Two Croatian Chemists who were Awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Two organic chemists of Croatian origin, Leopold Ružička and Vladimir Prelog, made significant contributions to natural product chemistry during the twentieth century. They received their university education and research training in Germany and Czechoslovakia, respectively. Both made their careers in Zürich, Switzerland, and both shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, in 1939 and 1975, respectively. In this article, I have set the details of their lives and achievements against the education and research climates in Europe and other regions, especially as they apply to the field of chemistry