CG-AG History Events
On 4 May 1976, the Working Group history of chemistry of the Chemical Society of the GDR (CG) was founded. It held a series of events. The information compiled here is based on reports from the membership magazine of the Chemical Society and personal documents belonging to some former members.
The event formats mentioned include section programmes at the annual chemistry lecturers’ conferences, parallel events accompanying the main annual conferences, its own working conferences, and seminars on the history of chemistry. The exchange and discussion within these formats contributed to promoting and deepening research into the history of chemistry.
The CG’s main annual conferences provided a platform for chemists to exchange views on significant history of chemistry topics. The Working Group history of chemistry played an active role in highlighting the connection between chemical research and its historical development.
| Main annual conferences | Year | Location | Themes/focus areas | Working Group participation |
| Main annual conference | 1977 | Dresden | History of caffeine & Van 't Hoff, co-founder of physical chemistry | |
| Main annual conference | 1983 | Berlin | Topics such as Marx, Schorlemmer and chemistry, Lavoisier’s priority disputes, E. Mitscherlich and the development of the large-scale chemical industry | |
| Main annual conference | 1984 | Dresden | Topics relating to W. Steinkopf, E. Fischer’s contribution to carbohydrate chemistry and the influence of the chemical industry in the 19th century |
These Chemiedozententagungen were and continue to be aimed at academic chemists and lecturers, focusing on historical, methodological and didactic aspects of chemistry. Through their presentations, the members of the Working Group contributed to scholarly reflection on the history of chemistry and its influence on teaching.
| Chemiedozententagungen | Year | Location | Topics/Focus | Working Group involvement |
| Chemiedozententagung | 1978 | Mühlhausen | History of woad indigo, reduction–oxidation processes and synthetic fibre production | |
| Chemiedozententagung | 1979 | Freiberg | Corrosion research, inorganic chemistry, developmental history of polyamide 6 | |
| Chemiedozententagung | 1980 | Berlin | J. W. Döbereiner, organic chemistry, development of the first synthetic fibre | |
| Chemiedozententagung | 1981 | Greifswald | Schools of natural sciences, chemical development in the 19th and early 20th centuries | |
| Chemiedozententagung | 1982 | Potsdam | F. Wöhler’s work, 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 | Development of chemical weapons, life of Max Volmer, chemistry textbooks in their historical context |
The AG history of chemistry working conferences were regular events held since 1980 to promote interdisciplinary exchange on topics relating to the history of chemistry. Numerous lectures were given 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 scientists to present research findings, hold discussions and reflect on the development of the chemical discipline in its historical context. They not only contributed to a deeper historical understanding but also addressed relevant topics that are significant to present-day knowledge of chemistry.
| Working conference | Date | Location | Topics/Focus | Lectures/Speakers |
| 1. | 21–24.04.1980 | Reinhardsbrunn | Lectures on various fields of the history of chemistry; discussion of methodological and substantive focuses of research | |
| 2. | 14–16.12.1982 | Maxen/Osterzgebirge | Contributions on topics relating to the history of chemistry, including developments in organic chemistry and scientific concepts | |
| 3. | 24–26.04.1985 | Stolpen | Discussion of IUPAC nomenclature; topics relating to the history of alchemy and the development of chemical concepts | |
| 4. | 23–25.09.1986 | Garzau Castle | Round-table discussion on "Empiricism and science in chemical-technical processes"; various aspects of the history of chemistry | |
| 5. | 18–20.11.1987 | Georgenthal | Topics relating to the history of chemistry in the eighteenth century and the development of chemical nomenclature; excursions to historic sites | |
| 6. | 21–22.09.1989 | Jena | Celebrations marking the 350th anniversary of the first university chemistry laboratory; lectures on chemical education and the history of research. |
The history of chemistry seminars of the Working Group history of chemistry were events which, from 1983 onwards, promoted interdisciplinary exchange on historical and methodological aspects of chemistry. They addressed topics such as the interactions between theory and experiment, the assessment of historical chemistry facts in their 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 | 12.05.1983 | Magedburg | In honour of Liebig’s 180th birthday and the 110th anniversary of his death Liebig’s lesser-known intentions regarding historical investigations | |
| 2 | 19.10.1984 | Leipzig | Reflections on theory and experiment in organic chemistry in the time of Hermann Kolbe (1818–1884) | Horst Remane (Halle) |
| 3 | 06.06.1985 | Berlin | Assessment of historical chemistry facts taking the cultural-historical context into account | Alois Nowak (Berlin), Wolfgang Girnus (Berlin) |
| 4 | 20.10.1987 | Berlin | Communicative function of scientific languages; specifically in connection with the 200-year history of chemical nomenclature | Jochen Neels (Berlin), Wolfgang Liebscher (Berlin) |
| 5 | 20.01.1988 | Halle (Saale) | Theory and experiment in chemical research “The interaction of theory and experiment as an essential mechanism of the development of modern science and the problem of its analysis from the perspective of the history of science” “Are there ‘great’, epoch-making experiments in chemistry, and what distinguishes them from everyday laboratory work?” | Hubert Laitko (Berlin), Horst Remane (Halle) |
| 6 | - | - | no information available | |
| 7 | 09.11.1989 | - | unconfirmed whether it took place |