Who we are

Carl Bosch (1874–1940) – Nobel Prize laureate, scientist, business leader

150^thanniversary highlights

An exceptional, unconventional talent makes history

Making “bread from air” – the Haber-Bosch process achieves the seemingly impossible by synthesizing ammonia. Carl Bosch, who went on to win the Nobel Prize, was chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at BASF and later I.G. Farbenindustrie AG (commonly known as I.G. Farben). He was also accountable for developing further high-pressure processes. As a senior manager, the decisions he made proved to have far-reaching consequences during the two world wars, yet the man himself remains an enigma. This webpage takes a look at his legacy spanning highlights from BASF Corporate History.

It was a scientific and technological sensation: With the Haber-Boss process, Bosch had managed to synthesize ammonia by binding atmospheric nitrogen for use in the industrial-scale production of fertilizer. He thus solved one of the most pressing issues of his time, the so-called nitrogen problem. Harvests had to be significantly increased in order to keep pace with the growing population. However, the natural deposits of the nitrogenous fertilizers required for this, above all Chile saltpetre, were in danger of being exhausted. BASF and Bosch counteracted this with large-scale ammonia synthesis. It revolutionized agriculture by ushering in the age of mineral fertilization. With it, Carl Bosch created the basis for providing food for a large part of the world's population.

What’s more, with the world’s firste ammonia plant, the BASF site in Oppau introduced high-pressure catalysis to the chemical industry in 1913. The development of further high-pressure syntheses is also closely associated with the name of Carl Bosch. His accomplishments earned him several honorary doctorates and numerous awards, including the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1931. By this point, he was already Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors and the driving force behind BASF (1919–1925) and I.G. Farben respectively (1925–1935). From 1933 onward, strategic business decisions saw I.G. Farben forming ties with the Nazi regime, although Bosch personally opposed the latter’s persecution of Jewish scientists. Known for his wide-ranging passions and boundless energy, Bosch battled severe depression, particularly in his final years.

Carl Bosch the man

Bosch was a passionate scientist, chemist and engineer through and through.

A brilliant scientist, Bosch had no patience for conjecture. Yet much of our view of him today is shaped by speculation. His achievements as a scientist and business leader speak for themselves. But we have little insight into his motives, and few personal accounts of him exist. At the same time, a wealth of anecdotes have built up around him that have since solidified into seemingly established truths. Records of his achievements and accounts from his contemporaries paint a contradictory, multifaceted picture.

Unconventional.

Bosch’s expertise extended beyond his doctorate in chemistry to encompass metallurgy and engineering expertise. This multidisciplinary background enabled him to master the process engineering challenges involved in ammonia synthesis. His skillset was ahead of its time, as specialized roles such as those of a chemical or process engineer were yet to be established. His leadership style was also notably unconventional. He is said to have had quite a hands-on, informal approach, often working directly alongside laborers and craftsmen in the early years. He was particularly known for his aversion to lengthy meetings and any kind of written documentation. Instead, he relied on memory, preferring to give instructions and reaching spoken agreements. This could explain why there are very few insightful personal testimonials to shed light on his motives and aspirations.

Reserved.

Bosch did not enjoy public appearances and social engagements. He preferred his own company and loved to immerse himself in scientific problems or indulge his passion for collecting natural specimens such as beetles. This often served as an outward disguise for his inner tension and turmoil. He struggled with periodic phases of depression, such as in 1921 following the explosion in the Oppau ammonia factory that killed more than 500 people. The final years of his life were marked by depression, illness and excessive alcohol consumption.

Eager for knowledge.

Bosch was driven by an insatiable need for precise knowledge, seeking a thorough understanding of every issue. If it could be measured in the plant, it was to be measured. This approach led to the development of highly esteemed facilities during his work on ammonia synthesis, such as dedicated materials testing (now Materials Engineering) and in-process controls (now Instrumentation and Control Engineering). He had a particularly wide range of scientific interests. He even had two observatories built in the garden of his villa in Heidelberg. The archives of BASF Corporate History go right back to the first historical company Chronicle commissioned by the inquisitive Bosch in 1915.

Determined.

