Peter Pringsheim (19.03.1881—20.11.1964) — German physicist. Born in Munich. In 1906 he received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Munich. In 1908 — 33 he worked at the University of Berlin (from 1924 — professor), 1933—40 — professor at the University of Brussels, in 1941—42 — at the University of California (Berkeley), 1942—44 — at the University of Chicago, in 1947 — 55 he worked at the Argonne National Laboratory.
His main work was in physical optics. One of the pioneers in the study of luminescence. He studied the phenomena of colour centres in alkali halides and other crystals. Independently of others he discovered the selective photoelectric effect and concentration depolarisation (1924), and was one of the first to confirm the effect of the Raman scattering of light (1928).