Jacques (Jakob) Pollak

Born:	01-12-1872
Faculty:	Philosophical School
Category:	Expelled teacher

Jacques (Jakob) POLLAK (born on January 12th, 1872 in Budapest, died on August 8th, 1942 in Theresienstadt [Terezín/Czech Republic]) was in 1938 ao. Prof. (o. Prof.) for Chemistry at the Philosophical School of the University of Vienna. After he had graduated from high scholl in Budapest in 1889, Jacques Pollak studying chemistry at the Philosophical School of the University of Vienna. He was graduated 'Dr.phil' in 1893 and became assistant professor of Hugo Weidel and Rudolf Wegscheider at the I. Chemical Laboratory of the University of Vienna in 1896. He was promoted lecturer ('Privatdozent') of chemistry in 1901, received the title of an extraordinary professor in 1908 and the title of an ordinary professor in 1920. Since 1923 Pollak worked as head of the Laboratory of chemical technology at the University of Vienna, which he had he had established. He devoted himself especially to the study of organic dyes.
In 1935 he was retired, but continued his researches at the 1st Chemical Department. He was persecuted in times of Nazism as a Jew lost his position and was thrown out of the university on April 22nd, 1938. He was not not allowed to enter the Chemical Department anymore. Jacques Pollak and his wife Wilhelmine finally lived in Vienna 2nd district, Flossgasse 4/4. In July 1942 they were deported to Theresienstadt [Terezín/Czech Republic], where he died only one month later. His widow died in September 1942. A memorial tablet at the department of chemistry (Waehringer Strasse/Boltzmanngasse) reminds on his death.

Lit.: Exhibition "Bedrohte Intelligenz – Von der Polarisierung und Einschüchterung zur Vertreibung und Vernichtung im NS-Regime", Vienna 2015; DEICHMANN 2001, 122, 125; Robert W. ROSNER, Jüdische Chemiker in Österreich [pdf], 8; Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance (DÖW): Austrian Victims of the Holocaust; holocaust.cz.

 

Katharina Kniefacz