A silent fascination unites chemists, a world of tiny parts, of molecules, which, taken as a whole, describe the world around us. But the passion, "the molecular love" as it was recently described by the Society of German Chemists, does not inspire all researchers in the same way. Often, it is not mutual. This was already the case in 1865 when Justus Liebig writing in his "Chemical Reports" (Chemische Berichte) records: "Chemistry leads mankind through a land of silent powers, whose might determines the genesis and disappearance of everything on Earth, and on whose working the becoming the most important necessitiesof life and of the nationa-state is based upon." With this essay, which appeared in the Augsburger Allgemeinen newspaper and was probably the first popular piece of scientific writing in German, the father of modern chemistry wanted to awaken interest in this discipline. However, he was far ahead of his time. While in France and England experimental chemistry had been established in the natural sciences for more than a century, interest in the German-speaking countries, where belief in alchemy and attempts to turn base metals into gold had persisted, was only just stirring in the mid-19th century. "It is nearly impossible to carry the torch of truth through the throngs without singeing someone's beard," as the physicist, chemist and philosopher, Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742-1799) put it.

Professor at 21

A small light was lit two hundred years ago – on 12th May 1803 – in Darmstadt with the birth of a second son (from a total of 10 children), Justus to the pharmacist and dyestuff chemist, Johann Georg Liebig, and his wife, Maria Caroline Liebig-Fuchs. At this time Napoleon has just been elected First Consul for life, the poet Herder dies, Jean Paul is writing his novel "Titan" and Dalton, the father of modern atomic theory, is attempting to describe his first such theory.

Justus Liebig begins his studies in chemistry at the end of 1820 and concludes them after just three semesters with a doctoral thesis on "the relationship between mineral and plant chemistry". At 21 years of age he becomes assistant professor and, a year later, full professor of chemistry and pharmacy at the University of Giessen. Here Liebig determined the course of chemical research until 1852 when he was called to the University of Munich. "His laboratory was the blueprint for chemical institutes all over the world," writes George Schwedt, Professor of Chemistry at the Technical University of Clausthal, in a recently published biography. Justus Liebig died of pneumonia in Munich in 1873.

A year of chemistry

Liebig's achievements have recently come to the fore with the declaration of the German Ministry for Education and Research of 2003 as the "Year of Chemistry" in memory of this chemist. Swiss researchers are also contributing towards “The Year of Chemistry”. "What impresses me as far as Liebig is concerned is his holistic view of chemistry as the basis of the natural sciences," says François Diederich, Professor of Organic Chemistry and head of the ETH Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences. Liebig applied chemistry to physiology and to agriculture, stressed the importance of artificial fertilisers and developed techniques for quantitative organic analysis. He laid the bases of agricultural and animal chemistry, and man-made fertilisers. He greatly improved elementary analysis, which enables the determination of carbon and hydrogen molecules. He discovered (together with Friedrich Wöhler) the radical theory. "In addition, very practical products arose from Liebig's work, such as the silver mirror says Diederich. Or baking powder, baby food or meat extracts. "I would go so far as to say that without Liebig's achievements we could not survive today," opines Diederich.

Cooking in the testtube: the permanent Liebig exposition in the Deutsches Museum in Munich. Picture: Michael Breu large

Liebig also stands at the top of a considerable scientific "family tree". 44 of his pupils, or as Diederich expresses it "scientific sons, grandsons and great-grandsons", were awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Tracks of the great chemist also lead to ETH Zurich: Alexander Pompejus Bolley, Director of the Polytechnikum from 1859–1865 was one of his students. Liebig's gift for teaching must have been formidable, surmises Georg Schwedt, and François Diederich considers that Liebig possessed the great talent of "arousing passion for chemistry." To put this fascination in (a translation of) Liebig's own words: "No other branch of science affords human beings a greater abundance of matter to consider and reflect on, continually refreshed by new insights, as that of chemistry."

Prominent warning

"At the present time, the chemical industry still has good standing and represents an important contribution to the economies of European countries. The future, however, looks less rosy. The attractiveness of Europe as a location for industry is in constant decline as the chemical industry wanders to other continents. And because jobs and the

Chemistry is under pressure. The "Year of Chemistry" is a good opportunity to raise public awareness of its meaning and value to society. Picture: Schürpf large

chemical industry decline, chemistry is taught less and research at the universities suffers." These are the conclusions drawn by two Nobel Prize winners Richard Ernst (ETH Zurich) and Jean-Marie Lehn (Université Louis Pasteur/Collège de France) jointly with Simon de Bree, President of the European Chemistry Association and Lord Lewis of Newnham, member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, in a position-fixing report entitled "Chemistry: Europe and the Future". This is why it is vital to foster this discipline. "Chemistry is a transverse-section technology. It doesn't only develop concepts on the synthensis of molecules but helps us to understand processes at atomic levels. Chemistry deals with the natural world at both microscopic and macroscopic levels. Chemistry is linked via the plant and animal worlds to agriculture and biology, and to human life via medicine," explains John Emsley from the Imperial College of Science London.

Living and enlivening chemistry

This is precisely the wealth of abundance that needs to be lived and participated in during the "Year of Chemistry", says polymer chemist Holger Bengs from the Society of German Chemists, and adds, "The raison d'être of the 'Year of Chemistry' is wide participation."

François Diederich from ETH praises this enthusiasm and hopes that it will increase awareness for and the reputation of chemistry. Switzerland has no grounds for complaint – there has been a marked increase in the number of students enrolling in this discipline in recent years, after reaching a nadir in the mid-1990s. In Germany too, student numbers increased last year, after a low point reached ten years ago when student numbers "fell to an alarming level which has led to the current dearth in the number of graduates." This finding is confirmed indirectly by a recent survey carried out by the news magazine "Spiegel" which shows that there is no unemployment at the moment among chemists.

"This 'Year of Chemistry' is very valuable," says Diederich. "It offers a wonderful opportunity for a public discussion on the possibilities that chemistry opens up as well as possible problems." One important aspect for the ETH Chemistry Department is that it keeps two employees busy with public relations work. This consideration is also the reason for the planning of a small museum at Hönggerberg where the histories of chemistry and pharmacy are to be documented. First exhibits – and these lead back to Justus Liebig – are already on display.