Let us try to characterize Emil Fischer, as a person and as a scientist, in order to attempt to understand the background leading to his monumental accomplishments. In addition to his many scientific publications and official presentations , his autobiography , and an extensive biography are prime sources. The latter draws heavily on personal correspondence as well as his scientific publications in order to characterize, even glorify, the man. Hermann Emil Fischer was born in a small Rhenish village (Euskirchen, 9. October, 1852); he inherited a streak of independence as part of a Protestant minority in the predominantly Catholic Rheinland. Only in his last years in high-school did he attend the public (Catholic) school. Although a superior student, theology, philosophy, and the humanities were of little significance to him . His father's comment has been put into context by Prof. Vlado Prelog : "The boy is too stupid to go into business, so in God's name, let him study." He was a talented chess player and had a remarkable memory, which he used both to harness the manifold experimental observations from his laboratory and the literature, but also to cover one of the clearest deficiencies, an inability to speak extemporaneously. When his Doktorvater and life-long mentor, Professor Adolf Baeyer, was leaving Strasbourg for Munich, Fischer was asked at the good-bye party to say a few words. His stammerings and protracted pauses were painful for all present. He never let it happen again, writing and delivering from memory his lectures and speeches, with total recall late into his life.

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