Chemistry and Politics: Edvard Immanuel Hjelt (1855-1921)

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 3 Issue 5 (1998), S1430-4171(98)05247-X

Chemistry and Politics: Edvard Immanuel Hjelt (1855-1921)

George B. Kauffman* and Lauri Niinistö

California State University, Fresno, CA 93740-0070 and Laboratory of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Technology, Helsinki, University of Technology, P.O. Box 6100, FIN-02015 Espoo, Finland

Published online: 1 October 1998

Abstract. Chemists who have made important contributions to politics, although a rare breed, date from the very inception of our science. The very founder of modern chemistry, Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, was involved in a number of governmental activities. Edvard Immanuel Hjelt (1855–1921), Professor of Chemistry at the University of Helsinki, who was Rector of the University and "performed greater services to the University than anyone since its founding," was a member of this class of chemist–statesmen; and thus, he deserves greater recognition from his fellow chemists. An exceptionally gifted, dedicated, and multifaceted individual, Hjelt was not only a chemist, historian of chemistry, and textbook writer best remembered—when he is remembered at all—for his book on the history of organic chemistry, but he also played a prominent role in politics, held a post now corresponding to Prime Minister, and participated actively in the struggle for Finnish independence, following which he became Finnish Ambassador to Germany. Because we have discussed Hjelt’s personal life and career as a chemist and historian of chemistry in a previous issue of this journal (The Chemical Educator,, June 1, 1998), we limit ourselves here to considering his political contributions to national and international affairs.

Key Words: Chemistry and History; history; chemistry; organic chemistry; history/philosophy; politics

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: george_kauffman@csufresno.edu ; Lauri.Niinistö@hut.fi )

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