Pascual Jordan

Born on 18 October 1902, Pascual Jordan was a German theoretical physicist whose pioneering work in quantum mechanics was tainted by his involvement with the Nazi Party. He earned a PhD from the University of Göttingen in 1924. Jordan made several important contributions to the mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics in the 1920s and 1930s. He pioneered quantum field theory, which describes the behavior and interactions of subatomic particles. In 1933, despite enjoying numerous friendships and work collaborations with Jewish colleagues, Jordan joined the Nazi Party and enlisted in an SA (storm trooper) unit. During World War II he performed research for the Luftwaffe, Germany’s air force. “There are not many physicists whose biography contains glorious scientific achievements next to disturbing human weaknesses as that of Pascual Jordan,” Bert Schroer wrote in a 2003 paper.

Date in History: 18 October 1902