In 1901 Wieland received his doctorate at the University of Munich while studying underJohannes Thiele.[2][3] In 1904 he completed hishabilitation, then continued to teach at the university and starting in 1907 was a consultant forBoehringer Ingelheim.[citation needed] In 1914 he became associate professor for special topics inorganic chemistry, and director of the Organic Division of the State Laboratory in Munich. From 1917 to 1918 Wieland worked in the service of the (KWI)Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry inDahlem then led byFritz Haber[4] as an alternative to regular military service. There he was involved in weapons research for instance finding new synthetic routes formustard gas. He is also credited with the first synthesis ofAdamsite.
From 1913 to 1921, he was Professor at theTechnical University of Munich. He then moved to theUniversity of Freiburg as successor ofLudwig Gattermann (he also assumed responsibility for Gattermanns famous cookbook).[5] In Freiburg he started working on toad poisons and bile acids. In association with Boehringer Ingelheim he worked on synthetic alkaloids such asmorphine andstrychnine.
In 1941, Wieland isolated the toxinalpha-amanitin, the principal active agent of one of the world's most poisonous mushroomsAmanita phalloides.[5]
Wieland tried successfully to protect people, especiallyJewish students, who were "racially burdened" after theNuremberg Laws. Students who were expelled because they were "racially burdened" could stay in Heinrich Wieland's group as chemists or as "Gäste des Geheimrats" (guests of the privy councillor).Hans Conrad Leipelt, a student of Wieland, was sentenced to death after collecting money forKurt Huber's widow Clara Huber.
Heinrich's father, Theodor Wieland (1846–1928) was a pharmacist with a doctorate in chemistry. He owned a gold and silver refinery in Pforzheim.[4] Heinrich Wieland was a cousin of Helene Boehringer, the wife of Albert Boehringer, who was the founder of theBoehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical company. He worked for the company from 1915 to 1920 and established the company's scientific department.
Eva Wieland, Heinrich Wieland's daughter, was married toFeodor Lynen on 14 May 1937.
Since 1964, theHeinrich Wieland Prize has been awarded annually. First to promote research on chemistry,biochemistry,physiology andclinical medicine of lipids and related substances, nowadays the prize is awarded for outstanding research on biologically active molecules and systems in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, and physiology as well as on their clinical importance. The prize is among the most treasured international science awards and has a successful history of over 50 years. The Heinrich Wieland Prize has been sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim from 2000 to 2010. From 2011, it has been awarded by the Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation. The awardees have always been selected by an independent Board of Trustees. Since 2014, it has been endowed with 100,000 euros.[7]
