A scientist and chronicler
Herbert Zimmermann conducted research at the institute for over 50 years and also documented its history.
After more than 50 years, Herbert Zimmermann is bidding farewell to the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research. The chemical engineer and research group leader joined the Department of Molecular Physics in 1967. His contributions to the Institute are not only scientific in nature but extend far beyond that: Anyone who has ever taken a look at the display cases across from the lecture halls and in the library will gain insight into an active culture of remembrance that the scientist fostered alongside his actual work at the Institute.
In the course of his scientific career, Herbert Zimmermann worked in the field of stable isotopes across many departments: Molecular Physics, Molecular Crystals, Biophysics, Biomedical Optics, the Emeritus Group in Biophysics, and the Department of Biomolecular Mechanisms under Ilme Schlichting.
International Collaboration
His research was characterized by intensive international collaboration. He served repeatedly as a visiting scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, working with Prof. Alex Pines beginning in 1976. This was followed by six more stays in the U.S., which had a profound impact on both Herbert Zimmermann and his family. “It was in Berkeley that I really learned English for the first time,” the 82-year-old says with a smile as he looks back on his time in the U.S.
He also collaborated with colleagues from the Arrhenius Laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden, ETH Zurich, the Free University of Berlin, and Japan. He has particularly fond memories of his stays at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. He visited the institute more than 40 times between 1979 and 2018, including as a MINERVA fellow under Prof. Zeev Luz. His scientific work there alone resulted in around 100 publications, as well as patents.
Fostering a Culture of Remembrance
Beyond his research, Herbert Zimmermann helped foster an active culture of remembrance and supported it over the years. In 2005, on the occasion of the institute’s 75th anniversary, he initiated an exhibition featuring 30 display cases. Together with five other dedicated colleagues, he compiled the history of the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research – including the politically turbulent period of National Socialism, when it was still known as the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute.
The display cases – some of which still stand today in the library and in front of the lecture halls – feature books, letters, and publications spanning many decades, scientific exhibits, and a microscope donated by the Meyerhof family. Among other things, they illustrate the outstanding research work of the founding directors and the many Nobel laureates who worked at the institute.
Overview of the Institute’s History
For many years, Herbert Zimmermann has provided visitors from Germany and abroad with an overview of our institute’s history in the library during the Mößbauer Colloquia. His focus has always been on the founding directors and the first Nobel laureates.
In retirement, Herbert Zimmermann intends to remain loyal to the institute and maintain contact with old and new colleagues during occasional visits. The display cases and his historical documentation will also allow future generations to look back on the institute’s history.