Commemorative stamp series - Germany / German Democratic Republic 1980 - 5 Pfennig

Important Personalities, Edition 1980 The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of the German Democratic Republic issues six special postage stamps with pictures of important personalities. No special First Day Cover Cover Special cancellation from February 26 to April 25, 1980 5 Pfennig value: Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner (13 December 1780 to 24 March 1849) Important chemist, from 1810 until his death as professor of chemistry, at times also the pharmacy , working at the University of Jena. He became best known for the discovery of platinum catalysis, above all for its practical use in the "Döbereiner's lighter", which is depicted on the special postal stamp: In a glass vessel, hydrogen is formed from zinc and sulfuric acid, which mixes with air when flowing out and at the platinum contact ignited in front of the outlet nozzle. Döbereiner's attempts to systematize the chemical elements with the help of his "triad rule" in 1816 constituted a significant preparatory work for the creation of the Periodic Table of the Elements. Döbereiner was one of the first university teachers to introduce a chemical work placement as part of the chemistry studies at German universities. Also numerous chemical-synthetic works, which were often led up to their practical application, z. B. in Schnellessigfabrikation go back to Döbereiner. Its significance for the development of pharmacy prompted the pharmaceutical company of the GDR to award the "Döbereiner Medal" as an award for outstanding achievements in pharmaceutical research and practice. Döbereiner became widely known as a scientific adviser to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who as minister in the Grand Duchy of Weimar and as one of the superintendents "on the immediate institutions for science and art" of the University of Jena was also Döbereiner's superior.