Physics and National Socialism: An Anthology of Primary SourcesKlaus Hentschel 1 Aim and General Description of the Anthology The purpose of this anthology is to introduce the English speaking public to the wide spectrum of texts authored predominently by physicists portraying the ac tual and perceived role of physics in the Nazi state. Up to now no broad and well balanced documentation of German physics during this time has been available in English, despite the significant role physics has played both politically (e. g. , in weaponry planning) and ideologically (e. g. , in the controversy over the value of theoretical ('Jewish') vs. experimental ('Aryan') physics), and even though prominent figures like the scientist-philosopher and emigre Albert Einstein and the controversial nuclear physicist Werner Heisenberg have become household names. This anthology will attempt to bridge this gap by presenting contempo rary documents and eye-witness accounts by the physicists themselves. Authors were chosen to represent the various political opinions and specialties within the physics community, omitting some of the more readily accessible texts by leading physicists (e. g. , Einstein, Heisenberg, Lenard) in favor of those by less well-known but nonetheless important figures (e. g. , Finkelnburg, Max Wien, Ramsauer). In this way we hope not only to circumvent the constricted 'Great Men' approach to history but also to offer a broader picture of the activities and conflicts within the field and the effects of the political forces exerted upon them. |
Contents
xiii | |
xv | |
xxviii | |
3 | xxxix |
2 | liv |
6 | lxi |
2 | lxx |
4 | lxxviii |
Minutes of Meeting Dec 14 1938 | 182 |
Manifesto by a Physicist Feb 24 1939 | 184 |
Mechanics c April 1939 | 186 |
Experimental Physics c April 1939 | 189 |
Technical Physics c April 1939 | 193 |
Letter to | 195 |
19391945 | 207 |
Contract between the Army Ordnance Office and the Kaiser | 235 |
5 | lxxxix |
Controversies Prior to 1933 | 1 |
After the Nazi Seizure of Power | 17 |
Letter to James and Ingrid Franck Apr 22 1933 | 31 |
Conversations in Germany Apr 28 1933 | 45 |
18 | 49 |
Creation of a Research Council Mar 16 1937 143 | 53 |
21 | 56 |
23 | 63 |
28 | 71 |
30 | 77 |
32 | 86 |
Law on the Retirement and Transfer of Professors as a Result of | 96 |
Philipp Lenard An Aryan Scientist Dec 13 1935 | 109 |
Comment on W Heisenbergs Reply Feb 28 1936 | 124 |
Petition Spring | 137 |
of German Nationality Apr 15 1937 | 145 |
Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Physics Apr 23 1937 | 146 |
White Jews in Science July 15 1937 | 152 |
Science is Politically Bankrupt July 15 1937 | 157 |
Letter to Reich Minister Rust July 20 1937 | 160 |
Youth to the Front Line New Blood in Science and Technology August 1937 | 161 |
Letter to Reich Minister W Frick May 20 1938 | 170 |
Letter to Carl Bosch June 16 1938 | 171 |
Letter to Heinrich Himmler July 12 1938 | 172 |
Letter to Reinhard Heydrich July 21 1938 | 175 |
Letter to Werner Heisenberg July 21 1938 | 176 |
Letter to Ludwig Prandtl July 21 1938 | 177 |
Memorandum to Secretary Otto Wacker Oct 3 1938 | 178 |
Letter to the board of the German Physical Society and enclosed draft letter to the German members Dec 2 8 1938 | 181 |
Theoretical Physics at Universities Nov 1940 | 246 |
Revolution in Science September 1941 | 268 |
Review of Jewish and German Physics Jan 1942 | 276 |
Refuting Allegations that Modern Theoretical Physics is a Product of the Jewish Spirit Jan 20 1942 | 285 |
The Munich Conciliation and Pacification Attempt Jan 20 1942 | 290 |
Letter to Carl Ramsauer Jan 28 1942 | 292 |
The Theoretical Basis for the Generation of Energy from Uranium Fission Feb 26 1942 | 294 |
Letter to Albert Vögler Mar 13 1942 | 301 |
Foreword to Yearbook of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society after Mar 31 1942 | 302 |
Führers Decree on the Reich Research Council June 9 1942 | 303 |
Record of Conference Regarding the Reich Research Council July 6 1942 | 304 |
War Physics Specific Weight Zero May 30 1943 | 309 |
War Physics Dropping Bombs May 30 1943 | 311 |
The Key Position of Physics in Science Technology and Armament June 18 1943 | 315 |
Budget Memorandum to R Mentzel Nov 19 1943 | 321 |
Nuclear Research Commissions Apr 18 1944 | 322 |
Abraham Esau July 16 1944 | 324 |
Letter to Albert Speer Aug 3 1944 | 327 |
Letter to Martin Bormann Dec 16 1944 | 329 |
Letter to Otto Hahn June 27 1945 | 332 |
Memorandum on the Kernphysikalische Forschungsberichte Nov 8 1945 | 334 |
The Fight against Party Physics c 1946 | 339 |
German Scientists | 352 |
Nazis Atomic Secrets Oct 20 1947 | 379 |
A Reply to Dr von Laue April 1948 | 396 |
B State and Military Institutions V | v |
F Biographical Profiles XVIII | xviii |
Bibliography LIV | liv |
xcv | |
Other editions - View all
Physics and National Socialism: An Anthology of Primary Sources Klaus Hentschel Limited preview - 2011 |
Physics and National Socialism: An Anthology of Primary Sources Klaus Hentschel Limited preview - 1996 |
Physics and National Socialism: An Anthology of Primary Sources Klaus Hentschel Limited preview - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
academic anti-Semitic appointed April Aryan Physics associate atomic became Berlin Univ Beyerchen 1977 bomb chap chemist Civil Service Dahlem Berlin Deutsche Deutsche Physik Deutschen director doctorate Einstein emigration energy engineering experimental physics field fission footnote Franck Friedrich Fritz Full prof full professor German physics German science German scientists German universities Gesellschaft Göttingen Haber habilitation Hahn Heidelberg Heisenberg Hitler Jewish Jews Johannes Stark Kaiser Wilhelm Institute KPFB KWIP laboratory Leipzig Lenard letter Ludwig mathematics Max Planck Max von Laue Meitner membership Mentzel military Ministry Munich National Socialist Nazi neutrons Nobel Prize NSDAP nuclear physics official organization party Philipp Lenard physical chemistry physicists physics department Physikalische political Polytechnic position president professorship Prussian published Ramsauer Refs relativity theory resignation Society Sommerfeld Stark studies teaching assistant technical theoretical physics university lecturer uranium Uranverein Walker Weizsäcker Werner Heisenberg Zeitschrift