Contents -- Preface -- 1. Development of Physics and Physical Chemistry from about 1800 until 1870 -- 2. Youth and University Period (1864 - 1887) -- 2.1 Ancestors and Parents -- 2.2 Youth and High School in Graudenz -- 2.3 University Studies in Zurich and Berlin -- 2.4 Graz: The "Second Scientific Home" -- 2.4.1 University and physics in Graz: Ludwig Boltzmann and Albert von Ettingshausen -- 2.4.2 The Ettingshausen-Nernst effects and the Nernst effect -- 2.5 Conclusion of the University Studies in Wurzburg -- 3. Habilitation in Leipzig (1887 - 1889) -- 3.1 The Sciences at the University of Leipzig -- 3.2 Wilhelm Ostwald -- 3.3 The Completion of the Thermodynamics of Electro chemistry: The Nernst Equation -- 3.4 The "Ionists" versus the "Anti-Ionists" -- 4 . The Gottingen Period: The Rise to World Fame (1890 - 1905) -- 4.1 The Georgia Augusta University in Gottingen -- 4.2 Eduard Riecke, Felix Klein, and Mathematics in Gottingen -- 4.3 Early Studies in Gottingen: The Nemst Distribution Law -- 4.4 Marriage with Emma Lohmeyer and the Walther Nernst Family -- 4.5 The Textbook "Theoretical Chemistry from the Stand- point of Avogadro's Rule and Themodynamics" -- 4.6 The First Professorship and the Establishment of a Chair of Physical Chemistry -- 4.7 The New Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electro- chemistry -- 4.8 Studies and Members in the New Institute -- 4.9 The Nernst Lamp -- 4.10 Nemst Law of Electrical Nerve Stimulus Threshold (Reizschwellengesetz) -- 4.11 The Construction of Instruments -- 4.12 Mathematics and Chemistry -- 5 . Professor of Physical Chemistry in Berlin (1905 . 1922) -- 5.1 The Friedrich-Wilhelm University and Other Academic Institutions in Berlin and Charlottenburg -- 5.2 The Famous Year 1905 -- 5.3 The lnstitute of Physical Chemistry at the University of Berlin.

5.4 The First Lecture in Berlin - Announcement of a Fun- damental Law of Nature -- 5.5 The Nernst Law of Heat or the Third Law of Thermo- dynamics -- 5.5.1 Remarks on the First and Second Law of Thermo- dynamics -- 5.5.2 The problem and its solution given by Nernst -- 5.5.3 The calculation of chemical equilibria -- 5.5.4 Specific heats and low-temperature physics -- 5.5.5 Quantum Theory -- 5.5.6 The impossibility of reaching the absolute zero of temperature -- 5.5.7 Formulation of the Third Thermal Law by Max Planck -- 5.5.8 Research between 1906 and 1916, the monograph, and the Nobel Prize in Chemistry -- 5.5.9 Critique and priority conflict -- 5.6 Other Scientific Studies during this Period -- 5.7 Organization of Science -- 5.7.1 Kaiser Wilhelm Institutes -- 5.7.2 German Electrochemical Society -- 5.7.3 Other developments -- 5.7.4 Rector of the University and the Institute for Foreigners -- 5.8 Managing a Country Estate, Hunting, and Fish Farming -- 5.9 The First World War -- 5.9.1 War-related research: gas warfare, explosives, bal- listics -- 5.9.2 The effort on peace negotiations -- 5.10 Political Activities -- 5.11 Visits to the USA and to South America -- 6. President of the Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt (PTR) (1922 - 1924) -- 6.1 Brief History of the PTR -- 6.2 Activities of Nernst at the PTR -- 7. Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Berlin (1924 - 1933) -- 7.1 Solutions of Strong Electrolytes -- 7.2 Vibrating Strings and the Neo-Bechstein Grand Piano -- 7.3 Studies in Cosmology and Astrophysics -- 8. The Final Years (1933 - 1941) -- 8.1 Attitude to the Fascism -- 8.2 An Attempt to Participate in the War-Related Research during the Second World War -- 8.3 The End in the Village of Zibelle -- 9. Honors and Memorials -- References -- Name Index.