Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann identified radioactive barium among the products of uranium irradiation by neutrons in December 1938. Their chemical separation and analysis established a surprising light-element product. Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch then explained the result in terms of nuclear fission.[ref]
https://www.mpic.de/4469988/die-entdeckung-der-kernspaltung. Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Station 2: chemical barium identification and subsequent physical interpretation
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Otto Hahn (1879–1968) was a German chemist who was a pioneer in the fields of nuclear chemistry and radioactivity. He is best known for his role in the discovery of nuclear fission—the process by which the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts, releasing a significant amount of energy. This discovery, made in collaboration with his assistant Fritz Strassmann and physicist Lise Meitner, was crucial for the development of nuclear power and atomic bombs.