4 0 D O C . 4 7 M A Y 1 9 1 9 I am thinking of speaking in Berlin this fall (around the end of October 1919) about the new and, it seems to me, interesting and important results that I & Dr. Konstantinowsky developed this year.[2] Thus I ask you whether you will be stay- ing in Berlin during the fall when would it be favorable for a presentation to the Physic. Society? My main concern is, though, that we could also easily talk over these matters & several other things for a few days. I would like to combine this with my Berlin presentation. A few days ago a circular dated 18 March [19]19 from the Kaiser Wilhelm In- stitute of Physics, which you direct, was handed out to me announcing the possi- bility of obtaining quite large subsidies from that institute for research purposes.[3] I would now like to inquire of you, for the present confidentially, however, whether, circumstances permitting, such funds could also be made available to me and my collaborators and students or if indeed there is any interest in advancing that branch of physical research. As is surely already known to you from your familiarity with Austr[ia], the sit- uation at our Austr[ian] institutes is an extraord. precarious one, which the present situation is making even more acute, so that I have been eking out a researcher’s existence mostly from the meager subventions of the V[iennese] Academy of Sciences.[4] The direction of our investigations is already known to you, of course [5] but I am very willing, in case you would like to hear more about the subsidizing ques- tion, to discuss details about a variety of new projects. How are you personally doing in these times? Your Zurich stay must be a re- freshing relaxation for you. I frequently still think of our political conversation in 1917 on your uncle’s terrace in Berlin.[6] How correctly we judged the political sit- uation then, you the German one & I the Austro-Hungarian! And how few were the people who did not allow their clear vision to become blurred! Accept my heartiest greetings, yours truly, Ehrenhaft Would you be so kind as to give, as occasion offers, my best compliments to Privy Councillors Planck, Nernst, and Rubens.– 47. From Arrien Johnsen[1] Kiel, 20 Schwanen Way, 28 May 1919 Highly esteemed Privy Councillor,[2] Due to the death of L. Weber, we need to make suggestions for the theoret. phys. associate professorship [Extraordinariat].[3] In so doing, it must be taken into ac- count that on this occasion the chair will probably be transformed into a full pro-
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