From physics to metaphysics: Johann Wilhelm Ritter

The career and scientific accomplishments of Ritter, who was born in 1776 in Samitz, Silesia, are described. Ritter carried out experiments on galvanism and published his findings as a book. His main result was that galvanism is active also in inorganic nature, and he showed that the Volta series of metals was due to their ability to react with oxygen. Although he could be considered as the father of electrochemistry, his results were not recognized by most of his contemporaries because his experimental results were intercalculated with general philosophical and mystical thoughts. One discovery, the existence of ultraviolet light in the solar spectrum, still is connected with his name.<>