Bosch was known for his remarkable perseverance, assertiveness and tireless drive, and would probably not have been able to achieve the industrial catalytic high-pressure synthesis of ammonia without these qualities. Most experts, including those at BASF, considered this process unfeasible from a process engineering standpoint. Thanks to their tenacious, determined efforts, Bosch and his team proved otherwise. Bosch’s assertiveness was equally evident in his role as Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors. For instance, during the founding of I.G. Farben in 1925, he successfully pushed for a full merger of the participating companies instead of a loose holding structure. He continued to shape the Group’s organization moving forward. During the Great Depression (1929–1932), Bosch again demonstrated the full extent of his authority. Despite strong internal opposition, he successfully pushed the group to remain committed to high-pressure synthesis of petroleum-based fuels, even though this was expected to run at a loss for the foreseeable future.

Bosch's faith was the unwavering victory of exact, scientific thinking, of factual knowledge gained through free, uninhibited research. [...] The great thing about him was that he confined himself entirely to what was precisely recognizable and measurable. The generative power of his mind was never stronger than when it was a matter not of speculation but of realization.

Carl Krauch (1887-1968)

Chemist, with BASF from 1912, collaborator of Bosch, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of I.G. Farben (1940-1945) and General Plenipotentiary of Special Issues in Chemical Production of the Four-Year Plan (1938-1945).

It could be said that he drew his strength for his great chemical and technical achievements, and for his work as an organizer and business leader, from devoting every spare moment to the pursuit of science.

Bernhard Timm (1909-1992)

Physicist, employee at Bosch’s private observatory in Heidelberg from 1934 to 1936, with BASF from 1936, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at BASF (1964 to 1975) .

B [Bosch] was not particularly inclined to writing long and detailed reports of his experiments or his other endeavors. He held little regard for such things, and relied instead on the knowledge and experience stored in his memory.

Franz Lappe (1878-1950)

Engineer, with BASF from 1907, Bosch's senior technical associate in developing ammonia synthesis, head of the Mechanical Engineering department Oppau (1925-1944).

Insect box from the Carl Bosch beetle collection, today in the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt am Main [Photo: Senckenberg/Tränkner].

Biographical overview

Practical with wide-ranging interests: Education, studies and doctorate

Bosch was born on August 27, 1874 in Cologne, Germany. Diverging from the traditional path, he attended the vocationally-oriented secondary school in Ober rather than the classical humanistic German Gymnasium. The young Bosch then completed a year of practical training at the Marienhütte ironworks in Kotzenau, Silesia. With this experience under his belt, he enrolled at the Technical University in Berlin-Charlottenburg to study metallurgy (encompassing materials engineering) and mechanical engineering. However, the gifted student found that metallurgy and mechanical engineering still relied too heavily on rules of thumb rather than precise equations. This led him to transfer to Leipzig University, where he majored in chemistry, driven by his passion for precision research. Bosch completed his studies in 1898 at the age of around 24, earning a doctorate and top marks.

He then briefly worked as a sales assistant in the Analytics department under his doctoral supervisor Johannes Wislicenus (1835–1902). Rather than pursuing a scientific career, Bosch applied for a chemist position at BASF, which at time was by far the largest chemical company in the German Empire. BASF had caused quite a stir in scientific circles on a number of occasions, most recently in 1897 with its industrial-scale synthesis of indigo.

Bosch at BASF and I.G. Farben: Climbing from the lab to top management

Bosch spent his first working day at BASF on April 15, 1899 in the main laboratory like all new chemists. But within the same year, he moved to the phthalic acid factory, where he took charge of its expansion. His first encounter with the challenge of industrial nitrogen fixation was in 1900.

From scientist to corporate leader

BASF recognized and nurtured his talent, ultimately propelling him to the helm of what was one of the largest companies in Germany at the time. Bosch became an authorized signatory in 1911 and a deputy board member in 1914. During the First World War (1914–1918), he promised to supply German military leadership with the crucial precursor material saltpeter for munitions production in what became known as the “Salpeterversprechen” (“Saltpeter Promise”). Bosch became a full board member in 1916. At the end of 1918, he represented the chemical industry at the armistice negotiations during the Spa Conference held in Belgium. In 1919, he attended the Paris Peace Conference held at Versailles as an expert for the German delegation. Bosch became Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors in the same year.

From the Management Board to the Supervisory Board

This development saw Bosch becoming more a leader than a mere scientist. In this capacity, he spearheaded the merger of leading German chemical companies into I.G. Farben, becoming its first Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors in 1925. It was primarily the high-pressure projects championed by Bosch that ultimately brought I.G. Farben into direct affiliation with the Nazi regime from 1933 onward and culminating in a close-knit economic partnership. In 1935, Bosch stood down from his role in the group’s day-to-day operational management and assumed the role of Chairman of the Supervisory Board. He passed away in 1940, sparing him from witnessing I.G. Farben’s involvement and culpability in the Nazi system of forced labor and its method of “extermination through labor.”

