Herman Mark

Figure 7 – Herman Mark Austrian Passport Biometrics (“Herman Mark Austrian passports,” 1938)

        This brings us to Herman Mark. Born on May 3, 1895, in Vienna, Austria—20 years before Herbert Morawetz—Mark is now recognized as the father of polymer science and arguably the most influential scientist ever to work at Poly (“Biography (through retirement),” undated). He grew up in Vienna with his family before enrolling in mandatory military service after high school. However, with the outbreak of World War I in 1914, those years did not unfold as he or anyone else had expected. One of his many biographies briefly discusses his time in the Imperial Austrian Army (Figure 8).

Figure 8 – Herman Mark Biography of Austrian Army (“Biography (through retirement),” undated)

        Based on this and other parts of his biographies, Herman Mark was highly regarded for his actions in World War I, earning the title of “most decorated company-grade officer in the Austrian Army” by November 1918—the same month the Austrian front collapsed, leading to his imprisonment by the Italians (“Biographical - Sketches," 1985-2005). Despite what one might expect, prison life was not as harsh. “Mark and his comrades had a relatively good life” in captivity, housed in an old convent near Monopoli in Southern Italy.

No one, including Mark himself, could have predicted that this young veteran in his 20s would go on to become a world-renowned scientist. Interestingly, he and many of his comrades used their time in captivity to study—primarily Italian, though Mark extended his learning to include French, English, and even chemistry (“Biographical - Sketches," 1985-2005). When he received word that his father might be dying, he took a daring risk: bribing an Italian prison guard during a transfer, disguising himself in a British uniform, and taking a train all the way back to Vienna (“Biographical - Sketches," 1985-2005). Fortunately, his father recovered, and Mark was free.

He then pursued higher education, earning a Ph.D. summa cum laude from the University of Vienna in 1921 under Wilhelm Schlenk, a renowned German chemist. Shortly after, he became an instructor at the University of Berlin and, within a year, joined the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Fiber Chemistry, where he progressed from Research Fellow to Group Leader by 1926. During this time, he married Mary Schramek and had two sons, Hans and Peter (“Biographical - Sketches," 1985-2005).

In 1926, Herman Mark joined I.G. Farben-Industrie as a research chemist, becoming Group Leader in 1928 and Assistant Research Director in 1930, all while serving as an Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry at the Technical University in Karlsruhe. In 1932, as the Nazi Party assumed power in Germany, he returned to the University of Vienna as a Professor of Chemistry and later became Director of the First Chemical Institute, a position he held until 1938 (“Biographical - Sketches," 1985-2005).

Even before fleeing Europe, Mark had already been forced to escape Nazi persecution. In a 1979 interview with Alan Stahl, he recalled, “it became obvious that Austria could not exist independent of Germany and Hitler,” referring to the years 1936 and 1937. As a forward thinker—and aware of the growing threat due to his half-Jewish heritage—Mark had begun searching for safer opportunities for himself and his family. He had been in contact with the Canadian International Paper Company about succeeding as manager of their Research Laboratory in Hawkesbury, Ontario. However, in March 1938, Adolf Hitler annexed Austria—months earlier than Mark had anticipated.

Reacting swiftly, he reached out to Dr. Thorne at the Canadian International Paper Company, expressing his immediate availability. A month later, in April 1938, he was officially dismissed from his professorship. By May, he secretly fled Austria with his family and a Jewish niece. His escape route can be traced through the passport stamps he left behind (“Biographical - Sketches," 1985-2005).

As a side note, a testament to Mark’s ingenuity can be found in the same 1979 interview with Alan Stahl, where he reveals how he managed to take a portion of his wealth with him despite strict Nazi restrictions (Figure 9).

Figure 9 – Herman Mark Interview with Alan Stahl in 1979

        Based on his passport stamps dates, and excerpts from his interviews and biographies, Herman Mark and his family’s escape route from Nazi-occupied Austria to Canada unfolded as follows, passing through Switzerland, France, England, and finally Canada.

Stage One: From Austria to Switzerland

Figure 10 shows that Mark obtained a Swiss visa from the Swiss Embassy in Vienna, Austria, on June 23, 1938. He crossed the Swiss border on July 10, 1938, although it is unclear whether this date marks his entry into or exit from Switzerland.

Figure 10 – Swiss Visa (“Herman Mark Austrian passports,” 1938)

Stage Two: From Switzerland to France

Figure 11 indicates that Mark's French visa was valid for eight days, expiring on July 15, 1938. He later boarded a ship in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, on July 24, 1938, bound for the United Kingdom.

Figure 11 – French Visa (“Herman Mark Austrian passports,” 1938)

Stage Three: From France to the United Kingdom

No stamp was found confirming Mark’s arrival in the United Kingdom.

Stage Four: From the United Kingdom to Canada

Figure 12 shows that Mark’s Canadian visa was approved on September 14, 1938, in London, England. He eventually arrived in Canada on September 30, 1938.

Figure 12 – Canadian Visa (“Herman Mark Austrian passports,” 1938)

Figure 13 below displays his Canadian Immigration Card.

Figure 13 – Canadian Immigration Identification Card (“Canadian Immigration Cards,” 1938)

Mark worked for two years as a research manager at the Canadian International Paper Company in Hawkesbury, Ontario, where he modernized the research laboratory and improved production processes, focusing primarily on wood pulp. In 1940, he returned to academia and joined Poly as an adjunct professor of Organic Chemistry. He was promoted to full professor in 1942, appointed Director of the Polymer Research Institute in 1946, and became Dean of Faculty in 1961. He resigned from the latter two positions in 1964 and 1965, respectively (“Biographical - Sketches," 1985-2005).

During his time at Poly, Mark continued his research, establishing the fundamental theory of an entirely new field and earning the unofficial title of the father of polymer science. His contributions at Poly—and how they furthered the institution’s reputation and commitment to excellence—are discussed in the following section. With this, Herman Mark’s migration journey from Europe to Poly is concluded, a journey particularly notable and unique, illustrating the immense challenges he and so many others faced beyond just the scientific community. On March 19, 1941, in an article featured in The Polytechnic Reporter, Herman Mark reflected on his life, stating:

“Such a life is fine to look back on, but not so pleasant to look forward to.”

The Poly archives contain little about Herman Mark’s personal struggles and emotions; most materials in the Herman Mark Collection focus on his career and research. This makes sense given the figure he was—and still is—within the scientific community, though it does represent an archival silence. The quote presented above offers a rare glimpse into his personal reflections and emotions toward his past experiences, hinting at the struggles he faced and the fact that his life was far from easy or simple. Considering his journey and the historical context of the time, as also reflected through Herbert Morawetz’s quotes, this is almost unimaginable. Yet, the quote also conveys a sense of pride, identity, and, most of all, a sense of rest—after fighting in World War I, being captured, studying and conducting research with some of the greatest minds, escaping Nazi persecution, and fleeing Europe, it seems he finally found at Poly a place of calmness and security he had lost or been forced to leave behind.