HEINRICH WIELAND'S NOBEL MEDAL SELLS FOR $395,000

The Nobel Prize gold medallion that German biochemist Heinrich Otto Wieland won in 1927 has been sold at auction for $395,000. And although that figure may not compare in monetary terms to the multimillion-dollar sales of James Watson's and Francis Crick's medals, the story of the prize and the man who won it is priceless.

The medal, accompanied by a letter of authenticity from the chemist's grandson, Heinrich Wieland, was sold to an anonymous bidder on Thursday through Los Angeles-based Nate D. Sanders Auctions. The $395,000 includes the buyer's premium, Sam Heller, a spokesman for the auction house, told NBC News.

The elder Wieland won the Nobel for his study of bile acids and related substances, such as cholesterol — but he's equally well-known for his personal courage after winning the prize. When Nazi-era laws called for the expulsion of Jewish students and others who were considered "racially burdened," Wieland kept the students in his group safe by designating them as his personal guests. He even tried to protect a student who was linked to an anti-Nazi resistance movement. (Unfortunately, Wieland failed.)

To read the complete article, see:
Nazi-Defying Chemist Heinrich Wieland's Nobel Prize Sells for $395,000 (www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/nazi-defying-chemist-heinrich-wielands-nobel-prize-sells-395-000-n352291)

In a rare display of civic courage, Wieland testified on behalf of Leipelt, who was nevertheless condemned by a Nazi court and executed in early 1945.

Since 1901, a total of 889 Nobel Prize medals have been awarded, of which only eight were sold or auctioned off by the recipients or their descendants. The prize for Wieland’s 23-karat medallion is in the middle range of the eight sold.

To read the complete article, see:
Nobel medal of German doc who shielded Jews fetches $395,000 (www.jta.org/2015/05/01/news-opinion/united-states/nobel-medal-of-german-doc-who-shielded-jews-fetches-395000)

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