Book Description
This book chronicles the story of a group of individuals caught at a crossroads and targeted in the cross fires of history. In 1933 events in their native Germanic lands presented them with a "Hobson's choice"-leave if you can or die! Their lives were saved because Turkey was discarding the society and culture inherited from the Ottomans' derelict and shattered empire while recognizing and addressing the need to modernize its society, culture, way of living, and system of higher education. Using a collection of third-party archival documents, cotemporaneous family and collegial correspondence, memoirs, oral histories, photos, and other surviving evidence Arnold Reisman documents the fears, the courage, the heartaches, and the determination of these brilliant people as well as their contributions to shifting established paradigms in several fields of knowledge. He also speculates about Turkey's inabilities to fully capitalize on these emigres' legacy. The book is intended for lay readers interested in history of the 20th Century, history of science, history of Turkey, the Holocaust, and in a case study of post-Islamic national development. "This book adds to our knowledge of an important aspect of the Holocaust, and of the behavior of Nation States in the modern world of woe and grief." - Sir Martin Gilbert, Winston Churchill's official biographer and a leading historian of the modern world. He is the author of The Holocaust: A History of the Jews of Europe During the Second World War. "This book should be on the 'must-read' list of books about World War II and the years preceding it." - Dr. Israel Hanukoglu, Former Science Adviser to the Prime Minister of Israel. Currently Professor and Chairman of the Department of Molecular Biology, College of Judea and Samaria, Ariel, Israel. "This book involves five major topics: science, history, politics, economics, and the arts. It is the earliest comprehensive essay in the English language, on the German émigrés who, while taking refuge in Turkey after 1933, contributed to the modernization of its higher education, and to the implementation of research activities and social reforms." - Prof. Dr. Feza Günergun, Chair for History of Science, Faculty of Letters, Istanbul University, Beyazit-Istanbul, Turkey.
Customer Reviews:
In depth information about a little known topic.......2007-02-02
This book is about the story of the German-Jewish professors that were displaced by the [..]and were invited to come to Turkey by Ataturk's government. About 150 of them came in the 1933-1938 time frame. Some stayed for a few years, many stayed for 10 years or more. Some have stayed until retirement.The book, about 470 pages long and illustrated with many photographs and other material, is a really well-researched investigation into * the world circumstances that made this episode possible* the individuals who arranged the mechanics of this immigration* the personal life stories of these very capable scholars* how they adapted to life in Turkey* how they impacted Turkey's university education and modernization* the nature of the support and non-support they received from the government and the people This was a subject I had fleeting knowledge about. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, which greatly enhanced my knowledge and understanding of the subject. It also provided yet another illustration of the vision and genius of Ataturk in making deft use of every opportunity to improve his nation. It triggered in my mind the thought that Turkey probably had a second similar opportunity at the time of the disintegration of the Soviet Union, when top tier scientists in select fields could have easily been induced to come to Turkey. Unfortunately, political cadres in charge at the time had nowhere near Ataturk's vision. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. It is very readable and has many details that our generation can relate to. An interesting trivia is that Einstein was one month away himself from coming to Turkey within these group of scholars, when he received an offer from Princeton.
WOWW.......2007-01-01
A fascinating read.
I am very involved with genealogy, so I really enjoyed the memoirs.
The structure of the book was different and refreshing.
Highly recommended especially for college library, international studies and Turkish history shelves........2006-12-10
Written by Arnold Reisman Ph.D., who has served as Visiting Scholar in Turkey at both Sabanci University and the Istanbul Technical University, Turkey's Modernization: Refugees from Nazism and Ataturk's Vision is enlightening true story of how the Turkish Government of Mustafa Kernal Atatuk and Ismet Inonu accepted German and Austrian Jews, and took advantage of these victims of racial prejudice and persecution to aid the Turkish Republic's progress in academic, scientific, and medical undertakings. Tracing the lasting impacts of builders, preservers, creators, social reformers, healers, and scientists, as well as the problems they encountered, the turbulence caused by World War II and their attempts to emigrate to the U.S., Turkey's Modernization is a fascinating parable of how Turkey capitalized upon the best and the brightest - as well as of its stumbling blocks, such as its cultural predispositions for encouraging talented scientists to be content as hired hands rather than strike out and forge new businesses. Highly recommended especially for college library, international studies and Turkish history shelves.
