Gmelin-Beilstein Commemorative Medal

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is honoring Prof. Dr. Dr. Helmut Maier with the 2026 Gmelin-Beilstein commemorative coin for his outstanding achievements in the field of the history of chemistry and technology. In particular, his fundamental work on the history of the German innovation system in the 20th century is being recognized, especially his research on the connections between governmental, university, and industrial research in chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials science. His fact-based and comprehensive accounts of the fates of chemists during the Nazi era form a central foundation of our culture of remembrance. Furthermore, his structural-historical analyses of the active participation of chemistry and its representatives in the war and extermination policies of the "Third Reich" are of key importance for our historical understanding—and simultaneously serve as a warning for our actions today.

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