Long committed to scientific advancement in his personal life and having held numerous roles, Bosch was appointed President of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society for the Advancement of Science (now the Max Planck Society) in 1937. Worn down by illness, excessive alcohol consumption and depression, Bosch died on April 26, 1940.

If he was presented with new techniques, he was never satisfied with rules of thumb that were presented to him. He sought a thorough understanding of the matter. If a specialized material or item of equipment was lacking and could not be sourced because it had never been requested before, he did not give up. Instead, he kept pushing until he reached the point where these items could be created.

Karl Holdermann (1882-1969)

Chemist, with BASF from 1906, head of the BASF patent department (1929-1946), Bosch’s biographer.

His instructions in day-to-day business were succinct and to-the-point. This created a certain distance, even to his closest employees. However, this approach earned respect and trust, especially when Carl Bosch showed that he demanded even more of himself than of his employees, and proved his exceptional expertise with hands-on examples.

Bernhard Timm (1909-1992)

Physicist, employee at Bosch’s private observatory in Heidelberg from 1934 to 1936, with BASF from 1936, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at BASF (1964 to 1975) .

Bosch preferred to avoid excessive conversation. If matters unfolded as he desired, he saw little point in saying anything at all. However, if he disagreed with something, he expressed his opinions clearly and succinctly, without any rhetorical flourishes, and offered appropriate suggestions. When Bosch did speak, reports and newspapers were set aside, and everyone listened attentively; his concise remarks typically sufficed to end any lengthy, heated discussions and lead to decisions that aligned with his views. I can't remember anyone ever daring to challenge Bosch in such instances.

Ernst Schwarz (1884-1957)

Chemist and lawyer, with BASF from 1910, longtime personal assistant and confident of Bosch.

He had an incredible memory that documented everything that was important in his professional life. He always had a clear recollection of figures and processes that he had come across before. I don't think he worked much with notes and written records – at least I wasn't aware of him doing so.

Philipp Borchardt (*1879)

Engineer, joined BASF in 1912.
[A photo of Philipp Borchardt is missing. Instead, Carl Bosch is shown here in profile on a commemorative coin on occasion of his 25^th anniversary of service.]

The new Oppau plant is built: Steel frame buildings dominate the scene, 1912.

Synthesis of ammonia

The world’s first ammonia synthesis plant went into operation on September 9, 1913 at the Oppau site. This marked the start of high-pressure catalysis in the chemical industry. It was a scientific and technical feat that had previously been considered impossible by experts, with the exception of Bosch. “I believe it can be done.” This legendary quote is attributed to him. Drawing on his expertise in metallurgy, mechanical engineering and chemistry, Bosch was confident that he could transform a laboratory-scale process developed by Fritz Haber (1868–1934), a professor at the Technical University of Karlsruhe, into an industrial process.

This came after years of failed attempts by various chemists to find the coveted key to creating “bread from air” through nitrogen fixation. Plants rely on fixed nitrogen for improved growth and higher crop yields.

In early 1900, BASF tasked Bosch with testing a process developed by Wilhelm Ostwald, an expert in the field of physical chemistry and future Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry. His results, however, could not be replicated, leading to a dispute in which Bosch was ultimately proven right. With this, he had passed his first major test, earning him the recommendation that he be given greater responsibilities. Three years later, he was commissioned to develop his own process for industrial nitrogen fixation. Despite some successes, including in collaboration with the chemist Alwin Mittasch (1869–1953), a breakthrough had yet to be achieved. Then BASF heard about Fritz Haber’s promising work.

Challenges: High-pressure team work

In 1908, BASF agreed to partner with Professor Fritz Haber in the field of nitrogen. Just one year later, he demonstrated his ammonia apparatus to BASF representatives. It was convincing. Bosch was appointed to lead the new BASF megaproject of industrializing Haber’s ammonia synthesis process. However, Haber’s process parameters presented huge challenges that represented unchartered territory in the chemical industry. The process involved nothing less than creating a catalytic reaction under extreme pressure and high temperature.

Three hurdles in an interdisciplinary marathon

The eventual success of ammonia synthesis stemmed from the exceptional teamwork of a multidisciplinary team of employees. Led by Bosch, chemists, engineers and physicists, and together with metalworkers and other craftsmen, all played a role in successfully realizing the world's first catalytic high-pressure synthesis process.

