Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker
Carl Friedrich Freiherr von Weizsäcker (German: [kaʁl ˈfʁiːdʁɪç fɔn ˈvaɪtsɛkɐ] ⓘ; 28 June 1912 – 28 April 2007) was a German physicist and philosopher. He was the longest-living member of the team which performed nuclear research in Nazi Germany during the Second World War, under Werner Heisenberg's leadership. There is ongoing debate as to whether or not he and the other members of the team actively and willingly pursued the development of a nuclear bomb for Germany during this time.
Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker | |
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Weizsäcker in 1993 | |
| Born | Carl Friedrich Freiherr von Weizsäcker 28 June 1912 Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, German Empire |
| Died | 28 April 2007 (aged 94) Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany |
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| Fields | Physics, philosophy |
| Institutions | Max Planck Institute |
| Doctoral advisor | Friedrich Hund |
| Doctoral students | Karl-Heinz Höcker |
A member of the prominent Weizsäcker family, he was son of the diplomat Ernst von Weizsäcker, elder brother of the former German President Richard von Weizsäcker, father of the physicist and environmental researcher Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker and father-in-law of the former General Secretary of the World Council of Churches Konrad Raiser.
Weizsäcker made important theoretical discoveries regarding energy production in stars from nuclear fusion processes. He also did influential theoretical work on planetary formation in the early Solar System.
In his late career, he focused more on philosophical, ethical and historical issues, and was awarded several international honours for his work in those areas.