History of institutionalized nutrition research in Germany

Starting from Justus v. Liebig the development of German nutrition research over a century into two different disciplines, i.e. physiology and physiological chemistry on the one hand, and food chemistry on the other is described. It was only after the bitter experience of two world wars that food and nutrition are again regarded as both unit and interrelation. Longsightedness and a great many initiatives were necessary to institutionalize nutrition-research in Germany on a supradisciplinary level in Potsdam-Rehbrucke 50 years ago. owing to the joint efforts of C.-A. Scheunert, W. Ziegelmayer, K. Taufel and K. Lohmann. The tradition of original nutrition research is continued with a new profile and close links to universities. Another training centre for nutritionists in the new federal countries oi Germany, besides Potsdam, has been established at the university of Jena.