Family and early education in Westphalia; early interest in astronomy. Studies architecture in Hanover, 1926; spectroscopy with Gustav Mie in Freiburg, 1927-1928. In Gt̲tingen studies mathematics and chemistry, thesis advisor Ludwig Prandtl. Comments on Henry N. Russell's work on Chemical Composition of Stars, on Arthur S. Eddington's Internal Constitution of Stars and on own works on the subject (Thomas G. Cowling). The recognition of high chemical abundance of hydrogen in stars, 1939 (before the publication of Carl Friedrich von Weizsc̃ker's and Hans Bethe's works). Theoretical plasma efforts in astrophysics (Robert Rompe und Max Steenbeck); recognition of importance of cosmic magnetic fields (Arnulf Schl ter); computer construction (Heinz Billing, Otto Hahn). Reorganization of the scientific establishment in Germany (Otto Hahn): Biermann becomes head of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft's Institute for Quantum Chemistry, comments on duties and obligations as a leader, travels to the U.S. Reflections on most important scientific contributions, later works mainly on comets, comments on K. W. Michel.