# Adolf Butenandt

_German biochemist (1903-1995)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/adolf-butenandt
Last updated: 2026-10-30

> Adolf Friedrich Johann Butenandt was a German biochemist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1939 for his "work on sex hormones." He initially rejected the award in accordance with government policy, but accepted it in 1949 after World War II. He was President of the Max Planck Society from 1960 to 1972. He was also the first, in 1959, to discover the structure of the sex pheromone of silkworms, which he named bombykol.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 24 March 1903 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Lehe ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327#P19))
- **Died:** 18 January 1995 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327#P570))
- **Place of death:** Munich ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Germany ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327#P27))
- **Occupation:** biochemist; chemist; politician; university teacher ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327#P106))
- **Political party:** Nazi Party (since 1 May 1936) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327#P102))
- **Education:** University of Marburg; University of Göttingen ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327#P69))
- **Spouse:** Erika Butenandt ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327#P26))
- **Awards:** Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts order; Bavarian Order of Merit; honorary citizen of Munich; Great Golden Medal of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria; Nobel Prize in Chemistry; Carus medal; Harnack medal; Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art; Ernst Hellmut Vits Award; August Wilhelm von Hofmann Medal; Emil Fischer Medal; Fresenius Prize; honorary doctor of the University of Vienna; Grand Cross 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany; honorary doctorate of the University of Graz ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327#P166))

## Questions

**When was Adolf Butenandt born?**  
Adolf Butenandt was born on 24 March 1903 in Lehe.

**Where did Adolf Butenandt study?**  
Adolf Butenandt was educated at University of Marburg, University of Göttingen.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Adolf Butenandt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Butenandt) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q5327](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Bad Schachen Porträt; Adolf Butenandt - W134Nr.020182c - Willy Pragher (cropped).jpg by Willy Pragher (CC BY 3.0 de)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bad_Schachen_Portr%C3%A4t;_Adolf_Butenandt_-_W134Nr.020182c_-_Willy_Pragher_(cropped).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Adolf Butenandt, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Bad Schachen Porträt; Adolf Butenandt - W134Nr.020182c - Willy Pragher (cropped).jpg — Willy Pragher, CC BY 3.0 de.

## Cite this page

"Adolf Butenandt". DigiNepal. Last updated 30 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/adolf-butenandt. Retrieved 5 November 2026.