On 24 April 1939, Paul Harteck and his assistant, Wilhelm Groth, had written to the Armed Forces High Command (OKW), alerting it to the possibility of the development of an atomic bomb. In response, the Army Weapons Branch (HWA) had established a physics section under the nuclear physicist Kurt Diebner. After World War II broke out on 1 September 1939, the HWA moved to control the German nuclear weapons program. From then on, Hahn participated in a ceaseless series of meetings related to the project. After the Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics, Peter Debye, left for the United States in 1940 and never returned, Diebner was installed as its director. Hahn reported to the HWA on the progress of his research. Together with his assistants, Hans-Joachim Born, Siegfried Flügge, Hans Götte, Walter Seelmann-Eggebert and Strassmann, he catalogued about one hundred fission product isotopes. They also investigated means of isotope separation; the chemistry of element 93; and methods for purifying uranium oxides and salts.
On 24 April 1939 Paul Harteck and his assistant Wilhelm Groth had written to the Armed Forces High Command (OKW) alerting it to the possibility of the development of an atomic bomb In response the Army Weapons Branch (HWA) had established a physics section under the nuclear physicist Kurt Diebner After World War II broke out on 1 September 1939 the HWA moved to control the German nuclear weapons program From then on Hahn participated in a ceaseless series of meetings related to the project After the Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics Peter Debye left for the United States in 1940 and never returned Diebner was installed as its director Hahn reported to the HWA on the progress of his research Together with his assistants Hans-Joachim Born Siegfried Flügge Hans Götte Walter Seelmann-Eggebert and Strassmann he catalogued about one hundred fission product isotopes They also investigated means of isotope separation; the chemistry of element 93; and methods for purifying uranium oxides and salts