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Nobel Prize winning physicist Philipp Lenard autograph letter signed, with content on both Lenard's scientific work, and also his rival Albert Einstein, who Lenard often dismissed as the leader of ''Jewish Physics''. Datelined 22 July 1927 from Heidelberg, Lenard writes to fellow Nobel Prize winning physicist Wilhelm Wien, who he believes shares his anti-semitic views, even though Wien ''probably will not want to write anything about this''.
Lenard begins the letter by referring to his upcoming publications on ''Phosphorescence'' and the ''Photoelectric Effect'', and also mentioning whether ''the so-called Compton Effect'' would need to be covered more extensively in the article. He then segues to complaining about Albert Einstein's recent acceptance into the prestigious Bavarian Academy of Sciences based in Munich. The anti-semitic content continues, with Lenard believing the Academy is dominated by Jews, and that Max Planck ''is being pushed upwards because he is a patron of the Jews''. Later in the letter, Lenard even gives a chilling ironic prediction, wondering if future generations, when they read this letter, will even live in a world where non-Jews are still alive. At this time, in 1927, Munich was actually one of the more dangerous cities in Germany for Jews, with Einstein even refusing to visit it on his speaking tour a few years prior. The Nazi party was also rising in power, with Lenard (who coined the term ''Deutsche Physik'' or ''Aryan Physics''), one of its early supporters. Letter in German translates in full,
''Dear Colleague! / The article on 'Phosphorescence' is progressing nicely at the printers; in August, however, it will have to be paused, as I am planning to go out of town. The 'Photoelectric Effect' has progressed to the point where it can still be sent off by the beginning of August, unless the so-called Compton Effect will need to be covered in greater detail. It depends on whether it is featured in detail somewhere else in the handbook, and therefore I was going to wait until I heard from you again, so that we will know in what way we will delimit the 'Photoelectric Effect.' In any case, we will follow up on said effect. / My other literary endeavors are set to progress slowly due to my continued professorial activity; but I am content. If whatever I still wanted to write has any purpose, I will stay alive long enough to do so.
The Munich Academy - and probably I am not telling you anything new or anything improper or unfriendly on my part - with its Einstein action, which is still in the newspapers (even now, when the deception is very clear), has given somewhat unexpected testimony of its domination by Jews (Sommerfeld, Willstatter, as far as I know). Actually, only during rare glory days, even in the past, were academies (and thus universities as well) something better than they are today. A special center of the shallow intellectuality, by the way, is always Planck; he is being pushed upwards because he is a patron of the Jews, and thus the Jews are coming back up again as well. If we take a look at his achievements in natural science, the quantum of light stands alone; this, however, was mathematically very well prepared by Boltzmann (Planck's only merit to be considered is in mathematics). I recently studied Wiener Ber. 76, p. 373//1877 (or Wiss. Abh. Vol. II p. 1167), where quantum-like division of energy is thoroughly worked out (although here in living forces of the molecules), and the necessary mathematical art is beautifully arranged (e.g., the concept of 'complexations' and their calculation). One pays too little attention to this! Who even reads and knows the sources of great progress? Wisdom is drawn from newspaper articles, - possibly at the Munich Academy as well, just as at my department in Heidelberg.
You probably will not want to write anything about this to me; but it is hardly necessary anyway; I think I know that you do not see any of this differently. If you preserve this letter, however, then perhaps later years will be able to judge from a newly won perspective (provided any non-Jewish persons are still alive then), whether at our time things were different from how I describe them. / With kind regards and the best wishes for your vacations / Your / P. Lenard''. Two page letter in German measures 7'' x 10.5''. Light creasing and fold, overall in near fine condition. With full translation.
Philipp Lenard Autograph Letter Signed Regarding Albert Einstein, the Photoelectric Effect & Whether Future Generations Who Read This Letter Will Live in a World Where Non-Jews Are Still Alive
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