Chaim Weizmann

Chaim Weizmann
חיים ויצמן‎
Weizmann in 1949
1st President of Israel
In office 17 February 1949 – 9 November 1952
Prime Minister	David Ben-Gurion
Preceded by	Himself (as Chairman of the Provisional State Council)
Succeeded by	Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
2nd Chairman of the Provisional State Council of Israel
In office 16 May 1948 – 17 February 1949
Prime Minister	David Ben-Gurion
Preceded by	David Ben-Gurion
Succeeded by	Himself (as President)
Personal details
Born	Chaim Azriel Weizmann (1874-11-27)27 November 1874 Motal, Grodno Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	9 November 1952(1952-11-09) (aged 77) Rehovot, Israel
Citizenship	Russian Empire United Kingdom Israel
Political party	General Zionists
Spouse	Vera Weizmann
Relations	Maria Weizmann (sister) Anna Weizmann (sister) Minna Weizmann (sister) Ezer Weizman (nephew)
Children	2
Alma mater	Technische Universität Darmstadt Technische Universität Berlin University of Fribourg
Profession	Biochemist
Known for	Politics: helped establish the State of Israel. Science: industrial fermentation, acetone–butanol–ethanol fermentation process, critical to the WWI Allied war effort. Founder of the Sieff Research Institute (now Weizmann Institute), helped establish the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Signature

Chaim Azriel Weizmann (/ˈkaɪm ˈwaɪtsmən/ KYME WYTE-smən;^[a] 27 November 1874 – 9 November 1952) was a Russian-born biochemist, Zionist leader and Israeli statesman who served as president of the Zionist Organization and later as the first president of Israel. He was elected on 16 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952. Weizmann was instrumental in obtaining the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and convincing the United States government to recognize the newly formed State of Israel in 1948.

As a biochemist, Weizmann is considered to be the 'father' of industrial fermentation. He developed the acetone–butanol–ethanol fermentation process, which produces acetone, n-butanol and ethanol through bacterial fermentation. His acetone production method was of great importance in the manufacture of cordite explosive propellants for the British war industry during World War I. He founded the Sieff Research Institute in Rehovot (later renamed the Weizmann Institute of Science in his honor), and was instrumental in the establishment of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
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