Compelling!.......2006-09-26
Arnold Reisman's book, Turkey's Modernization, was a history lesson of the best kind. I have read a number of books on the Nazi takeover of various countries. Yet, I had never experienced the joy of learning how Turkey welcomed those expelled from Germany.
In 1933, when Hitler came to power, he decided to dismiss all Jewish professors from German colleges and universities. Geniuses of technology, physics and the arts fled into Turkey's waiting arms and began its well-deserved modernization.
The "emigres" (renowned scientists, architects and artists) are responsible for some of the most magnificent structures in Turkey still standing today. These brave professors taught Turkish students and were revered by most in the country. Of course, they had to deal with jealousy from Turkish professors for a number of reasons. Some of the emigres were paid a higher salary and enjoyed various perks, yet this was all deserved. It certainly couldn't heal a people
who were devastated at having to leave their homes and families to chart an unknown territory. Yet, thank God they did! Hitler's lost was absolutely Turkey's gain!
These professors were too many to be named in this review. You must read this book in order to understand and celebrate the contributions of these refugees from Nazism. They were saviors to Turkey and the students they benefited.
Turkey's Modernization was a book I couldn't put down. It should be required reading for all who are history majors and any who can enjoy a story of lemons turned into lemonade.
Armchair Interviews says: Another unique view of history most do not know.
Refuge and its reward .......2006-09-25
The convergence of two historical developments are at the center of this book. First , is the rise of the Nazis to power in Germany. Second, is the creation of modern Turkey, and its effort to develop a first- rate set of academic institutions. This convergence meant that a number of leading German and Austrian academics were invited in the years 1933-1939 to teach and help establish their disciplines in Turkey. Among these are some figures of world - reputation including Erich Auerbach, the author of one of the greatest of all works of Literary Criticism, 'Mimesis' the leading figures of the 'Berlin Group' the philosopher Hans Reichenbach, the mathemitician aerodynamist and positivist philosopher Richard von Mises, the positivist philosopher Carl Hempl, the composer Paul Hindemith, the theatrical producer Carl Ebert,and the astrophysicist Findlay Freundlich. One of the first scientists and a major figure in expediting the whole process was the pathologist Philip Schwarz. All in all close to three - hundred distinguished academics and their family members made their way to Turkey during this time. The effect of their efforts amounted to nothing less than a total transformation of the higher education system in Turkey, in the sciences, humanities, and arts, but also in public health, library, legal, engineering and administrative practices.
Reisman provides a thorough documentation and often moving narrative of this process, including his telling of many of the individual stories of the academicians involved. In the background he provides an overall history of modern Turkey and brings this up - to- date even providing an explanation of the current situation of the academic world in Turkey and why the original reforms carried out by these academicians have not always had the results desired.
This is a large book impressively researched and very clearly and movingly written.
I could not recommend it more highly.
Book Description
Since this supplementary paperback includes only select portions of Volume 10, it is not recommended for purchase without the main volume http://www.pupress.princeton.edu/titles/8331.html.
The first half of this volume presents a substantial amount of heretofore unavailable correspondence. From among family letters closed for twenty years after the death of Margot Einstein, who donated them to the Albert Einstein Archives in Jerusalem, the volume presents, for the first time, letters written by Einstein's sons, the adolescent Hans Albert and little Eduard, and numerous letters written by Einstein to his cousin and future second wife Elsa Einstein. Combined with newly available correspondence with his close friend Heinrich Zangger, this supplementary correspondence provides vivid and intimate details of Einstein's private life. It documents the emotional bonds to his family and friends; the severe deprivations caused by the war to family members in Berlin and Zurich; the fragile health of Mileva Einstein-Maric during these years of separation and divorce; the worries and joys of caring for the sons; and Einstein's views on German and international politics during this turbulent period.
