicals did not reach the institute during the war and this gap in the literature had to be filled before the work on the Handbuch could be continued properly. Dr. Pietsch discussed the whole situation a t the Eleventh International Congress of Chemistry held in!July, 1947, in London. The world-wide status of the
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
Handbuch was confirmed and the Institut's position was strengthened by the appointment of an International Advisory Council for Beilstein and Gmelii, and also by the organization of the Compendia Committee of the American Chemical Society. The periodical files were brought up to date by the middle of 1948, and the prospects for an early completion of the editorial work on the eighth edition of the Handbuch are excellent. At present 127 foreign - -periodicals are received regularly. During his American visit Dr. Pietsch held extensive discussions concernim the establishment of a Gmelim Scientific ~nformationCenter. Its services would be available a t all times to workers in both pure and applied chemistry and in related fields such as geology, mineralogy, physics, etc. The desired information would be mostly gleaned from the 700,000 cards now in the Gmelin files, which would be made the basis of a series of punched card archives. Each card would carry not only a characterization of the chemical compound, but also a highly subdivided subject key, so that even detailed questions could be answered by this gigantic mechanical brain. The system has been completely worked out by Dr. Pietsch. The cooperation of The International Business Machme Company is assured, and effortswill be made to set up the Information Center in the United States. HISTORY OF CHEMISTRY
Dr. Pietsch is not only an eminent chemist and outstanding editor, he is also a competent worker in the history of chemistry. As frequently happens, this interest developed relatively late. In his case i t was largely a derivative of his work on the Handbuch, where historical perspectives were made an integral part of his scheme of treating each topic. His main work in history began in 1936 when he addressed a national meeting of chemists in Munich. Several years of thought and study had gone into his text which was published in 1937 under the same title: "The Meaning and Problems of the History of Chemistry." In this fundamental discussion he urged that lectures on the relation of chemical science to occidental culture be made a part of the educational program. He also reported here on the establishment of a central archive for the history of chemistry and the natural sciences. This was set up in 1936 within the Gmelii organization with the support of the Verein Deutscher Chemiker. Studies in the field of the history of chemistry thus b e came a regular part of the Gmelin activities, and about 75,000 references were assembled by the end of the war. In addition to his personal studies Dr. Pietsch has directed various collaborators in historical investigations. For example, beginning in 1938 he has supervised an examination of the manuscripts in the German libraries with reference to their content of chemical historical material. This task has been conducted in association with several other institutions with similar objectives. The centenary of the discovery by Julius Robert Mayer of the principle of the conservation of
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energy was duly observed in 1942, and the Gmelin staff was entrusted with making the preparations for this celebration. Dr. Pietsch not only contributed an essay on "Mayer m d the Conservation Principle in Chemistry" to the memorial volume issued on this occasion but, together with H. Schimank, edited this collection of 13 essays (387 pages) published in 1942 under the sponsorship of the Verein Deutscher Ingenieure. The important task of workimg up, from the primary sources, historical questions concerning the individual elements has been assigned by Dr. Pietsch to the history of chemistry section of The Gmelin Institut. This section has also been working since 1942 on the preparation of the first German translation of and commentary on "The Alchymia" by Libavius (1597). Other works, such as the "Schedula Diversarium Artium" of Theophilus Presbyter will be the subject of future projects. The 150th anniversary of the birth of Leopold Gmelin (born 1788) was commemorated by several papers dealing with his life, works, and times. Dr. Pietsch also prepared the catalog for the exhibition of Gmelim mementoes held a t Berlin in 1938. He lectured on the history of the encyclopedias of the occident a t the opening of the Institute on September 24, 1946.
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The history of the primitive use of metals and the assembling of a collection of source materials on the history of iron (published in 1930 as "Eisen, Abteilung A") led Dr. Pietsch to a study of primitive chemical technology and also the early history of chemistry in China, Japan, and the countries of southeastern Europe. As early as 1926 he was interested in the ethnology of the Lapps. He has studied such topics as the settlement of the glacial areas, the culture of the cave-dwellers, etc., making extensive journeys through the regions to gain first-hand knowledge. In May, 1947, Dr. Pietsch was made honorary professor in the Bergahdemie (Minimg School) a t Clausthal. For three semesters he has lectured there on "The Origin of the Exact Sciences: Selected Chapters from the History of the Development of the Human Mind." He plans also to give courses of lectures on corrosion and surface chemistry. He has organized a series of Saturday night lectures a t the Institut, and in April, 1948, these were augmented by a three-day colloquium a t the Bergakademie on "Natural Science, Religion, World View." Dr. Pietsch, himself, spoke on "Reason and Faith." These 19 lectures are gathered into a volume, "Clau~thalerGesprach."
