- Joachim Sauer
Joachim Sauer (born
April 19 ,1949 ) is a German quantum chemist, full professor at theHumboldt University of Berlin . He is the husband of theChancellor of Germany ,Angela Merkel .Scientific career
Sauer studied chemistry from
1967 to1972 at theHumboldt University of Berlin and was awarded adoctorate in chemistry in 1972 and continued to do research there until 1977 when he joined the Academy of Sciences, Central Institute of Physical Chemistry in Berlin, one of the leading scientifical institutes of the formerGDR (East Germany ).For a brief time during and after the
German reunification (1990-1991) he was the Deputy Technical Director (Catalysis and Sorption) for BIOSYM Technologies, San Diego/USA. He remained an advisor for BIOSYM until 2002.In
1992 he joined theMax Planck Society as Head of the Quantum Chemistry Group in Berlin. Since 1993 he has been a full professor of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry at theHumboldt University of Berlin . He is an active research scientist in quantum chemistry and computational chemistry.Personal life
From his previous marriage to a fellow chemist, Sauer has two sons, Daniel and Adrian.On
December 30 ,1998 , he marriedAngela Merkel (herself a doctor of physics who had once worked in quantum chemistry research), who later became chairwoman of theChristian Democratic Union and onNovember 22 ,2005 , first femaleChancellor of Germany .Public visibility as husband of
Angela Merkel Due to the political career of his wife Sauer has gained far more public visibility than usual for a research scientist. On several occasions he said he is not fond of this publicity.
During the 2005 election campaign Joachim Sauer kept a very low profile, declining to give any interviews not related to his scientific work. After attending the
Bayreuth Festival (an opera festival and a highly visible social event in Germany) with his wife, he was nicknamed "thePhantom of the Opera " by the German press. Prof. Sauer is known as a great lover of Wagner's music.Even during his wife's election in the
Bundestag , herinauguration and later her taking the oath of office Sauer was not present but - reportedly - sitting at home watching the event on TV. This caused something of an uproar among the German press. The next day Germany's premier tabloid "Bild-Zeitung " displayed the headline "Merkel - wo war ihr Mann?" ("Merkel - where was her husband?")External links
* [http://www.chemie.hu-berlin.de/ag_sauer/Staff/js.html CV of Prof. Dr. Joachim Sauer]
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/07/AR2007060702139.html Washington Post: The Professor's Quantum Leap]
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