4 6 2 D O C U M E N T 3 0 3 N O V E M B E R 1 9 2 8 Leben) nie auf seine Person geachtet, immer nur das zu erstrebende Ziel im Auge gehabt.“[9] (Aus einem Schreiben von Blumenthal an mich vom 18.9.1927) „Ich glaube, dass Sie die Bedeutung des Unterschiedes zwischen grossgedruckten und kleinge- druckten Redakteuren ueberschaetzen. Mir scheint, dass wir alle gleiche Rechte haben. Inbesondere koennen wir alle dann und nur dann im Namen der Annalenre- daktion reden, wenn wir uns der Zustimmung der an der betreffenden Frage inter- essierten uebrigen Redakteure versichert haben. - - - - - Trotzdem ich also den Unterschied zwischen den beiden Arten von Redakteuren mehr fuer typographisch nie fuer tatsaechlich halte (ich nehm mich selbst als Geschaeftsfuehrer aus), ver- stehe ich Ihren Wunsch nach besserer typographischer Ausstattung sehr wohl. Sie wissen, dass ich ihn persoenlich warm unterstuetze. Wir koennen aber vorlaeufig, so lange Hilberts Gesundheitszustand so schwankend ist wie jetzt, nichts in der Re- daktion aendern. Ich bitte Sie also herzlich, Ihren Wunsch zurueckstellen zu wol- len. Zur guten Zeit werde ich ihn gewiss gern hervorholen.“[10] TLS. [13 153]. [1] Otto Blumenthal’s subsequent message to the editors and publishers (Abs. 738), composed just one day later, clarifies that neither he nor Hilbert received this long account. [2] After consulting with Erhard Schmidt, Constantin Carathéodory traveled to Laren on 30 October in hopes of persuading Brouwer that, in view of Hilbert’s precarious health, he should help to restore harmony by voluntarily resigning from the board of the Annalen. Brouwer’s claim that the informa- tion Carathéodory communicated to him during his visit could be summarized in the seven points listed in this document was disputed by Blumenthal in Abs. 751. On 30 April 1929, Brouwer circu- lated a rebuttal (Abs. 1127). For a detailed analysis, see Rowe and Felsch 2019. [3] Of the many areas of conflict listed here, only the first is given by Hilbert in his original letter (Doc. 282), where Hilbert made no mention of the foundations dispute that divided formalists from intuitionists. Blumenthal directly denied that this had been a motive for Hilbert’s action (see Abs. 738 and Rowe and Felsch 2019, p. 296). Up until Brouwer 1927, Brouwer had published several major papers on intuitionism in Mathematische Annalen. He then published a sharp polemical attack on Hilbert’s formalism (Brouwer 1928) very likely intended as a provocation. For an early account of Brouwer’s views, see Brouwer 1913 for the larger reception of intuitionism in the 1920s, see Hesseling 2003. [4] Although this reason was given in Hilbert’s letter to Brouwer from 25 October 1928 (cited in note 2, Doc. 282), Brouwer left that letter unopened and only learned of its contents from Carathéodory’s account of the same, see Abs. 751. [5] Blumenthal described this as a gross misrepresentation (see Abs. 751). [6] Brouwer’s confident assessment of his position with regard to the editorial board proved to be sound. Blumenthal’s attempt to refute Brouwer’s arguments, while lending support to Hilbert’s nearly unilateral action, failed to persuade several board members, thereby creating a serious deadlock. For details, see Rowe and Felsch 2019, pp. 289–307. [7] Brouwer and Bieberbach had long complained about the management of the Annalen under Hilbert, who relied heavily on his former students Richard Courant and, especially, Blumenthal. The latter had pushed for a restructuring of the editorial board in 1925, nominating Hermann Weyl to take his place, but Hilbert steadfastly refused. Were Blumenthal to resign, Hilbert informed him that he would centralize control of the journal in Göttingen (Rowe and Felsch 2019, pp. 240–241). [8] Both parties sought to legitimize their actions by appealing to the legacy of Felix Klein, whose name was long synonymous with the journal, having served on its board for fifty years (see Doc. 282 and Abs. 751). [9] Blumenthal et al. 1926. [10] For a detailed account of how this conflict within the editorial board evolved, see Rowe and Felsch 2019, pp. 200–334.