His father wanted Otto to study architecture, as he had built or acquired several residential and business properties, but Otto persuaded him that his ambition was to become an industrial chemist.
Tatăl său și-ar fi dorit ca Otto să studieze arhitectura, el însuși construind sau achziționând diverse proprietăți rezidențiale sau industriale, dar a fost convins de ambiția fiului de a deveni inginer chimist.