https://doi.org/10.15255/KUI.2008.016
Published: Kem. Ind. 58 (1) (2009) 1–10
Paper reference number: KUI-16/2008
Paper type: Review / History of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
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Croatian Chemists. II. Karlo Weber

B. Hanžek, I. Soljačić and N. Trinajstić+

Abstract

An account of Professor Karlo Weber’s life is given. He was born January 25th, 1902 in Mramorak (Vojvodina) and died September 1st, 1978 in Zagreb. He studied chemistry and physics in Graz and Freiburg and obtained his Ph. D. at the University of Graz in 1926. The first part of his career from 1927 to 1945 Weber spent at the Department of Chemical Technology, Technical Faculty. His advancement from assistantship to full-professorship was not smooth. After May 8th, 1945, Weber barely saved his life and on September 5th, 1945 was formally dismissed from the Technical Faculty. He was out of a job, but soon was employed in the bookstore Juraj Križanić first as a staff-member and then as a salesman. Weber was dismissed from this job on June 30th, 1946. Two weeks later, he joined the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Zagreb. He again started at the bottom of the hierarchy as a low-paid lab-assistant, but being a very able researcher he advanced relatively quickly to the position of full research professor in 1960. Weber was a physical chemist whose main research interest were chemical kinetics, photochemistry and optical phenomena (luminescence, fluorescence, photography). The more important part of his research work was published while he was at the Department of Chemical Technology. In the Department of Forensic Medicine, Weber encountered research different kind of problems – problems from forensic medicine and toxicology. This change in research environment did not prevent Weber in his productivity, he published 159 research papers, more than 70 technical papers, and 4 monographs. Among them especially prominent is Inhibitorwirkungen – Eine Darstellung der Negative Katalyse in Lösungen (Ferdinand Enke-Verlag, Stuttgart, 1938.), which was the first monograph on the subject. Under his supervision, 13 M. Sc. theses and 24 Ph. D. theses were produced. Data for the Ph. D. theses are given (although incomplete). Weber is remembered as an excellent chemist, and a patient and friendly teacher.

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Keywords

Karlo Weber, biography, teaching, research and professional activities