Legacy as a creative product of the gatekeeper: A case of Fritz Haber and his gatekeepers

Issues of legacy are central to our modern discourse as we reexamine the actions, values, and virtues of individuals using contemporary social mores. This tension between creative development and present-day ethics highlights an enigma for the person who wishes to be remembered through the generations. However, the answer is simple: a person’s legacy is a creative product of gatekeepers. We look at the life of Fritz Haber—famed chemist, Nobel laureate, and the father of chemical warfare—to illustrate this phenomenon. Primary data in this case are print material (e.g. biographies) that were coded for their characterization of Haber as either a “brilliant scientist,”“unethical antagonist,” or a hybrid as a “complex man.” Our analysis demonstrated that Haber’s characterization was informed by the lenses and roles of the print material authors. Results demonstrated the situated, complex, and dynamic ways that gatekeepers portrayed Haber, and thus constructed his legacy for posterity. This case study exemplifies the emergence of legacy as social creation among gatekeepers.