The project had to achieve three main tasks: finding a process for producing synthesis gas, developing suitable catalysts and building a robust and operationally reliable high-pressure reactor. Bosch focused on the design of suitable apparatus, delegating other subtasks to his colleagues.

The decisive factor: The “double tube”

To begin with, everything ran smoothly. However, unforeseen issues emerged as the size of the test reactors increased: The high-pressure steel tubes kept bursting. Leveraging his metallurgical expertise, Bosch pinpointed the problem and, in early 1911, devised the simple but pivotal concept of the “double tube.” Its design enabled any hydrogen infiltrating the material to escape outward without causing damage, as had previously been the case in earlier designs.

Sketch of the double tube designed by Bosch with lining tube and pressure-bearing steel jacket, 1911.

Oppau 1913: The first of its kind

By the fall of 1911, the experimental work had progressed sufficiently for the next phase to begin. A planning application for a new ammonia synthesis plant to the north of BASF’s main site was submitted. The plan was to build a brand-new plant in Oppau, located north of the main BASF site in Ludwigshafen. Construction began in May 1912, and Bosch was appointed head of the newly created Nitrogen department shortly thereafter. On September 9, 1913, the world’s first ammonia synthesis plant went into operation. With its entirely new installations and equipment, it was one of a kind at the time.

Talent and trust

Bosch’s keen intuition for the technically feasible and his relentless drive to succeed stood in equal measure to the boldness of BASF's leadership and their confidence in Bosch's abilities. This was decisive for the successful implementation of the Haber-Bosch process, which in turn introduced the use of catalytic high-pressure synthesis in the chemical industry. The ammonia synthesis process named after Haber and Bosch continues to secure the food supply for billions of people to this day. Ammonia is now also used in the production of many other downstream products, such as urea for the production of glues or AdBlue®.

Briefly set in relation: Nitrogen, ammonia, nitric acid, saltpetre, nitrates

Nitrogen (N) is the main component of air. In its elemental form, it cannot serve as a plant nutrient, but must be present in bound form. The synthesis of ammonia (from atmospheric nitrogen and hydrogen) using the Haber-Bosch process created the conditions for this on an industrial scale.

Ammonia (NH₃) and nitric acid (HNO₃) are among the most important basic materials in the chemical industry. Nitric acid has been produced by catalytic oxidation of ammonia since 1906. Platinum was used as a catalyst, which limited production capacity until BASF developed a new process with an iron catalyst in 1914.

Saltpetre is the trivial name for some naturally occurring nitrates. Until the introduction of the Haber-Bosch process, saltpetre was the only source of large quantities of nitrogen compounds. Chile saltpetre (sodium nitrate, sodium salt of nitric acid) is the most important naturally occurring nitrate with the largest deposit in Chile.

Nitrates (NO₃), including ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and sodium nitrate (NaNO3), are salts of nitric acid (HNO₃) and serve as a nutrient (nitrogen source) for plants.

The new Oppau plant, painting by Otto Bollhagen, 1920.

Heavyweight in ammonia synthesis: Installation of a high-pressure reactor, 1935.

Advantage easy to see: Fertilizer advertisement (postcard), 1930.

Benefits laced with darkness

Ammonia synthesis enabled the production of mineral fertilizers, but also served as an essential component in nitric acid production, which was crucial for sustaining munitions production during World War I. As a result, it became a focal point discussed during the Paris Peace Conference, in which Bosch also participated. One of the largest industrial disasters in history occurred in Oppau in 1921, showcasing the complex, double-edged nature of industrial modernity replete with all its benefits, inherent darkness and ambivalence.

The “Saltpeter Promise” – dual-use in World War I

The ammonia produced in Oppau was initially processed exclusively into ammonium sulfate, the first nitrogen fertilizer manufactured by BASF. From the offset, the plan was to also offer the nitrogen as a component of BASF's nitrate-based fertilizers. Achieving this required a process for producing nitric acid through ammonia oxidation. Bosch therefore commissioned the search for a suitable catalyst for ammonia oxidation soon after the plant began operations. By the spring of 1914, a suitable catalyst had been found and a laboratory-scale process had been successfully developed.

