Clemens-Winkler-Sammlung der TU Bergakademie Freiberg

The collection contains about 1,400 inorganic chemical specimens, which were mostly synthesized in the second half of the 19th century. The original holdings have been preserved except for a few items. These include both solid and liquid specimens, which are mainly stored in sealed glass ampoules. The collection goes back to Clemens Alexander Winkler (1838–1904), who prepared most of the samples himself at the Mining Academy. It also includes the original specimen of the rare mineral argyrodite, from which Winkler isolated germanium in 1886. Winkler’s successors maintained and expanded the collection. It represents a valuable and important physical record of the history of inorganic chemistry. It is widely used in teaching inorganic chemistry and is available on request.