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
XXIV | xcv |
XXV | |
XXVI | |
XXVII | 7 |
XXIX | 8 |
XXX | 11 |
XXXI | 15 |
XXXII | 16 |
XCII | 172 |
XCIII | 174 |
XCIV | 176 |
XCV | 179 |
XCVI | 183 |
XCVII | 185 |
XCVIII | 187 |
XCIX | 197 |
XXXIII | 21 |
XXXIV | 22 |
XXXV | 24 |
XXXVI | 26 |
XXXVII | 30 |
XXXVIII | 34 |
XXXIX | 35 |
XL | 36 |
XLI | 39 |
XLII | 43 |
XLIII | 44 |
XLIV | 49 |
XLV | 51 |
XLVI | 53 |
XLVII | 56 |
XLVIII | 57 |
L | 61 |
LI | 66 |
LII | 69 |
LIII | 72 |
LIV | 76 |
LVI | 77 |
LVII | 79 |
LVIII | 81 |
LIX | 86 |
LX | 87 |
LXI | 88 |
LXII | 90 |
LXIII | 99 |
LXIV | 106 |
LXV | 109 |
LXVII | 111 |
LXVIII | 114 |
LXIX | 117 |
LXX | 120 |
LXXI | 123 |
LXXII | 124 |
LXXIII | 127 |
LXXIV | 130 |
LXXV | 131 |
LXXVI | 133 |
LXXVII | 135 |
LXXVIII | 136 |
LXXIX | 142 |
LXXX | 147 |
LXXXI | 150 |
LXXXII | 151 |
LXXXIII | 158 |
LXXXIV | 160 |
LXXXV | 161 |
LXXXVI | 162 |
LXXXVII | 165 |
LXXXVIII | 166 |
LXXXIX | 167 |
XC | 168 |
XCI | 171 |
CII | 210 |
CIII | 213 |
CIV | 224 |
CV | 225 |
CVI | 228 |
CVII | 229 |
CVIII | 230 |
CIX | 236 |
CX | 249 |
CXI | 251 |
CXII | 257 |
CXIII | 258 |
CXIV | 265 |
CXV | 266 |
CXVI | 268 |
CXVII | 271 |
CXVIII | 275 |
CXIX | 280 |
CXX | 282 |
CXXI | 284 |
CXXII | 291 |
CXXIII | 292 |
CXXIV | 293 |
CXXV | 294 |
CXXVI | 299 |
CXXVII | 301 |
CXXVIII | 305 |
CXXIX | 311 |
CXXX | 312 |
CXXXI | 314 |
CXXXII | 317 |
CXXXIII | 319 |
CXXXIV | 322 |
CXXXVII | 324 |
CXXXVIII | 329 |
CXXXIX | 335 |
CXL | 342 |
CXLI | 346 |
CXLII | 349 |
CXLIII | 351 |
CXLIV | 369 |
CXLVI | 383 |
CXLVII | 386 |
CXLIX | 387 |
CL | 390 |
CLI | 393 |
CLII | 397 |
CLIV | 401 |
CLV | 405 |
CLVI | ii |
CLVII | vi |
CLVIII | viii |
xliv | |
CLX | lxxxv |
Other editions - View all
Physics and National Socialism: An Anthology of Primary Sources Klaus Hentschel Limited preview - 2013 |
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 - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
academic anti-Semitic appointed April Aryan atomic became bomb chap Dahlem Berlin Deutsche Deutsche Physik Deutschen director doctorate Einstein emigration energy engineering experimental field fission footnote Franck Friedrich Fritz Full prof full professor Gerlach German Physical German science German scientists Gesellschaft Göring Göttingen Goudsmit Haber Habilitation Hahn Harteck Heidelberg Heisenberg Hitler Jewish Jews Johannes Stark Kaiser Wilhelm Institute KPFB KWIP laboratory Leipzig Lenard letter Ludwig mathematics Max Planck Max von Laue Meitner Mentzel military Ministry Müller Munich National Socialist Nazi neutrons Nobel Prize NSDAP nuclear physics Office organization Otto Otto Hahn party Philipp Lenard physical chemistry physicists Physikalische political Polytechnic position Prandtl president Prussian published quantum Ramsauer Refs Reich Research Reich Research Council relativity theory Society Sommerfeld Stark studied teaching assistant technical theoretical physics Univ university lecturer uranium Uranverein Walker Weizsäcker Werner Werner Heisenberg Wissenschaft Zeitschrift
Popular passages
Page lxxxiv - t have had the moral courage to recommend to the government in the spring of 1942 that they should employ 120,000 men just for building the thing up.
Page xxv - The German Universities failed. While there was still time to oppose publicly with all their power the destruction of the democratic state. They failed to keep the beacon of freedom, and right, burning during the night of tyranny.