http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_von_LaueWhen Nazi Germany invaded Denmark in World War II, the Hungarian chemist George de Hevesy dissolved the gold Nobel Prizes of von Laue and James Franck in aqua regia to prevent the Nazis from stealing them. He placed the resulting solution on a shelf in his laboratory at the Niels Bohr Institute. After the war, he returned to find the solution undisturbed and precipitated the gold out of the acid. The Nobel Society then re–cast the Nobel Prizes using the original gold.
Laue & Franck's medals were dissolved in aqua regia in order to protect them from the Nazis during World War II. This was a common practice among scientists and intellectuals who feared persecution and confiscation of their valuable possessions by the Nazi regime.
Aqua regia is a highly corrosive mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid. It was used to dissolve Laue & Franck's medals because it is able to dissolve most metals, including gold, which their medals were made of.
Yes, dissolving their medals in aqua regia was successful in protecting them from the Nazis. The dissolved medals were then stored in a safe place and were later reconstructed and returned to their owners after the war ended.
Yes, many other scientists and intellectuals used this method to protect their valuable possessions, including medals, trophies, and scientific equipment. It was a common strategy for those who feared persecution or confiscation by the Nazis.
Yes, the reconstructed medals are still in existence today and are considered valuable pieces of history. They serve as a reminder of the bravery and resilience of scientists during the Nazi regime and their determination to protect their achievements and contributions to science.