The second half finds Einstein full of optimism about Germany's new democracy. He vigorously promotes general relativity and the endeavors of other scientists toward its further confirmation. He responds to the rising interest in his work among philosophers, as attested by correspondence with M. Schlick, H. Reichenbach, R. Carnap, E. Cassirer, and H. Vaihinger. And yet he is embroiled in vociferous, politically tinged, public attacks on his theory of relativity. He considers leaving Berlin, which would have deprived the Weimar Republic of its most famous scientist. In many letters, colleagues, friends, and unknown admirers offer support. Einstein travels to Leyden, where he is appointed a visiting professor and where, in the circle of friends such as P. Ehrenfest, H. A. Lorentz, and H. Kamerlingh Onnes, he is involved in lively debates on issues related to quantum physics. He visits Oslo and Copenhagen, where he meets with N. Bohr, and receives invitations to the United States, anticipating his first visit to the New World in 1921.
Book Description
In a book that is both biography and the most exciting form of history, here are eighteen years in the life of a man, Albert Einstein, and a city, Berlin, that were in many ways the defining years of the twentieth century.
Einstein in Berlin
In the spring of 1913 two of the giants of modern science traveled to Zurich. Their mission: to offer the most prestigious position in the very center of European scientific life to a man who had just six years before been a mere patent clerk. Albert Einstein accepted, arriving in Berlin in March 1914 to take up his new post. In December 1932 he left Berlin forever. “Take a good look,” he said to his wife as they walked away from their house. “You will never see it again.”
In between, Einstein’s Berlin years capture in microcosm the odyssey of the twentieth century. It is a century that opens with extravagant hopes--and climaxes in unparalleled calamity. These are tumultuous times, seen through the life of one man who is at once witness to and architect of his day--and ours. He is present at the events that will shape the journey from the commencement of the Great War to the rumblings of the next one.
We begin with the eminent scientist, already widely recognized for his special theory of relativity. His personal life is in turmoil, with his marriage collapsing, an affair under way. Within two years of his arrival in Berlin he makes one of the landmark discoveries of all time: a new theory of gravity--and before long is transformed into the first international pop star of science. He flourishes during a war he hates, and serves as an instrument of reconciliation in the early months of the peace; he becomes first a symbol of the hope of reason, then a focus for the rage and madness of the right.
And throughout these years Berlin is an equal character, with its astonishing eruption of revolutionary pathways in art and architecture, in music, theater, and literature. Its wild street life and sexual excesses are notorious. But with the debacle of the depression and Hitler’s growing power, Berlin will be transformed, until by the end of 1932 it is no longer a safe home for Einstein. Once a hero, now vilified not only as the perpetrator of “Jewish physics” but as the preeminent symbol of all that the Nazis loathe, he knows it is time to leave.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful!.......2006-08-04
It would be very interesting if Levenson were to apply his considerable talents to examining scientists of lesser rank. There's a rich source of material in the antics of the polywater/N-rays/cold fusion/hafnium bomb/remote-viewing/etc nutjobs that always scurry about. Aside from the obvious entertainment value, there's a valuable lesson to be taught about how societies should regard science, and how taxpayer dollars are often squandered on absurdities.
What History Should Be: Truth, Illuminating the Present.......2005-09-15
Albert Einstein. Adolf Hitler. Germany. The two iconic figures of the 20th century, shaped and nurtured, alternately embraced and rejected by the one nation. Posthumous competitors for the honor of TIME's "person of the century", Levenson's book details the progress and transformation of both men and their nation through the critical period from 1914 to 1932, while Einstein lived in Berlin.
The portrayal of Einstein here is of a great but flawed man, not quite the usual hagiography, despite the imagery reminiscent of the Christmas story at the start. Why did Einstein come to Berlin, the heart of Prussia, after renouncing Germany for Switzerland as a teenager? Why did Germany's extreme climate of militarism not repel him, at this time immediately before the great war? Levenson details the scientific inducements: German physics at the time was unparalleled, and Einstein in Berlin could enjoy the company of the established Max Planck and younger colleagues like Max Born and Lise Meitner, later Heisenberg and many others. But the offer of money and prestige was perhaps as important - Einstein would direct his own "Kaiser Wilhelm" institute of physics. Official Germany wanted to claim Einstein as its own, and Einstein, with just a touch of patriotism, accepted.
