title: How Did the Tree of Knowledge Get Its Blossom? The Rise of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, with an Eye on Berlin and Leipzig.
abstract: "Physical chemistry is not just a branch on but the blossom of the tree of knowledge," declared Ostwald, a most vocal advocate of his field, conceived as the basis for all of chemistry. This Essay describes the historical development of physical and theoretical chemistry with a focus on Berlin and Leipzig, its foremost centers in Germany.
authors.affiliation: Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195, Berlin, Germany. bretislav.friedrich@fhi-berlin.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Bretislav
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1299-4239
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Friedrich
keywords: history of chemistry; physical chemistry; quantum mechanics; theoretical chemistry