War and “The Promise”

However, the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 changed the landscape of saltpeter production forever. Within just a few months, vital raw material reserves required for war began to dwindle, resulting in a serious shortage of ammunition for the German military. The saltpeter reserves critical for munitions production was particularly affected by this, prompting the need to find an alternative domestic source to substitute previous import quantities. Consequently, Bosch made his infamous “Saltpeter Promise” in September 1914, pledging the development of an industrial process for producing nitric acid from ammonia to obtain saltpeter to German High Command. In return, the government promised financial support and a purchase guarantee. Until then, no technical processes existed for the production of nitric acid. In May 1915, however, the first corresponding plant was put into operation at the Oppau site where nitric acid has been produced and converted into saltpeter ever since. With the start of nitric acid production, BASF became a supplier to the armaments industry at the instigation of Bosch. By the end of the war, nearly half of all the company's revenue came from the sales of ammonia and nitric acid (and saltpeter) for both civilian and military applications.

Carl Bosch’s motives

What were Bosch’s motives behind the “Saltpeter Promise?” Was it patriotism borne from the pervading enthusiasm for war? Or was it rather the product of a calculated sense of pragmatism aimed at exploiting arms production for the expansion of Oppau? Reliable answers are hard to come by due to the lack of substantial sources. Nonetheless, Bosch was certainly all too aware of the moral dilemma posed by the dual-use nature of using ammonia and nitric acid for both civilian and military applications. Particularly in his final years. In a speech he prepared for receiving the Wilhelm Exner Medal in 1932, he expressed his discomfort in discussing the “circumstances that he was reluctant to talk about:” “When I was tasked with creating nitrogen products for both agricultural needs and the German military at the start of the war, and managed to do so within the foreseen timeframe, I often later found myself questioning whether it would have been better had we have failed. The war might have ended sooner, and there would most likely have been less suffering and a better outcome for all. But my dear gentlemen, these are all ultimately futile questions. Progress in science and technology will stop for no man.”

The statement reveals a sense of inner remorse coupled with a technocratic belief in the inevitability of progress. This internal conflict would later resurface for Bosch in light of I.G. Farben’s role in supporting Nazi war preparations during the 1930s.

The price of progress? The Oppau disaster

One of the worst disasters in modern industrial history occurred at the Oppau site on September 21, 1921, eight years after the ammonia synthesis plant was first put into operation. A devastating explosion in a silo containing the ammonium sulfate nitrate fertilizer claimed more than 500 lives. Around 2,000 people were hurt, in some cases suffering severe injuries. [More here: Oppau explosion 1921]

Bosch, then Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at BASF, visited the scene of the accident to find out exactly what had happened. Over the days that followed, he initiated the rapid reconstruction of the site. On September 25, Bosch addressed the mourners at the memorial service held at the Ludwigshafen cemetery: “The very material intended to provide nourishment and sustain millions in our Fatherland, and the very same that we have been producing and shipping for years, has suddenly proven a grim enemy for reasons we do not yet comprehend.” This reveals the steadfast belief in the idea of technological and industrial progress, as epitomized by ammonia synthesis, coupled with feelings of unease triggered by the scale of the disaster. At the same time, rebuilding the plant on the same site was non-negotiable for Bosch.

He did not convey the true extent of his shock publicly. But the fact that he was ill for several months after the disaster shows how deeply its tragedy affected him.

Reconciliation with France and reflections on Europe

Bosch is often credited with contributing to restoring peace in Europe. Kurt Freiherr von Lersner (1883–1954) who, like Bosch, was a member of the German delegations to the armistice and peace negotiations in 1918 and 1919, described Bosch's involvement as an almost “obsession for peace.” This sentiment is also seen as an expression of the self-confessed guilt that had haunted Bosch since the final months of the war and that would remain with him for the rest of his life. It rested on his own recognition that industrial nitric acid (saltpeter) production had played a part in prolonging the war and, by extension, the suffering caused.

The French delegation, in particular, threatened to close the ammonia plants during the Versailles negotiations by classifying them as armaments factories. Bosch personally and persistently engaged with the former wartime adversaries, advocating for the continuation of ammonia production in Oppau. A compromise was finally reached in November 1919: BASF was permitted to continue its ammonia production in Oppau and at a branch plant in Leuna, Central Germany, which had begun operations in 1916. In return, BASF granted the French government a license for its Haber-Bosch technology to enable the French to develop its own nitrogen industry.

Reconciliation with France

Did Bosch pave the way for Franco-German reconciliation, as suggested by his uncle, Robert Bosch, founder of the technology company of the same name in 1886? Did Bosch truly view the Franco-German treaty as a kind of blueprint for reconciliation with other nations, as his biographer Karl Holdermann claims? Regarding reconciliation with France, Bosch’s own words speak for themselves. His 1931 article titled “Wirtschaftsausgleich mit Frankreich” (Economic Reconciliation with France) was widely acclaimed and written against the backdrop of the ongoing global economic crisis. “It is one of the most important tasks for rational individuals in Germany and France to lay the foundations for the consolidation of both nations, and therefore Europe, by overcoming political resentments and championing economic reason.”

