14 Facts About Walter Heitler

Walter Heitler brought chemistry under quantum mechanics through his theory of valence bonding.

In 1922, Heitler began his study of physics at the Karlsruhe Technische Hochschule, in 1923 at the Humboldt University of Berlin, and in 1924 at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, where he studied under both Arnold Sommerfeld and Karl Herzfeld.

Walter Heitler then became an assistant to Max Born at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of Gottingen.

Walter Heitler completed his Habilitation, under Born, in 1929, and then remained as a Privatdozent until 1933.

At the time Walter Heitler received his doctorate, three Institutes for Theoretical Physics formed a consortium which worked on the key problems of the day, such as atomic and molecular structure, and exchanged both scientific information and personnel in their scientific quests.

In doing so, Born arranged for Walter Heitler to get a position that year as a Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, with Nevill Francis Mott.

In 1936, Walter Heitler published his major work on quantum electrodynamics, The Quantum Theory of Radiation, which marked the direction for future developments in quantum theory.

Walter Heitler contributed to the understanding of cosmic rays, as well as predicted the existence of the electrically neutral pi meson.

Walter Heitler mentioned this to Bristol colleague Cecil Powell, saying that the method appeared so straightforward that 'even a theoretician might be able to do it'.

Walter Heitler remained at Bristol eight years, until 1941, when he became a professor at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, which was arranged there by Erwin Schrodinger, Director of the School for Theoretical Physics.

Walter Heitler has been described as the "unsung hero of DIAS in the 1940s".

Walter Heitler stayed at Dublin until 1949, when he accepted a position as Ordinarius Professor for Theoretical Physics and Director of the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of Zurich, where he remained until 1974, when he retired.

In 1958, Walter Heitler held the Lorentz Chair for Theoretical Physics at the University of Leiden.

Walter Heitler's books were published in German, English, and French.