2 4 4 D O C . 2 9 2 F E B R U A R Y 1 9 2 0 Schweidler (University of Innsbruck), who is unlikely to go to Vienna, Heinrich Mache (Vienna Polytechnic), Hans Benndorf (University of Graz). Prof. Stefan Meyer is employed at the Radium Institute, and it is probably not advisable to take him away from there.[6] Among those named, Ehrenhaft and Schweidler seem to me, from the scientific point of view, to come into particular consideration. I do not expect the latter to be able to stimulate 〈scientific〉 experimental research, though. Exner and Lechner are (presumably for personal reasons) decidedly against Ehrenhaft.[7] A complication of the situation arises from the following. Jäger, who is currently giving the four-semester lecture on theoretical physics, wishes to present the lec- ture with experiments and needs therefore an expansion of his institute, which now essentially consists merely of a library. At the present time we have no comprehen- sive lecture at all on experimental physics for physicists. Lecher reads every two semesters, mainly for medical students Exner a single semester for pharmacists. I hence do not think I should go against Jäger’s wish, especially since he is a good teacher for the great majority (teaching trainees). Younger staff members (Schrö- dinger, Thirring)[8] can take care of newer developments in theoretical physics. Now Lecher and Exner have suggested (apparently in order to bypass Ehrenhaft) making Jäger the successor to Exner. They have not yet said how they then intend to provide for theoretical physics. I do have reasons to assume, though, that they have Schrödinger in mind for that. As an alternative I suggested leaving Jäger in his post but giving him a part of Exner’s institute and also placing Ehrenhaft as Ex- ner’s successor at the more constricted institute.[9] What would be achieved with this is that at least one laboratory would be in the hands of a physicist who is in a position to trigger thriving activity in experimental physics and is equal to perform- ing even the more difficult experiments demanded by modern physics. Additional- ly, Ehrenhaft would gain an autonomous position and an indispensable physical ex- pansion for his research. Jäger values Ehrenhaft, but does not want to set himself against the other physicists and therefore withdrew from the appointing commis- sion, referring to the fact that his own position is also being negotiated. Thus I, as a nonphysicist, am in the predicament of leading the fight against physicists.[10] However, I do have the mathematicians (Escherich, Wirtinger, Furtwängler) on my side.[11] But for the great majority of faculty members, who have no understanding of the matter, I must be able to call upon the judgment of authoritative physicists. So if you at least approve of the essential points of my position, you would be very helpful to the cause if you wrote me a letter that I may make use of in the commis- sion and in the faculty. It would be of particular value to me if you were in a posi- tion not merely to stress that Ehrenhaft or some similar researcher would represent