International cooperation and free trade

Starting in the 1920s, Bosch endorsed the emerging Pan-European Movement. He was not a particularly politically minded person, however. He was and remained above all a scientist and entrepreneur. Bosch showed political interest and engagement only when matters of science and industry intersected with his responsibilities as Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors. It is therefore of no coincidence that his heightened political activity coincided with onset of the Great Depression. Leading a highly export-oriented corporation facing sharp drops in revenue, he had a vested interest in international cooperation. Bosch therefore consistently sought partnerships and agreements with international partners. Likewise, he was firmly against trade barriers and quotas in international trade and firmly opposed protectionism and autarky. Nonetheless, these were the very principles that underpinned Nazi economic policy from 1933 onward and which I.G. Farben – under Bosch’s leadership – supported out of economic interest.

Sketch of the Oppau nitric acid plant, hand-drawn by Carl Bosch, 1914.

New high-pressure syntheses

High-pressure technology significantly shaped the chemical industry during the interwar period. Bosch had established BASF as a pioneer in this field in 1913. As Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, Bosch further extended the technological lead of BASF and, from 1925, of I.G. Farben in this field. In 1931, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contribution to the invention and development of chemical high-pressure processes. However, these were also of particular importance in the armaments and war economy of the National Socialists.

Noble Price and miscalculating coal hydrogenation

Nobel Prize for high-pressure methods

As Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, Bosch pushed for the expansion of the pioneering technology in the 1920s. In 1923, Matthias Pier (1882–1965) achieved industrial-scale methanol synthesis. This was followed in 1927 by synthesis of petroleum-based fuels using the Bergius-Pier process for liquefying coal (coal hydrogenation). As had been the case with ammonia synthesis, nature's monopoly on raw materials was broken using a catalytic high-pressure process. And the next project was already in the pipeline as work began on synthetic rubber (Buna). In recognition of his contributions to the creation and development of chemical high-pressure processes, Bosch, along with Friedrich Bergius, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1931. This marked the first time that the Stockholm Committee recognized the application of a technical principle rather than a scientific breakthrough.

Miscalculations in coal hydrogenation

Economically speaking, the costly development of coal hydrogenation presented significant challenges for BASF. The need for a means of financing the process was one of the reasons why Bosch advocated for the 1925 merger of the German chemical companies into I.G. Farben. The first synthetic fuel was launched on the market in 1927 under the name “Leuna-Benzin” (Leuna gasoline) after its production site. The plant operated at a loss from the outset, as “Leuna-Benzin” struggled to compete with the falling prices of its natural competitor product crude oil.

Bosch leveraged all his influence as Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors to defend coal hydrogenation against internal criticism during the late 1920s, viewing it as an attack on his life's work. His personal success in the field of high-pressure engineering likely clouded his judgement, as such absolute determination was a risky stand to take. From a technological standpoint, coal hydrogenation represented a logical continuation of previous successes in high-pressure engineering. Economically, however, the sums simply did not add up. Initially, this was due to unexpected discoveries of new crude oils. The onset of the Great Depression in 1929 proved the final nail in the coffin. Declining revenues transformed the technology into a major source of financial loss.

Collaboration between I.G. Farben and the Nazi Party

Bosch's insistence on coal hydrogenation contributed I.G. Farben's cataclysmic alignment with the Nazi regime from 1933 onward. On the one hand, the company needed to secure its huge investments. The new ruling government, on the other hand, was pursuing a policy of autarky and its inherent promotion of using domestic raw materials. Consequently, the interests of both parties found common ground in the synthesis of petroleum-based fuels from coal as a substitute for crude oil imports, despite Bosch publicly opposing the policy of autarky before 1933. The economic well-being of the group took priority, however. At Bosch’s urging, I.G. Farben offered its fuel synthesis technology to the Nazi regime in return for government guarantees. The “Bezinvertrag” (Gasoline Agreement) was signed by the end of 1933. More agreements of a similar kind followed, including for the production of synthetic rubber (Buna).

