Gerhardt

Abstract

Charles Frédéric Gerhardt (Strasbourg; 21 August 1816–19 August 1856), whose father was Swiss and descended from a family of brewers in the Palatinate, studied in Karlsruhe (1831–3) under Walchner, and under Erdmann, with whom he boarded, in Leipzig (1833). Friedrich August Walchner (Meersburg, Baden, 2 September 1799-Karlsruhe, 17 February 1865) was professor of mineralogy and geology at Karlsruhe; his publications are mostly minera-logical, but he investigated racemic acid.¹ Gerhardt’s father, who had lost most of his money in speculation, set up a white-lead factory in 1834 and wished Charles to join him; but the two quarrelled and Charles entered a lancer regiment at Hagenau. He was reprimanded for studying after lights-out, but his colonel gave permission for this. A friend (doubtfully identified with Liebig) paid 2000 francs on loan for Gerhardt’s release. In 1835 Gerhardt published his first paper (in German) on the formulae of the natural silicates,² which Berzelius noticed favourably in his Jahres-Bericht. In 1836 Gerhardt worked for six months with Liebig in Giessen. In 1837 he returned to Strasbourg to work in Persoz’ laboratory, but was not satisfied, as no organic analyses were made.