Levenson portrays those war years, and the Weimar Republic that followed, with great poignancy. The German people were itching to prove their greatness. Planck and other scientists declared their strong support for the war, and even Einstein tried to help with research on aircraft and more significantly on the gyrocompass. Einstein's close friend Fritz Haber was the Edward Teller of chemical weaponry, developing lethal gases in the same building where Einstein worked out general relativity. All of Europe suffered as the war was prolonged; Einstein himself falling ill to poor nutrition in 1918. Levenson shows how the replacement of the Kaiser by a new republic led by "social democrats", who acquiesced to the Versailles Treaty, divided Germany and would soon threaten the world again. On one side of the divide were those on the left, including Einstein: pacifists, Jews, intellectuals, seemingly now in control. On the other side, the right wing and the remnant of the armed forces; those who still thought the war could have been won, who decried Germany's fall.
Levenson tracks the growth of Einstein's celebrity status, starting in 1919 with the confirmation of General Relativity. The worldwide press, stimulated by the war years and the new movie industry, pounced on the photogenic and genial scientist, and Einstein did not shy away.
Levenson discusses Einstein's stunning contributions to physics in reasonably brief, accurate, and generally accessible terms. Even though his most important work predated 1914, Einstein still helped discover Bose-Einstein condensation, raised awareness of quantum problems, and founded general relativity theory and the theoretical basis for cosmology during his stay in Berlin. Berlin also saw Einstein embark on two quixotic quests that would occupy him to his deathbed: fighting against random chance in the quantum mechanics he helped create, and the search for a unified theory of everything, a pursuit that still engages physicists today. Levenson gets very close to Einstein's essence in describing these ultimately futile efforts - the confidence with which, every year or two, he proclaimed he had found a unified theory, and the humility that inevitably came some months later.
But Levenson's focus is not just Einstein, but the culture of which he was part, and which he partly inspired. Relativity fed into ongoing radical changes in the arts of the time: music, architecture, movies, writing. Some of this was a reaction to the war years and the release from authority the new republic brought. The tragedy and poverty of the trillion-fold hyperinflation period is here - Einstein suffered less than most through funds he had laid aside abroad. Levenson's collection of black and white photos of the period illustrate the range of radical change and questioning: two photos of nudists are featured opposite a seated Einstein. The immorality of the age (Einstein's womanizing was at least Clintoneseque) may have been hyped by the new media - certainly the stories of serial killers and slasher novels are disturbing to us now.
The problems, from hyperinflation to "girl shows", were natural grist for the mill of right-wing outrage at "foreign influences", Jews, and left-wing intellectuals. Levenson details the background of hatred that existed here well before Hitler came along, becoming increasingly strident as the Nazis gained influence. Einstein's reaction to this was an increasing identification with his fellow Jews. While never considering himself a Zionist, Levenson shows Einstein's selfless nature in working to raise money for people he never personally knew; there is a sad contrast with Einstein's poor treatment of his own family.
As a historical work the writing is often somewhat dry; Levenson spent nine years on the book, and has extensive end notes. Starting the book at the end of a long day, I was fast asleep by page 40. But the narrative is excellent, and at times thrilling - we know the outcome, but what Levenson does is show the gradual destructive changes within the German people of the time. The account recalls a quote from Soviet gulag survivor Alexander Solzhenitsyn - "the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either, but right through every human heart, and through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years." Einstein was imperfect, as we all are; Levenson shows Hitler's self-justification striving for a moral society - the shades of gray here abound. But 1914-1932 saw Solzhenitsyn's oscillation magnify and become almost coherent across the people of one nation, rejecting those like Einstein who were out of phase. Secrecy, lack of respect for human life, fostered hatred of "others" (communists, blacks, Jews), and Hitler's demagoguery were key ingredients. Levenson's text in places suggests dangers in our current world, where we see truth replaced by ideology, that we would be well to watch out for.
