Promoting Innovation in Memory of the Chemist Arthur Eichengrün

In the summer of 2025, RWTH alumnus Dr. Thomas Muhr approached the RWTH Aachen University Foundation to make a special request: He wanted to celebrate the inventive spirit of the Jewish chemist and RWTH alumnus Arthur Eichengrün and promote innovations in his honor. Arthur Eichengrün (1867—1949), who studied chemistry at RWTH Aachen University, made a name for himself with the synthesis of cocaine, his involvement in the development of aspirin and the incombustible cinema film. Despite his good reputation as a chemist, he was increasingly persecuted under Nazi rule and he was sent to Theresienstadt in 1944. Eichengrün died in Bad Wiessee just a few years after the end of the war.

In order to put his idea into practice, Dr. Muhr set up a temporary endowment fund under the auspices of the RWTH Aachen University Foundation. This type of foundation differs from the traditional perpetual foundation, in that the assets contributed are used entirely for the charitable purpose over a set period of time.

Special funding for innovations

Through his initiative, Dr. Muhr not only wants to honor the memory of Arthur Eichengrün, but he also wishes to support young scientists and teams at RWTH Aachen University. The endowment fund that bears Arthur Eichengrün’s name will award an annual prize of 10,000 euros. This prize supports RWTH teams that develop viable innovations from scientific ideas. These ideas have potential to generate sustainable applications and ideally, they could lead to spin-offs being formed. Dr. Muhr persuaded other alumni from his network to support his project by making donations to the newly established endowment fund. By doing so, they have made a joint contribution to promoting innovation.

Dr. Muhr said the following about the project:

At the beginning of the year, the first place winner of the RWTH Innovation Award RWTHtransparent event was presented with an additional award in honor of Arthur Eichengrün for the very first time. The winning team SOUND (Shell-Optimized Ultrasound-Navigated Drug Delivery Devices) is developing a new microbubble technology at the Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging. This new technology will deliver drugs to the brain in a targeted manner. The prizewinners can now use the money as they see fit to further promote their award-winning innovation.
Eichengrün's grandson and his wife were also present at this special award ceremony. His level of enthusiasm for the initiative was palpable: “It’s great to see that my grandfather's legacy continues to have an impact on the future.”

The RWTH Aachen University Foundation

The RWTH Aachen University Foundation pursues several key objectives. It focuses on the four funding areas “Research and Knowledge,” “Students and Campus Life,” “Teaching and Learning” and “Sustainability and Responsibility”. Through the targeted use of funds, the foundation is intended to contribute to the pursuit of innovative ideas and strategic topics that benefit both the University and society as a whole. As an umbrella foundation, the RWTH Aachen University Foundation enables donors to pursue charitable purposes without having to go to the expense of setting up their own foundation. Among other things, it offers an established infrastructure and professional level of administration.

– Author: Ellen Buchwald-Körfer