Pascual Jordan was born in Hanover, Germany on 18th October, 1902. He studied physics, mathematics and zoology at Gottengen before becoming a university lecturer in 1926.

Jordan soon emerged as one of the most important figures in quantum physics. He became Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Rostock in 1929. Over the next few years he attempted to popularize these theories in books such as Elementare Quantenmechanik (1929) and Anschauliche Quantentheorie (1936).

Whereas others working in this field like Albert Einstein and James Franck were Jewish and were forced to flee from Nazi Germany, Jordan remained and was willing to work for Adolf Hitler and his government.

After the Second World War Jordan taught at the University of Hamburg (1947-70). He was also a Christian-Democratic MP (1967-71) and continued to express his strong nationalist views in Parliament. Pascual Jordan died in 1980.