If it is easy to see a bit of Einstein's genius and geniality in ourselves, it is also easy to see the shadow of Hitler in those we disagree with. Internet discussions are notorious for descending into cries of Nazism. This brief period of history in Germany is critical to understanding both the best and worst parts of our own nature. There are other books that will tell you more about Einstein's life. There are certainly more comprehensive books on Hitler and the roots of World War II. But
Levenson, combining the two iconic subjects, provides a valuable and unique lens with profound implications for understanding ourselves.
Einstein in Berlin.......2005-03-27
Einstein in Berlin covers 16 years in the great scientist's life, from 1914 when he accepted the post as a professor in Berlin to 1932 when he was forced to leave Germany forever to escape anti-semitism. Einstein did some of his most important work in Berlin, including the general theory of relativity, and the science of relativity is explained in depth by Levenson. The novel also chronicles Einstein's personal life, and the politics of Germany (and the entire world) during these 16 years. In short, Levenson brings together science and history to give the reader an understanding of the man behind one of the greatest minds of all time: Albert Einstein.
Levenson probably was compelled to write this story out of a desire to show the world the true Albert Einstein. He is glorified in the public mind, and though he was indeed an dedicated, eccentric scientist with wild hair, that was not the whole Einstein. He was a poor student, and nearly did not graduate from college because of his contempt for the schooling system. During his marriages, Einstein always had mistresses, and treated his wives and children with reserve. He was a zionist, a Jew, and a pacifist. To understand the man, the reader must first understand the cirsumstances in which he lived.
For anyone interested in science, this is a must-read. Levenson goes into great detail explaining Einstein's theories, making them somewhat easy to understand. He explains all the preparations and experimenting that went into the development of the theories, and writes about Einstein's blunders as well as his successes. He reveals the man behind the science, and makes him seem more human; some readers would be suprised and encouraged to know that the great Einstein was horrible at math. He, too, had faults, and Levenson exposes all of them, whithout detracting from Einstein's glory.
Einstein's genius and personal flaws.......2004-09-09
There is a view of human history that believes that the trends are so strong, that no one person can significantly alter what is destined to occur. An opposing view is that there are so many potential paths that the differences that drive movement from one path to another are very small. Not only can one person provide the impetus from one path to another, but also the differences between the paths can be enormous. This book is primarily about Albert Einstein, one who had a dramatic effect on history. His development of new physics in the first decade of the twentieth century completely altered our view of the universe and was revolutionary.
The best measure of how revolutionary is the oft-repeated statement of astronomer Arthur Eddington. When told that he was one of only three people in the world who understood relativity, Eddington seemed puzzled. He was asked if he disagreed with the statement and he responded, "No, I was just trying to think of who the third person would be." Such revolutionary ideas that describe nature will eventually be discovered, but it is clear that Einstein was decades ahead of everyone else in his understanding of the universe.
Another one of the unforgettable people who changed the course of history is a secondary topic of the book. That person is of course Adolph Hitler, whose pathological Nazi movement eventually forced the Jewish Einstein from Germany. In 1913, as a consequence of Einstein's incredible work while a patent clerk in Switzerland, Walther Nernst and Max Planck went to visit Einstein. Their purpose was to offer him the best scientific job in the world, a professorship with no teaching responsibilities at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin. The offer was an incredible one, but it was fitting, given Einstein's stature. He accepted and arrived in Berlin shortly before the outbreak of World War I. Outside of his traveling, he stayed there until forced out when Hitler rose to power.
This is a chronicle of Einstein, but it is also a history of Germany in the years from 1914 until 1932. While the events in Europe as a consequence of the rise of Hitler are well known, the situation in Germany during those years is not well known. Few people are aware of the social tension due to deprivation that took place in Germany from 1914 until the rise of Hitler. Near-starvation was universal in the last two years of the First World War, and there was chaos immediately after. The hyperinflation of the early twenties was incredible, it is hard to believe that things were so bad that the exchange rate was one Trillion marks to the dollar. After a few years of relative stability, the onset of the depression at the end of the 1920's once again reduced a large percentage of the population to destitution. There are documented cases of people growing rich by killing people and marketing their flesh as pork. No wonder so many people were willing to surrender their freedom to starve to death and their political freedom for the opportunity to eat regularly. In his criticisms of the German people, which often happened, the well-fed and secure Einstein displayed a social naivete.
