March 2021 Auction Ends Thursday, March 25th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/25/2021
Johannes Stark autograph letter signed, addressed to fellow Nobel Laureate Wilhelm Wien regarding animosity between the two men, even ''censorship'' that Wien exercised over Stark's work in the ''Annals of Physics'', edited by Wien. Dated 17 October 1911 from Aachen, Germany, this very personal letter translates in full, ''Esteemed Colleague! / I received your letter of Oct. 13 and thank you. I take the liberty of providing the following answer to the question you posed.
I neither suggested in my letter nor suspected for myself that you had the intention to close the Annals to my vindication. However, it seemed possible to me that you might demand such far-reaching cuts in my communications that I would have had to refrain from publishing them in the Annals. I believed that I had provided extensive reasons for my opinion of Lunkenheimer's work. Moreover, if Mr. Lunkenheimer had refuted my objections point by point, he could have seen my criticism as scientifically worthless, and I would have agreed with him myself.
I have been told that various publications that emerged from your institute showed a tendency that was unfavorable to my work. The censorship that you exercised on my communications had to strike me all the more, as they allowed more stinging attacks by Mr. Kayser on me and my assistant Steubing to be published in the Annals. I recall the following terms: 'hypotheses not supported by anything' - 'a slap in the face for the facts' - 'arbitrariness' - 'vague speculations' - 'it is pure...ignorance of the spectroscopic facts.'
In spite of these circumstances, I do not want to believe that there exists an intention on your part that is unfavorable to me. For I assume that you did not resent my statement about your work on canal rays any more than I resented your statement about my work. / With the highest esteem, most respectfully / J. Stark.'' Two page letter measures 5.675'' x 8.875'' on bifolium stationery. Fold, else near fine condition.
Nobel Laureate Scientist Johannes Stark to Fellow Laureate Wilhelm Wien -- ''...I assume that you did not resent my statement about your work on canal rays any more than I resented your statement...''
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