The forces he unleashed

Bosch’s relationship with the Nazis was complex and contradictory. He supported the liberal German Democratic Party (Deutsche Demokratische Partei, DDP) during the Weimar Republic and contributed financially to its pro-democratic efforts. Moreover, he never became a member of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, NSDAP). Bosch's contemporaries attested to his deep-seated objection to Hitler and his policies. He took a clear stance against anti-Semitic policies and supported persecuted Jewish scientists. Yet, during his tenure as Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors (lasting until 1935), he ensured that I.G. Farben benefited from Nazi economic policies.

Initially, Bosch likely did not grasp the full implications of such a partnership. For him, the “Benzinvertrag” was merely a means of mitigating the losses of mineral oil synthesis. During his later years, he was haunted by the fact that I.G. Farben, and he himself as Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors and later as Chairman of the Supervisory Board (from 1935), had contributed to the preparations for war. Nevertheless, Bosch outwardly chose to align with the regime for the sake of the group. There was no public break from the party until after his death.

Internally, however, Bosch was deeply conflicted, as the very accomplishments of his work as a scientist and corporate leader contributed to facilitating Nazi war policies and World War II itself – primarily through the syntheses of ammonia, fuel and rubber. Toward the end of his life, Bosch struggled with severe depression and excessive alcohol consumption.

Nobel Prize certificate of Carl Bosch [Photo: Archive of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin: VI. Abt., Rep. 1, Bosch, Carl III/26].

Available at many filling stations: Leuna gasoline from high-pressure synthesis (excerpt from an advertising postcard), 1930s.

Freedom and advancement of science and research

Commitment on several levels

Throughout his life, Bosch saw himself first and foremost as a scientist and engineer, and only later as a corporate leader. He also had a wide range of scientific interests that he pursued in his private life, notably in natural history collections and astronomy. As Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, he oversaw significant investments in research and development, convinced that the long-term survival of BASF, and later I.G. Farben, hinged on making scientific and technical advancements. Success proved that Bosch's strategy was right. Within the mere ten years under his leadership, I.G. Farben grew into one of the most diversified chemical companies in the interwar period.

New research facilities at BASF

Bosch was instrumental in founding two research facilities closely associated with ammonia synthesis. His proposed “Agricultural Research Station Limbergerhof,” now the BASF Agricultural Center Limbergerhof, opened in the spring of 1914. It was here that BASF systematically tested the efficacy of its new nitrogen fertilizers, adhering to its tradition of application-focused product testing. A second facility followed in 1917 in the form of a fully equipped ammonia laboratory under the direction of Alwin Mittasch, (1869–1953), catalysis expert and Bosch’s longest-serving employee.

Engagement beyond the company

Bosch is considered one of the most important and powerful patrons of science. From 1933 to 1935, he was Chairman of the Society of German Natural Scientists and Physicians (GDNAE), Germany’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary scientific association. From 1937, he was President of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, the predecessor of today’s Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science. He also financially backed numerous research projects, both personally and through his company. Bosch strongly advocated for the freedom of science and research, a position he resoundingly articulated in two public speeches in 1934 and 1939. At the time of his death in 1940, Bosch was a member of 42 German and foreign scientific societies.

Advocacy for Jewish scientists

Consistent with his stance on the freedom of science, Bosch advocated for Jewish scientists to retain their roles after the Nazi rise to power. The “Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service,” worded in the antisemitic, racist tones of the Nazis, made provisions for the expulsion of Jewish scientists in April 1933 from public service. It was not long afterward that Bosch met Adolf Hitler in person for the first time. Bosch is believed to have expressed his concern for Germany’s future competitiveness if outstanding scientists were forced to leave the country. Hitler is reported to have abruptly ended the conversation with the following words directed at Bosch: “The Privy Councilor wishes to leave!” At least according to his biographer, Karl Holdermann, this is how Bosch is said to have later recounted the encounter to trusted friends.

There is evidence that Bosch advocated for a number of individual Jewish scientists to remain in their positions or supported them in other ways. Such individuals include the physicist Lise Meitner (1878–1968), the astrophysicist Erwin Finlay Freundlich (1885–1964), the geochemist Victor Moritz Goldschmidt (1888–1947), the biochemist and Nobel Prize laureate Otto Meyerhof (1884–1951), the mathematician, physicist and later Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics Max Born (1882–1970) and the physicist Fritz London (1900–1954).

Solidarity with Fritz Haber

Fritz Haber died in early 1934. At his memorial service, Bosch orchestrated an “act of demonstrative non-compliance” [Margiz Szöllösi-Janze]. Under the definitions of Nazi racial ideology, Haber was considered to be of non-Aryan descent. As such, the regime was explicitly expressed its disapproval of anyone attending his memorial service. However, Bosch not only personally attended the service, he also ordered the managers from I.G. Farben to join him.

