The Primo Levi Prize honors chemists who, beyond their discipline, are particularly committed to humanitarian goals. The prize was used in 2016 by the GDCh together with the SCI, the Società Chimica Italiana.
The prize is awarded in memory of Primo Levi (1919 - 1987), the Italian chemist and writer who was deported to Auschwitz as a young man in the anti-fascist resistance and Jewish religious affiliation. There he had to do forced labor in a chemical laboratory of IG Farben-Bunawerke.
He survived.
Primo Levi processed what he had experienced in literature and created world literature. He also shared his observations and experiences in countless encounters with others. So his commitment went far beyond his job as a chemist. Throughout his life he pursued his desire to put into words the reality of the camp and what it made of the people, either in writing or speaking.
Professor Henning Hopf received the Primo Levi Prize in recognition of his lifelong and extraordinary commitment and his services to better chemistry as a member of numerous academies and chemical societies. His deep commitment to dealing with the involvement of German chemists and their organizations in the National Socialist era deserves special mention. It is thanks to his perseverance that the predecessor organizations of the GDCh were brought to a close during the National Socialist period. As an active member of the Chemists for Sustainability (C4S) and through his involvement in the International Organization for Developmental Chemistry (IOCD), he shows his commitment to responsible chemistry and international cooperation. His essays on topics such as resilience, circular chemistry and economics, ethics, diversity and inclusion have garnered widespread attention and his vision of "One World Chemistry" is an inspiration to many.
| 2023 | Henning Hopf, Brunswick |
| 2019 | Vincenzu Balzani, Bologna/Italy |
| 2017 | Roald Hoffman, Ithaca, NY/USA |
Ex officio:
President of the GDCh (lead management): Dr. Karsten Danielmeier (2022 & 2023)
President of the SCI (lead management): Prof. Dr. Gianluca Farinola (2023 - 2025)
GDCh Executive Director: Prof. Dr. Wolfram Koch, Frankfurt aM (as secretary without voting rights)
A member of the Levi family: Prof. Dr. Renzo Levi, Turin/IT
other members:
Prof. Dr. Margherita Venturi, University of Bologna
Prof. Dr. Francesco de Angelis, L'Aquila/IT
dr Peter Golitz, Weinheim
Prof. Dr. Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus, Bielefeld University
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last modified: 31.08.2023 10:59 H from Translator
