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The historical development of modern virus research in Germany, especially in the Kaiser-Wilhelm-/Max-Planck-Society, 1936–1954

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Abstract

This is lecture on the historical development of modern virus research in Germany to introduce a symposium dedicated to Prof. Werner Schäfer, Tübingen, on the occasion of his 65th birthday. The author was set the task of relating from his memories the beginning of modern virus research in Germany. This research has, since 1936, essentially taken place in the Kaiser-Wilhelm/Max-Planck-Society and in 1954 led to the founding of the Max-Planck-Institute for Virus Research in Tübingen, an institute which to the present day owes its scientific reputation in considerable part to the activity of Werner Schäfer. Since the author personally experienced and participated in the Institute's development from 1936–1954, his remarks are predominantly influenced by personal recollections, which have been sharpended by a renewed study of old records in the ’Library and Archive of the History of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft’, Berlin-Dahlem.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried, near Munich, Federal Republic of Germany

    Adolf Butenandt (Honorary President of the Max-Planck-Sociery)

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  1. Adolf Butenandt
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Dedicated to Professor Werner Schäfer on the occasion of his 65th birthday

Dear Werner Schäfer, you are the last of those pioneers emerging from the department for virus research in my former Institute for Biochemistry in Tübingen. The three-day symposium beginning today will testify to that which you have contributed to the high reputation of the Max-Planck-Institute for Virus Research and to the great significance of your researches and discoveries in forming a new scientific school. I should like to wish for you and for the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft that your model will remain a directive for the furture development of this fine institute.

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Butenandt, A. The historical development of modern virus research in Germany, especially in the Kaiser-Wilhelm-/Max-Planck-Society, 1936–1954. Med Microbiol Immunol 164, 3–14 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02121297

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02121297

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