Carl Bosch’s motives

This raises the question of Bosch’s underlying motives. His personal dismay, as he expressed in the case of Fritz Haber , certainly plays a role. Yet did he also advocate for Jewish employees and colleagues for primarily ethical and moral reasons, being fundamentally against their marginalization and expulsion as a matter of principle? Or was his position primarily driven by corporate self-interest? After all, Bosch was well aware of the detriment caused by the expulsion of expertise as a result of antisemitic thinking and which threatened to hurt not only his own company, but also German science and research as a whole. It is difficult to provide a conclusive answer. Much of the information is based on hearsay and often lacking additional corroborating sources. What is evident, however, is that Bosch's support was confined to individuals within his immediate circle and sphere of influence. As far as we know, they were exclusively all high-ranking scientists or employees from his own company.

Persona non grata for the regime

Bosch risked his standing by advocating for the freedom of science and research and for Jewish scientists. Toward the end of his life, he was declared a persona non grata by the governing authorities. He completely discredited himself in their eyes in May 1939 when, under the influence of alcohol, he delivered a speech in which he made pointed criticisms of science and research grounded in ideological and racist beliefs.

Carl Bosch and Albert Einstein

Carl Bosch was an enthusiastic amateur astronomer and had a first small private observatory built on the grounds of his Heidelberg villa in 1919. At the end of the same year, an associate of Albert Einstein initiated a completely different kind of observatory with an appeal for donations from the German business community. A tower telescope was to be built in Potsdam, later known as the Einstein Tower, to enable further experimental confirmation of the theory of relativity of its name giver. Carl Bosch did not miss the opportunity to support this project with considerable private funds and donations from BASF.

This connection is likely the reason why Bosch invited Albert Einstein to give two one-hour lectures on the theory of relativity to academics from I.G. Farben at the Ludwigshafen Gesellschaftshaus (BASF restaurant) canteen on March 1 and 2 March, 1926. On this occasion, Albert Einstein also visited the Ludwigshafen and Oppau sites. He recorded his impressions in his entry in the Bosch villafamily's private guest book. The latter is lost, only Albert Einstein's verses have been preserved as a fragment.

Einstein's entry: Fragment of the Villa Bosch guest book, 1926 [Photo: Carl Bosch Museum, Heidelberg].
The lines read in translation:
Proudly and gladly would I dare
to carry owls to Athens.
When I came here like this
Mr. Bosch took me with him
into the labyrinth of work
where one thinks and where one ponders
a thousand hands and a thousand heads
like a single giant creature.
What great things man can do
if only the right man leads!

Carl Bosch as file creator?

Even though Carl Bosch himself thought little of organized record keeping, he encouraged the creation of the first BASF chronicle and had the necessary documents compiled. Today, they form a valuable source of information detailing company history.

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Carl Bosch (1874–1940) – Nobel Prize laureate, scientist, business leader

150th anniversary highlights

An exceptional, unconventional talent makes history

Carl Bosch the man

Biographical overview

Practical with wide-ranging interests: Education, studies and doctorate

Bosch at BASF and I.G. Farben: Climbing from the lab to top management

From scientist to corporate leader

From the Management Board to the Supervisory Board

Synthesis of ammonia

Challenges: High-pressure team work

Three hurdles in an interdisciplinary marathon

The decisive factor: The “double tube”

Oppau 1913: The first of its kind

Talent and trust

Briefly set in relation: Nitrogen, ammonia, nitric acid, saltpetre, nitrates

Benefits laced with darkness

The “Saltpeter Promise” – dual-use in World War I

War and “The Promise”

Carl Bosch’s motives

The price of progress? The Oppau disaster

Reconciliation with France and reflections on Europe

Reconciliation with France

International cooperation and free trade

New high-pressure syntheses

Noble Price and miscalculating coal hydrogenation

Nobel Prize for high-pressure methods

Miscalculations in coal hydrogenation

Collaboration between I.G. Farben and the Nazi Party

The forces he unleashed

Freedom and advancement of science and research

Commitment on several levels

New research facilities at BASF

Engagement beyond the company

Advocacy for Jewish scientists

Solidarity with Fritz Haber

Carl Bosch’s motives

Persona non grata for the regime

Carl Bosch and Albert Einstein

Carl Bosch as file creator?

150^thanniversary highlights