Trechos de Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (1993), de Otto Glasser.
"The eminent practical significance of the new rays which you recognized at once but which you, in your noble unselfishness, have left to others to develop practically, was revealed in a most striking manner during the World War. One can say with complete authority that the fruits of your scientific investigations have spared life and limb to hundreds of thousands of poor wounded soldiers, both friend and foe. Thus you are not only esteemed by physical science as its immortal master but also by all humanity as its benefactor.
May the joyful satisfaction of having contributed so greatly to the furtherance of our knowledge and to the benefaction of suffering mankind help you on this day of jubilee to overcome the distress which we all feel over the collapse of our beloved Fatherland. May you live to see the dawn of better times. This is our sincere wish." (Signed) THE PRUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, Berlin, 1919.
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[...] January 13, 1896, to give a personal demonstration before Keiser Wilhelm II in Potsdam, who was always interested is progress in natural and technical sciences. The daily papers reported this demonstration. "From Berlin we received the following wire: Last night at five o'clock Professor Röntgen demonstrated his discovery before the Kaiser and Kaiserin, Kaiserin Friederich, Bosse, Lucanus, and other distinguished persons. Röntgen could not give a demonstration on a large scale because the necessary instruments were not readily obtainable. However, he showed several experiments in which the new rays penetrated wooden boards and cardboard box, and he also photographed a few lifeless objects but not the human hand. [...] The Kaiser personally decorated Röntgen with the 'Kronenorden,' Second Class."
- - -
That Röntgen did not carry out his intention of becoming an Emeritus earlier was due, not only to the fact that his health improved considerably after 1913, but especially to the beginning of the World War. He wished to contribute his share in those difficult times by continuing to teach at the University.
For the sake of the University he still remained active for many years and had a decided influence in solving many of its problems.
[...] the following letters:
"We have begun the discussion of successor to Bayer, and, as far as the committee is concerned have almost reached a conclusion, Bayer again had suggested only one man and probably would have been successful if I had not protested strenuously." (Röntgen to Theodor Boveri, Munich, January 18, 1915.)
"There is not much to report from here. Today we celebrated Hindenburg's new victory. Three suggestions which I made to the Committee for our Professorship of Chemistry failed entirely. […]" (Röntgen to Theodor Boveri, Munich, February 17, 1915.)
- - -
"[...] my continued confidence in the High Command was suddenly destroyed. We have been very badly deceived by the leaders, and I never could have believed that this would occur. Whether this has been done with or without intent, I will not venture to say. But even though previous reports may have been written in good faith, the misjudgment of the real conditions remains a tremendous mistake which I would not have thought possible.
That we in Germany have left the right path in our social life and that real love for our country has been replaced by a false pride and that we have become too materialistic, all that I told you long before the war, and I have discussed with you what seemed to me the only way to relieve this situation. However, I never would have believed, much less hoped, that we should have to suffer so intensely for our mistakes or that the medicine would come in such bitter doses. The conditions of the Armistice and the stipulations of peace which will probably be made, are so depressing that it will be difficult to keep up enough courage to build up a satisfactory existence under new conditions. Perhaps old people see things too darkly, and I hope that youth may have other opinions. Whether or not this existence will be better under a republican constitution than under a monarchial parliamentary government, is a question which I cannot answer. It is true that in Switzerland I have learned that a republic can have its good points but I am not convinced that the German people, who are politically uneducated, can live under this form of government as well as do the Swiss people. In America we also have an example which does not exactly encourage the idea that a republic is the best form of government. Due to the paucity of my political knowledge and experience, I cannot say whether or not my idea that a monarchial parliamentary government such as I know of in Holland and which exists in England is most desirable, is justifiable. Poor, poor Germany, what will become of you?
Compared to this major sorrow all others are secondary, or at least should be. The loss of Alsace, especially of Strassburg, is particularly tragic to me, for I was present at the time the University was founded under such tremendous universal enthusiasm, and it was there that I spent one of the most beautiful and productive periods of my life. Sometimes I look at the picture of Strassburg which hangs in my room and hum the old song 'O Strastburg, O Strassburg, du wunderschöne Stadt.' Many other things must be overcome. My wife, fortunately, is feeling well. She has little pain and considering her age and everything that she has gone through she still does very well both mentally and physically, and is almost always in relatively good humour. We often discuss what part of our large apartment we can offer to the city and how we can arrange to have other people live here, but we do not arrive at a satisfactory solution and lack the proper advice.
