On May 4, 1976, the Working Group on the history of chemistry of the Chemical Society of the GDR (CG) was founded. It organized a series of events. The information compiled here is based on reports from the Chemical Society's membership magazine and personal documents from some former members.
These event formats include section programs at the annual Chemistry Lecturers' Conferences, parallel events to the main annual conferences, dedicated workshops, and seminars on the history of chemistry. The exchange and discussion within these formats contributed to the promotion and deepening of research in the history of chemistry.
The CG's main annual meetings provided a platform for chemists to exchange ideas on important topics in the history of chemistry. The Working Group on the history of chemistry actively participated, illuminating the connection between chemical research and its historical development.
| Annual General Meetings | Year | Location | Topics/Focus | AG participation |
| Annual General Meeting | 1977 | Dresden | History of Caffeine & Van 't Hoff, Co-Founder of Physical Chemistry | |
Annual General Meeting | 1983 | Berlin | Topics such as Marx, Schorlemmer and chemistry, Lavoisier's priority problems, E. Mitscherlich and the developments of the large-scale chemical industry | |
Annual General Meeting | 1984 | Dresden | Topics on W. Steinkopf, E. Fischer's contribution to the chemistry of carbohydrates and the influence of the chemical industry in the 19th century |
These chemistry lecturers' conferences were and are aimed at academic chemists and lecturers and focus on historical, methodological, and didactic aspects of chemistry. Through their presentations, the members of the Working Group contributed to academic reflection on the history of chemistry and its influence on teaching.
| Chemistry lecturers' conferences | Year | Location | Topics/Focus | AG participation |
| Chemiedozententagung | 1978 | Mühlhausen | History of woad indigo, reduction-oxidation processes and chemical fiber production | |
Chemiedozententagung | 1979 | Freiberg | Corrosion research, inorganic chemistry, development history of polyamide 6 | |
Chemiedozententagung | 1980 | Berlin | JW Döbereiner, organic chemistry, development of the first synthetic fiber | |
Chemiedozententagung | 1981 | Greifswald | Science schools, chemical development in the 19th and early 20th centuries | |
Chemiedozententagung | 1982 | Potsdam | Work of F. Wöhler, structural elucidation of biological substance groups, chemistry education in the 19th century | |
Chemiedozententagung | 1989 | Halle (Saale) | History of biochemistry, chemical education in the 19th century, influence of Walter Rathenau | |
Chemiedozententagung | 1990 | Mühlhausen | Chemical weapons development, life of Max Volmer, chemical textbooks in historical context |
The workshops of the history of chemistry Working Group were regular events held since 1980 to promote interdisciplinary exchange on topics related to the history of chemistry. Numerous lectures were delivered at these Conferences , addressing various aspects of the history of chemistry, its methodology, and its relevance to modern science. The Conferences provided a platform for researchers to present research results, engage in discussions, and reflect on the development of the chemical discipline in a historical context. They not only contributed to deepening historical understanding but also addressed relevant topics of importance for today's knowledge of chemistry.
| Workshop | Date | Location | Topics/Focus | Lectures/Speakers |
| 1. | April 21-24, 1980 | Reinhardsbrunn | Lectures on various areas of chemical history; discussion of methodological and content-related research priorities | |
| 2. | December 14-16, 1982 | Maxen/Eastern Ore Mountains | Contributions to topics in the history of chemistry, including developments in organic chemistry and scientific concepts | |
| 3. | April 24-26, 1985 | Stolpen | Discussion on IUPAC nomenclature; topics on alchemical history and the development of chemical concepts | |
| 4. | 23-25.09.1986 | Garzau Castle | Roundtable discussion on "Empirical and scientific in chemical-technical processes"; various aspects of chemical history | |
| 5. | November 18-20, 1987 | Georgenthal | Topics on the history of chemistry in the 18th century and the development of chemical nomenclature; excursions to historical sites | |
| 6. | 21-22.09.1989 | Jena | Celebrations of the 350th anniversary of the first university chemical laboratory; lectures on chemical education and research history. |
The Chemical History Seminars of the Working Group on the history of chemistry were events that, starting in 1983, promoted interdisciplinary exchange on historical and methodological aspects of chemistry. They addressed topics such as the interactions between theory and experiment, the evaluation of chemical history facts in a cultural context, and the development of chemical nomenclature. These seminars contributed to deepening knowledge and promoting research in the history of chemistry.
| seminar | Date | Location | Topic/Focus | Speakers |
| 1 | May 12, 1983 | Magdeburg |
Dedication to the 180th birthday and 110th anniversary of Liebig's death lesser-known intentions of Liebig regarding historical research |
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| 2 | October 19, 1984 | Leipzig | Reflections on theory and experiment in organic chemistry during the time of Hermann Kolbe (1818–1884) | Horst Remane (Halle) |
| 3 | June 6, 1985 | Berlin | Assessment of chemical history facts taking into account the cultural-historical context | Alois Nowak (Berlin), Wolfgang Girnus (Berlin) |
| 4 | October 20, 1987 | Berlin | Communicative function of scientific languages; especially in the context of the 200-year history of chemical nomenclature | Jochen Neels (Berlin), Wolfgang Liebscher (Berlin) |
| 5 | January 20, 1988 | Halle (Saale) | Theory and experiment in chemical research “The interaction of theory and experiment as an essential mechanism of recent scientific development and the problem of its scientific-historical analysis” “Are there ‘great’, epoch-making experiments in chemistry? What distinguishes them from everyday laboratory life?” | Hubert Laitko (Berlin), Horst Remane (Halle) |
| 6 | - | - | no information available | |
| 7 | November 9, 1989 | - | unconfirmed whether it took place |
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last modified: 02.09.2025 07:29 H from Translator
