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This is the first book-length study of the life and career of the Israeli chemist Ernst David Bergmann. It traces his birth and education in Germany; his decision, after the rise of Hitler, to immigrate to Palestine rather than to accept a position at Oxford; and his intimate 18-year association with Chaim Weizmann – not only as his closest scientific associate but also as Scientific Director of both the Sieff Institute and of the Weizmann Institute. Also described is his tragic falling out with Weizmann over the issue of the role of science in defense research, leading to his subsequent 18-year association with David Ben-Gurion as his personal science advisor and as Head of Scientific Research for the Israeli Defense Ministry, and to his pivotal role in the development of the Israeli atomic bomb. For the last 23 years of his life Bergmann also served as Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Hebrew University, where he trained a generation of Israeli chemists, as well as playing a key role in the organization of virtually every aspect of the present-day Israeli scientific community.
"Chapters 4-6 shed new light not only on EDB’s activities as a would-be scientific director of the Weizmann Institute (in 1949 the Zieff Institute was so renamed, at a time Weizmann served as the first president of the State of Israel) but also on Weizmann’s own scientific involvements before and during World War II. Much as in World War I, Weizmann pursued war-related inventions, most notably processes for the production of artificial rubber as well as acetone, which was needed for munitions. The authors discuss the role of science in the war effort, whether during World War II especially in the Middle East (e.g., by providing services and supplies to the British army) or during the War of Independence, (e.g., by doing the same for the Israeli army), both aspects which have not previously received wide attention. This book thus contributes to a growing literature suggesting that scientific research played a key role in the eventually successful quest for Israeli statehood." - H-Net Reviews, by: Pnina G. Abir-Am, February 2016
University of Cincinnati Magazine, by Greg Hand, January 2012
"Readable and meticulously researched, this book is also a story of how science, politics, and personal life intertwined in mid-20th century."
Interface Magazine,Weizmann Institute of Science, January 2012
"Written in an engaging style, it aptly combines in-depth analysis with amusing anecdotes."