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Ernst Zerner

Born: 06-24-1884
Faculty: Philosophical School
Category: Expelled teacher

Ernst ZERNER, born on June 24th, 1884 in Eibenschitz, Moravia/Austria-Hungary [Ivančice/Czech Republic], was a private lecturer with the title of associate professor ("Pd. tit. a.o. Prof.") for organic and inorganic chemistry at the Philosophical School of the University of Vienna in 1938.

He completed his schooling in Vienna and passed his school-leaving examination ("Matura") with distinction at the k.k.Staatsgymnasium in Vienna's 19th district in 1902. He studied chemistry at the University of Vienna from 1902 to 1906 under Professors Jodl, von Lang, Lieben and Wegscheider. On July 18th, 1906, he graduated in chemistry from the University of Vienna (dissertation: "On the esterification of hemipipic acid and nitroterephtalic acid"). He then worked as a temporary assistant at the German University in Prague/Bohemia in 1906/07, was then a one-year volunteer in the k. u. k. Armee and then worked as a temporary assistant, and from 1909 as an assistant again at the Prague Chemical Institute until 1911 (with an interruption to work in Paris/France with Prof. Albin Haller at the Sorbonne, where his daughter Gertrud was born in 1910). From October 1911 he worked closely with Guido Goldschmiedt and was an assistant at the Second Chemical Laboratory of the University of Vienna. In May 1914 he habilitated and became a private lecturer in organic and inorganic chemistry. Ernst Zerner lived in Vienna's 8th district, Neudeggergasse 1 and took part in the First World War as a soldier. After being wounded, he worked in the Ministry of War and taught at the Federal Institute for the Chemical Industry in Vienna. In 1921, he was awarded the title - but not the position - of  associate professor at the University of Vienna and, in addition to his research and teaching activities, was technical director of the Austrian Mineralwasser AG.

He was persecuted under National Socialism and was dismissed for racist reasons from his position in 1938 and expelled from the University of Vienna.
His daughter Gertrud Zerner, who studied pharmacy at the Philosophical School, was also expelled from the University of Vienna in 1938 for racist reasons.

He had to flee Austria and managed to emigrate to London, Great Britain, in time.

In England, he worked in industrial research and in 1940 went to the USA, where he managed various research laboratories in industry. From 1950, he also worked as a consultant in New York.

He died on December 25th, 1966 in New York City, NY/USA and is buried together with his wife at the cemetery in Bethel, Fairfield County, CT/USA.


Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") PHIL 1902-1906, graduation registry ("Promotionsprotokoll") PHIL, personnel file PH PA 380, Personalstand der Universität Wien 1937/38, 71; MUEHLBERGER 1993, 48; BLUMESBERGER 2002, 1513; wikipedia.


Herbert Posch

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