A short history of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is given. Emphas
is has been laid on the beginning of NMR studies in Germany, especially in
Leipzig, where Felix Bloch received his doctor's degree in 1928 as a studen
t of Werner Heisenberg. The historical review includes also some newer deve
lopments of NMR techniques which however were subjectively selected by the
author. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.