Even though it does not cover his entire life, this is one of the best biographies of Einstein the man. While no biography can avoid his physics and this one does not, there is an emphasis on his other activities. The image we have of him now is that of a transcendent genius with wild hair and a wise, grandfatherly manner. He was one of the first celebrities of the media age, and he played to the public fairly well. The personal Einstein was often not a pleasant man. His sudden fame doomed his first marriage to Mileva Maric, and his actions in casting her off were crude at best. Even years after their separation and divorce, he referred to her in very derogatory terms, even to people who were friends to both of them. Throughout his life, even after his marriage to his cousin Elsa, he entertained a sequence of mistresses. His attitude towards Elsa was that she had to leave him to do what he wanted, her feelings in the matter were of little consequence. Her purpose was to cook, keep house and accompany him when needed. Einstein's relationship with his children was also strained at best. He did try to be a part of their lives, but never seemed able to empathize with the problems in their lives.
Einstein is often characterized as strictly a theoretician; it was refreshing to learn that he had real mechanical ability. He received several patents, two of which were for a navigational device for ships and the other for a refrigerator. The international royalties from the patents were one of the ways he was insulated from the monetary disaster of the early twenties.
While the saintly genius that we all know comes through in this book, the other aspects of Einstein's life will likely change your attitude towards him. Yes, he was a great man, perhaps the greatest intellectual genius of the last three hundred years. However, after his rise to prominence, he was largely incapable of forming emotional relationships beyond friendship and at times, he showed a tendency to be contemptuous towards the German people. While some of that was deserved, the Germans were no different than others and many of them were just trying to stay alive.
Einstein in Context.......2004-05-11
This book gives a context to science that I have not seen before. Scientists do not work in an isolated bubble (though this one wished he had), but in a home and cultural environment.
Berlin, which prided itself on its science, went through dramatic changes, and the cowardice of the so-called intellectual elite was stunning. Yet Einstein himself seemed unsurprised by this. He was forever enthusiastically working toward the betterment of society, but had no faith in the people in it. He found people predictably disappointing.
The book contrasts his public commitment to his private cruelties. He himself was a disappointing individual, but not in the usual ways of public cowardice. Instead he had a callousness and seeming indifference to his families that he never showed the strangers he worked so hard to enlighten. He was not someone you would want to be married to or have as your father. But he would be great to kibitz with.
Still, his brilliance was not isolated to physics. He had brilliant philosophies and political observations. When I went to the Boston Museum of Science to see his exhibit, I was shocked to learn that he earned himself a file at our own FBI for his views, which I do not remember the book mentioning. It seems he was also brilliantly dangerous, and his disdain for authority was found equally unsettling to both the Nazi and the American governments.
This is a cover-to-cover read, educational historically as well as on Einstein himself and his physics. I have read a few books on Einstein and found this one of the best.
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 9: The Berlin Years: Correspondence, January 1919 - April 1920. (English translation of selected texts) (Collected Papers of Albert Einstein)
Albert Einstein
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 7: The Berlin Years: Writings, 1918-1921 (Original texts)
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 10: The Berlin Years: Correspondence, May-December 1920, and Supplementary Correspondence, 1909-1920 (Collected Papers of Albert Einstein)
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 6: The Berlin Years: Writings, 1914-1917
ASIN: 0691121249 |
Book Description
The present volume, set in the turbulent post-World War I period, finds Einstein awaiting news of the 1919 British eclipse expedition to test the general relativistic prediction of the deflection of starlight by the sun. With the expedition's success, he becomes the first science celebrity of our age. Deeply interested in the other, stellar redshift test of his theory, Einstein supports astronomers engaged in experimental work on the issue. Piqued by early suggestions of a unified field theory, he ponders how to unify gravitation and electromagnetic field theory and also works to resolve contradictions between the new quantum physics and relativity. His open-minded exchanges with colleagues may challenge his later image as the stubborn critic of quantum mechanics.