My letter remained unfinished. Meanwhile I telephoned you and also received your letter. [...] If many people, I do not say all people, in Germany were as willing as you two to make sacrifices then we would be much better off. We are very grateful for your help." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri and Margret Boveri, Munich, November 19, 1918.)
Röntgen continued his interest in current events and became more and more depressed with the increasing despair of the time of inflation. For instance, he wrote:
"Cohen has been negotiating exclusively with the Wacker Company during the last few days and mot several representatives from various industries in Berlin and Vienna, and told me that in commercial circles it is thought that the prices of everything probably will increase eightfold. The coal shortage during the next winter will probably be even worse than it is now. Austria probably will go into bankruptcy within a few months; Germany a little later, and then France, where the conditions are said to be similar to ours. What a hopeless time! I have talked about it very seriously with my maids today." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Munich, December 3, 1919.)
"It seems to me that Mr. Kapp is not the right man to bring about something of permanent value. He belongs to the Pan-German party, and it would have been better to wait for the next elections, which surely would have removed most of the men in the present government. The railroad connection with Munich has been discontinued for the time being; the only trains running are those carrying mail and provisions. Horrible times! The soldiers, mostly prætorians, cannot be relied upon." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Weilheim, March 16, 1920.)
"Just imagine that Brentano thinks that by the end of the year them will be about fifteen million unemployed people in Germany because of the inert condition of business! I hope that these people will be prevented from obtaining control..." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Weilheim, May 31, 1920.)
Anti-semitism formed a large part of the post-war politics in Germany, and hence a statement of Röntgens on this subject may be of interest:
"If W. H. is inclined to be anti-semitic it makes no difference to me; I bring him in contact with nothing but decent people. Lately I have spent quite a little time with Cohen; he was very cordial and let me read some letters from his mother and also parts of the diary of his father, which tell about his intimate association with Bismarck, whose physician he was. These are most interesting and are to be used in historical publications... The anti-semitic incidents in Würzburg of which you write are very regretable; it is not much better here; for instance, there is hardly an advertisement of rooms for University students which does not contain the statement 'No Jews,' and I know of one instance where a woman said to a student who was looking at a room and mentioned his name, which sounded Jewish, 'I do not take any Israelites.' It is a bad sign of the times that decent persons can thus so rudely be insulted by inferior people." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Weilheim, May 12, 1921.)
Röntgen was indignant and entirely unsympathetic with the wild outbreak of pleasure-seeking which was a reaction of the post-war period. He writes:
"You have no idea of the profligate and disgusting carnival life here. In 1921, four million more bottles of champagne were consumed in Germany than in 1914, that is about ten thousand bottles more per day than in 1914! And at the same time many, many people are suffering. It is terribly sad." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Munich, March 25, 1922.)
Röntgen was very severe in seeing that he and his household strictly followed the war regulations which controlled the consumption of food. When he noticed that Mrs. Röntgen tried to evade the laws with the help of the clever Kätchen because of her concern over his health and in order to give him better meals, he himself took a hand in running the household and controlled the daily quantity of fat, meat, flour and sugar with scientific accuracy by the use of the scale, and also asked that those vegetables, meat, mushrooms and other provisions which one might obtain should be canned. Thus he took a daily interest in all the functions of the household, much to the distress of Mrs. Röntgen, Kätchen and the cook.
- - -
"It is depressing to hear from many sources that the Government draws most of its income from the honest people of average wealth, because many of the possessors of real fortunes are said to have found safe ways of keeping their holdings secret.
This is a long letter on business, but since these things, and especially my experience at the bank, have excited me a little [...]. I was glad to read that you are again interested in studying mathematics, for this occupation is not only useful but also very stimulating and educational, regardless of what one studies later: philosophy or natural sciences." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Munich, April 10, 1920.)
Until his death, Röntgen liked to experiment and he was very fond of talking to the Munich physicists, Sommerfeld and Wien. He often saw Dr. Cohen, who always knew something new and interesting and who also kept him well informed on the economic situation of Germany, so that Röntgen, unlike many other University professors, adapted himself to the new conditions and even began to buy stocks, though he was amused at himself, that he should start to do business on the stock market in his old age. During the last years of his life he was extremely thrifty, in order not to use up his capital and he would have been deeply grieved if he had known that the great legacy which he left to the University of Würzburg was almost completely destroyed by the inflation.
