Edvard Hjelt

Edvard Hjelt ( born June 18, 1855 in Vihti, † July 2, 1921 in Bad Mergentheim ) was a Finnish chemist, diplomat and politician.

Study and academic career

Hjelt graduated in chemistry at the University of Helsinki. As usual in that time, he completed his training stays abroad, especially in Germany. After the second visit in the years 1877 and 1878, first in John Wislicenus in Würzburg and later with Emil Fischer, Emil Erlenmeyer and Adolf von Baeyer at Munich University, he received his doctorate after returning. After a second stay at the University of Strasbourg in Rudolph Fittig he received the teaching certificate and became a professor of chemistry at the University of Helsinki in place of his mentor Johan Jacob Chydenius ( 1836-1890 ).

In the following time Hjelt wrote several textbooks on organic chemistry, which belonged to the 1930's are the standard works. Also some books on the history of chemistry were written by him, with History of Organic Chemistry from the Oldest to the Present Time (1916 ) is probably his most famous. Hjelt wrote many obituaries for deceased colleagues, for example, Jean -Baptiste Dumas and Friedrich Konrad Beilstein.

From 1899 to 1908, he was three times in succession Rector of the University of Helsinki. In this context, he also got the increasing pressure on the Grand Duchy of Finland to feel, to move closer to Russia, to which the Grand Duchy was in fact at this time.

Political career

Political activities by the Finnish Civil War

Hjelt was from 1899 to 1917 and senator in the Grand Duchy of Finland. After 1899, the parliament had lost most of his powers began a Russification, which was strongly felt in both the political system and in the universities. Hjelt tried to keep the situation calm and as far as stopping the Russification as possible. The preparation of a rifle battalion in 1915 from Finnish volunteers who have been trained in Germany, is also due to his initiative. The good German language skills and his close ties to Germany helped him to obtain from the highest authorities in the German Empire that support. This Battalion was the core of the Finnish army in the struggle for independence in 1918. Hjelt was Finnish ambassador in Berlin and had close contact with General Erich Ludendorff and Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg. The landing of six German battalions in Finland in March 1918 goes back to his initiative.

Monarchy and Republic

Hjelt was also involved in the selection of a suitable king for the new constitutional monarchy Finland. The first favored by him Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg -Schwerin was not supported by Prussia and so was Frederick Charles of Hesse proposed as a candidate. Was influence by the Allied Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg the first president of Finland, without ever would have been crowned a king.

Works

• History of organic chemistry from the earliest times to the present: Figure 3. - Brunswick:. Vieweg, 1916 Digitized edition of the University and State Library Dusseldorf
• From Jac. Berzelius and Gustav Magnus ' correspondence in the years 1828 - 1847th Braunschweig 1900 Digitized edition of the University and State Library Dusseldorf

Biographical sources and background information

• George B. Kauffman, Lauri Niinistö: Edvard Immanuel Hjelt (1855-1921): Finnish Chemist and Historian of Chemistry. In: The Chemical Educator. 3, No. 3, 1998, pp. 1-15. doi: 10.1007/s00897980208a.
• George B. Kauffman, Lauri Niinistö: Chemistry and Politics: Edvard Immanuel Hjelt ( 1855-1921 ). In: The Chemical Educator. 3, No. 5, 1998, pp. 1-15. doi: 10.1007/s00897980247a.

• Chemists ( 19th century)
• University teachers ( University of Helsinki)
• Finnish Ambassador to Germany
• Politicians (Finland )
• Finn
• Born in 1855
• Died in 1921
• Man