We see Einstein deeply engaged in discussing social and political issues, participating in humanitarian efforts, and intervening on behalf of intellectuals condemned to death after the fall of the Bavarian Soviet republic. He faced anti-Semitic outbursts, reflected increasingly on his own identity as a Jew and assisted in efforts toward the establishment of the Hebrew University. As an internationalist opponent of war, and a German-speaking Swiss citizen whose renown was sealed by the Englishman Eddington's confirmation of relativity, Einstein mitigated postwar hostility toward German scholars.
Correspondence with family and friends documents his divorce, remarriage to his cousin, and his closeness to his two sons. Notwithstanding evidence in newly uncovered material concerning efforts to lure Einstein back to Switzerland, and also to the Netherlands, Einstein, entertaining high hopes for the young Weimar Republic, remained in Berlin. This volume reveals new facets of Einstein as he constructively participated in German and European scientific, academic, and cultural life.
Since this translation includes only select portions of Volume 9, it is not recommended for purchase without the main volume.
Customer Reviews:
more than just physics.......2006-12-26
For readers who don't know German, the other book that has Einstein's correspondence from these years, in the original German, can be frustrating. So try this book.
The contents lists the people that Einstein corresponded with. Even a casual perusing shows storied names. Max Planck. Arnold Sommerfeld. Paul Ehrenfest. Theo Kaluza. Fritz Haber. David Hilbert. Students of physics, maths and chemistry will readily recognise names; still familiar after almost a century.
The actual letters reveal the intellectual and political ferment of Europe immediately after the Great War. They also indicate that Einstein was acutely aware of much more than just physics. He was in the midst of many changes, and an active participant.
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The Einstein Dossiers: Science and Politics - Einstein's Berlin Periodwith an Appendix on Einstein's FBI File
Siegfried Grundmann
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ASIN: 354025661X |
Book Description
In 1919 the Prussian Ministry of Science, Arts and Culture opened a dossier on "Einstein's Theory of Relativity." It was rediscovered by the author in 1961 and is used in conjunction with numerous other subsequently identified 'Einstein' files as the basis of this fascinating book. In particular, the author carefully scrutinizes Einstein's FBI file from 1950-55 against mostly unpublished material from European including Soviet sources and presents hitherto unknown documentation on Einstein's alleged contacts with the German Communist Party and the Comintern. Siegfried Grundmann's thorough study of Einstein's participation on a committee of the League of Nations, based on archival research in Geneva, is also new. This book outlines Einstein's image in politics and German science policy. It covers the period from his appointment as a researcher in Berlin to his fight abroad against the "boycott of German science" after World War I and his struggle at home against attacks on "Jewish physics" of which he was made a prime target. An important gap in the literature on Einstein is thus filled, contributing much new material toward a better understanding of Einstein's so rigorous break with Germany.
Book Description
This volume opens in spring 1914 when Einstein takes up a research professorship at the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin and closes with the collapse of the German Empire four and one-half years later. A good portion of the documentation, which comprises more than 675 letters, has only recently been discovered by the editors. The letters touch on all aspects of Einstein's activities and shed new light on his inner life, while enriching our understanding of his published papers, presented in volumes 6 and 7 of this series.
The breakup of Einstein's first marriage and the divorce are presented here for the first time in all their complexity. New material shows Einstein maintaining a strong sense of moral urgency throughout the war. The scientific correspondence documents Einstein's struggle to find satisfactory field equations for his new gravitational theory--the general theory of relativity--and his continued discussion with leading physicists and mathematicians about the implications and further development of the theory.
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Einstein in Berlin
Manufacturer: Bantam Dell Pub Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 096575006X |
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- Excellent translations!
