Metzger, Hélène (1889–1944)

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Metzger, Hélène (1889–1944)

French chemist and historian. Name variations: Helene Metzger. Born 1889 in France; died in Auschwitz, 1944; m. Paul Metzger (professor of history and geography), 1913 (missing in action during WWI, Sept 1914).

Studied mineralogy at Sorbonne and wrote doctoral thesis on evolution of crystallography; won Prix Bordin in philosophy for Les concepts scientifiques; directed library of history of science at Centre Internationale de Synthèse from 1939; during WWII, worked at Bureau d'Etudes Israëlites in Lyons; arrested by Nazis (Feb 1944) and sent to Auschwitz; had important influence on scientific historians.