Mais:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDSuBK5YDfs
http://www.spiegel.de/roentgenbilder-ersten-weltkrieg-985620.html
May the joyful satisfaction of having contributed so greatly to the furtherance of our knowledge and to the benefaction of suffering mankind help you on this day of jubilee to overcome the distress which we all feel over the collapse of our beloved Fatherland. May you live to see the dawn of better times. This is our sincere wish." (Signed) THE PRUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, Berlin, 1919.
- - -
[...] January 13, 1896, to give a personal demonstration before Keiser Wilhelm II in Potsdam, who was always interested is progress in natural and technical sciences. The daily papers reported this demonstration. "From Berlin we received the following wire: Last night at five o'clock Professor Röntgen demonstrated his discovery before the Kaiser and Kaiserin, Kaiserin Friederich, Bosse, Lucanus, and other distinguished persons. Röntgen could not give a demonstration on a large scale because the necessary instruments were not readily obtainable. However, he showed several experiments in which the new rays penetrated wooden boards and cardboard box, and he also photographed a few lifeless objects but not the human hand. [...] The Kaiser personally decorated Röntgen with the 'Kronenorden,' Second Class."
- - -
That Röntgen did not carry out his intention of becoming an Emeritus earlier was due, not only to the fact that his health improved considerably after 1913, but especially to the beginning of the World War. He wished to contribute his share in those difficult times by continuing to teach at the University.
For the sake of the University he still remained active for many years and had a decided influence in solving many of its problems.
[...] the following letters:
"We have begun the discussion of successor to Bayer, and, as far as the committee is concerned have almost reached a conclusion, Bayer again had suggested only one man and probably would have been successful if I had not protested strenuously." (Röntgen to Theodor Boveri, Munich, January 18, 1915.)
"There is not much to report from here. Today we celebrated Hindenburg's new victory. Three suggestions which I made to the Committee for our Professorship of Chemistry failed entirely. […]" (Röntgen to Theodor Boveri, Munich, February 17, 1915.)
- - -
"[...] my continued confidence in the High Command was suddenly destroyed. We have been very badly deceived by the leaders, and I never could have believed that this would occur. Whether this has been done with or without intent, I will not venture to say. But even though previous reports may have been written in good faith, the misjudgment of the real conditions remains a tremendous mistake which I would not have thought possible.
That we in Germany have left the right path in our social life and that real love for our country has been replaced by a false pride and that we have become too materialistic, all that I told you long before the war, and I have discussed with you what seemed to me the only way to relieve this situation. However, I never would have believed, much less hoped, that we should have to suffer so intensely for our mistakes or that the medicine would come in such bitter doses. The conditions of the Armistice and the stipulations of peace which will probably be made, are so depressing that it will be difficult to keep up enough courage to build up a satisfactory existence under new conditions. Perhaps old people see things too darkly, and I hope that youth may have other opinions. Whether or not this existence will be better under a republican constitution than under a monarchial parliamentary government, is a question which I cannot answer. It is true that in Switzerland I have learned that a republic can have its good points but I am not convinced that the German people, who are politically uneducated, can live under this form of government as well as do the Swiss people. In America we also have an example which does not exactly encourage the idea that a republic is the best form of government. Due to the paucity of my political knowledge and experience, I cannot say whether or not my idea that a monarchial parliamentary government such as I know of in Holland and which exists in England is most desirable, is justifiable. Poor, poor Germany, what will become of you?
Compared to this major sorrow all others are secondary, or at least should be. The loss of Alsace, especially of Strassburg, is particularly tragic to me, for I was present at the time the University was founded under such tremendous universal enthusiasm, and it was there that I spent one of the most beautiful and productive periods of my life. Sometimes I look at the picture of Strassburg which hangs in my room and hum the old song 'O Strastburg, O Strassburg, du wunderschöne Stadt.' Many other things must be overcome. My wife, fortunately, is feeling well. She has little pain and considering her age and everything that she has gone through she still does very well both mentally and physically, and is almost always in relatively good humour. We often discuss what part of our large apartment we can offer to the city and how we can arrange to have other people live here, but we do not arrive at a satisfactory solution and lack the proper advice.
My letter remained unfinished. Meanwhile I telephoned you and also received your letter. [...] If many people, I do not say all people, in Germany were as willing as you two to make sacrifices then we would be much better off. We are very grateful for your help." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri and Margret Boveri, Munich, November 19, 1918.)