- An extraordinary collection
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 6: The Berlin Years: Writings, 1914-1917
Albert Einstein
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
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Binding: Paperback
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 7: The Berlin Years: Writings, 1918-1921 (Original texts)
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 2: The Swiss Years: Writings, 1900-1909
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 3: The Swiss Years: Writings, 1909-1911
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 4: The Swiss Years: Writings, 1912-1914
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 5: The Swiss Years: Correspondence, 1902-1914
ASIN: 0691017344 |
Book Description
Presented in this volume are Albert Einstein's writings from his arrival in Berlin in the spring of 1914 to take up his new position at the Prussian Academy of Sciences through the end of 1917. During these years he completed the general theory of relativity--the relativistic theory of gravitation--and this was surely the high point of his scientific life. His writings on relativity in this volume range from general treatments of the theory to detailed calculations of specific consequences and his first attempt at a relativistic account of cosmology. They also include his popular exposition of the special and general theories, first published in 1917 and still a valuable account for the general reader.
As soon as the difficulties on the path to general relativity had been overcome, Einstein returned to the riddles of the quantum theory. His major clarification of the quantum theory of radiation appears here along with his lesser known contribution to the formulation of quantum conditions. This volume also contains the papers describing Einstein's only experimental investigation, a study of Ampère's molecular currents, which he carried out with the Dutch physicist W. J. de Haas.
Before the beginning of World War I, Einstein had never expressed his views on nonscientific subjects. Yet one of his first reactions to this previously unthinkable general war was to sign an "Appeal to Europeans" urging an immediate end to hostilities.
Every document in The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein appears in the language in which it was written.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent translations!.......2005-10-23
If without this translation version, I guess I'll be spending much more time in doing my own translation than trying to grasp the ideas in the papers. I really appreciate the translations.
An extraordinary collection.......2000-04-14
Readers-
One might question why you might purchase a book such as this. Well the answer is quite simple. Logic. Now when I say logic I don't mean the logic of the words themselves rather the logic that you might read such an impressive work.
Einstien was a genius in his time, a genius yet to be surpassed (in the authority of Science that is). His works are timeless, classic examples of the scientific process and this particular is a well-balanced example.
Written during the years of the 1910s this volume's works depict a dedication to science even through the war in Europe.
A Must Read!
Justin Smith
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 7: The Berlin Years: Writings, 1918-1921 (Original texts)
Albert Einstein
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
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Similar Items:
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 4: The Swiss Years: Writings, 1912-1914
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 6: The Berlin Years: Writings, 1914-1917
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 3: The Swiss Years: Writings, 1909-1911
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 9: The Berlin Years: Correspondence, January 1919-April 1920 (Original texts)
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The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 5: The Swiss Years: Correspondence, 1902-1914
ASIN: 0691057176 |
Book Description
In the spring of 1919, two British solar eclipse expeditions confirmed the correctness of general relativity theory and propelled Albert Einstein to instant celebrity. Before this major turning point, the majority of Einstein's writings published in this volume dealt with the clarification of general relativistic problems, such as the status of the metric field, the character of gravitational waves, the problem of energy-momentum conservation, and questions of cosmology, such as the nature and size of the universe and the distribution of matter within it. After his rise to international fame, Einstein's publications changed markedly. He faced an increasing demand for popular articles and lectures on relativity, its development and meaning. He also felt compelled to respond to a host of commentators, ranging from skeptical physicists to philosophers trying to reconcile his revolutionary theory with their views. For the first time, he also responded in print to outspoken anti-relativists, some of them fueled by cultural conservatism and, frequently, anti-Semitism.
Einstein used his newly won fame to lend prestige to political causes, especially to the reconciliation among European nations and to Zionism. In the early years of Weimar Germany, Einstein spoke out vigorously for the young republic, emphasizing the rights of the individual. He agonized over the misery of the Central Europeans in the grip of starvation and economic collapse, praised the support of individuals and groups such as the Quakers, and championed the cause of Eastern European Jews. His rejection of assimilation, combined with a fierce defense of the right of Jews to higher education, led Einstein to campaign for the establishment of a university in Palestine, the land which he conceived of as a cultural center for all Jews.
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