Es begann vor 100 Jahren: Kurzfassung der Geschichte der Schweizerischen Chemischen Gesellschaft

It Started 100 Years Ago: A Short History of the Swiss Chemical Society

Abstract

On August 6th, 1901, the Swiss Chemical Society (SCS) was founded as the first independent association of Swiss chemists, to safeguard their professional interests and foster research in all fields of chemistry. From originally some 80 members in 1902 the Society grew to more than 2000 in the middle of the fifties. Four Nobel-Prize winners – Alfred Werner, Paul Karrer, Leopold Ruzicka, and Vladimir Prelog – served as presidents of the SCS. During the 90 years of its history, the Society represented members of academia as well as the research-oriented chemical community in industry. In 1917 the SCS founded its own scientific journal 'Helvetica Chimica Acta', which eventually became an important mirror of Swiss chemistry. Three different types of prizes and medals were awarded to a large number of Swiss and foreign scientists for their valuable and unique contributions to chemistry. At the end of the eighties, sections were formed to represent specific fields of chemistry (e.g. medicinal chemistry). At this time coordination discussions were taken up between the SCS and the 'Association of Swiss Chemists (ASC)' – a professional body founded in 1920 and representing the scientific interests of more technologically and industrially oriented chemists. Finally, in March 1992, the two organizations merged, to form the 'New Swiss Chemical Society'. In March 2001 its name was changed to the 'Swiss Chemical Society' again.