Röntgen continued his interest in current events and became more and more depressed with the increasing despair of the time of inflation. For instance, he wrote:
"Cohen has been negotiating exclusively with the Wacker Company during the last few days and mot several representatives from various industries in Berlin and Vienna, and told me that in commercial circles it is thought that the prices of everything probably will increase eightfold. The coal shortage during the next winter will probably be even worse than it is now. Austria probably will go into bankruptcy within a few months; Germany a little later, and then France, where the conditions are said to be similar to ours. What a hopeless time! I have talked about it very seriously with my maids today." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Munich, December 3, 1919.)
"It seems to me that Mr. Kapp is not the right man to bring about something of permanent value. He belongs to the Pan-German party, and it would have been better to wait for the next elections, which surely would have removed most of the men in the present government. The railroad connection with Munich has been discontinued for the time being; the only trains running are those carrying mail and provisions. Horrible times! The soldiers, mostly prætorians, cannot be relied upon." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Weilheim, March 16, 1920.)
"Just imagine that Brentano thinks that by the end of the year them will be about fifteen million unemployed people in Germany because of the inert condition of business! I hope that these people will be prevented from obtaining control..." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Weilheim, May 31, 1920.)
Anti-semitism formed a large part of the post-war politics in Germany, and hence a statement of Röntgens on this subject may be of interest:
"If W. H. is inclined to be anti-semitic it makes no difference to me; I bring him in contact with nothing but decent people. Lately I have spent quite a little time with Cohen; he was very cordial and let me read some letters from his mother and also parts of the diary of his father, which tell about his intimate association with Bismarck, whose physician he was. These are most interesting and are to be used in historical publications... The anti-semitic incidents in Würzburg of which you write are very regretable; it is not much better here; for instance, there is hardly an advertisement of rooms for University students which does not contain the statement 'No Jews,' and I know of one instance where a woman said to a student who was looking at a room and mentioned his name, which sounded Jewish, 'I do not take any Israelites.' It is a bad sign of the times that decent persons can thus so rudely be insulted by inferior people." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Weilheim, May 12, 1921.)
Röntgen was indignant and entirely unsympathetic with the wild outbreak of pleasure-seeking which was a reaction of the post-war period. He writes:
"You have no idea of the profligate and disgusting carnival life here. In 1921, four million more bottles of champagne were consumed in Germany than in 1914, that is about ten thousand bottles more per day than in 1914! And at the same time many, many people are suffering. It is terribly sad." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Munich, March 25, 1922.)
Röntgen was very severe in seeing that he and his household strictly followed the war regulations which controlled the consumption of food. When he noticed that Mrs. Röntgen tried to evade the laws with the help of the clever Kätchen because of her concern over his health and in order to give him better meals, he himself took a hand in running the household and controlled the daily quantity of fat, meat, flour and sugar with scientific accuracy by the use of the scale, and also asked that those vegetables, meat, mushrooms and other provisions which one might obtain should be canned. Thus he took a daily interest in all the functions of the household, much to the distress of Mrs. Röntgen, Kätchen and the cook.
- - -
"It is depressing to hear from many sources that the Government draws most of its income from the honest people of average wealth, because many of the possessors of real fortunes are said to have found safe ways of keeping their holdings secret.
This is a long letter on business, but since these things, and especially my experience at the bank, have excited me a little [...]. I was glad to read that you are again interested in studying mathematics, for this occupation is not only useful but also very stimulating and educational, regardless of what one studies later: philosophy or natural sciences." (Röntgen to Mrs. Theodor Boveri, Munich, April 10, 1920.)
Until his death, Röntgen liked to experiment and he was very fond of talking to the Munich physicists, Sommerfeld and Wien. He often saw Dr. Cohen, who always knew something new and interesting and who also kept him well informed on the economic situation of Germany, so that Röntgen, unlike many other University professors, adapted himself to the new conditions and even began to buy stocks, though he was amused at himself, that he should start to do business on the stock market in his old age. During the last years of his life he was extremely thrifty, in order not to use up his capital and he would have been deeply grieved if he had known that the great legacy which he left to the University of Würzburg was almost completely destroyed by the inflation.
Mais:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDSuBK5YDfs
http://www.spiegel.de/roentgenbilder-ersten-weltkrieg-985620.html
