D O C U M E N T 5 0 J U N E 1 9 2 0 1 8 9
We are going to invite the following physicists to the conference:
Barkla, Bohr, de Broglie, Ehrenfest, Einstein, de Haas, Jeans, Langevin, Larmor,
Millikan, Perrin, Richardson, J. J. Thomson, Weiss, Zeeman; additionally, either
Siegbahn or Vegard; I am asking Bohr to decide
that.[9]
Hence, with the members of the science committee, altogether 25 participants;
we do not want to exceed this number so that the meeting stays of as intimate a na-
ture as possible.
It would please me very much to hear from you that we may count on you. If that
be the case, I shall take the liberty of returning, in the coming weeks, to the arrange-
ments and scope of the reports.
With cordial regards from both of us, yours faithfully,
H. A. Lorentz.
50. From Arthur Schoenflies
F[rankfurt-am-]Main 59, 3 Grillparzer St. [between 9 June and 28 July
1920][1]
Esteemed Colleague,
Unfortunately it is probably quite certain that we will have to relinquish our Max
Born to the Göttingers. Thus the question arises, who should become his
successor?[2]
We do have Stern in the first place, whom you already know from
your Zurich
time,[3]
and about whom I have an excellent opinion. Other parties are
pointing in particular to Kossel in Munich. Finally, Lenz should probably also be
under
discussion.[4]
In any case, may I be so free as to turn to you with a request
that you give your opinion on the three gentlemen named. It is, of course, destined
for the faculty. But I would like to hear in what order the three should be nominated,
according to your judgment, and what you think of the individuals in particular. It
goes without saying that I would be very much obliged to you for any other recom-
mendation of any distinguished person within our reach. No consultations have tak-
en place yet; I am writing entirely at my own volition. As you may know, I am
always for the younger gentlemen who allow room for promising development and
after some time may be counted among the leading figures. I shall be very grateful
for anything you could advise me in this regard.
You have learned from Prof. Fricke in Braunschweig that we are planning a
meeting of phys. and math. on relativity for [Bad]
Nauheim.[5]
I personally am
driven by the thought that the Entente people are planning for September—
apparently almost simultaneously with us—an internat. math. congress in Stras-
bourg and that we are therefore honor bound to draw up the most prominent pro-
gram possible for
Nauheim.[6]
You offered, as Fricke writes me—I am the
introductory speaker—to answer questions that are posed to you in
advance.[7]