A debate on magnetic current: the troubled Einstein–Ehrenhaft correspondence

Abstract

The unconventional correspondence between physicists Albert Einstein and Felix Ehrenhaft, especially at the height of the alleged production by the latter of magnetic monopoles, is examined in the following paper. Almost unknown by the general public, it is sometimes witty, yet it can be pathetic, and certainly bewildering. At one point the arguments they exchanged became a poetic duel between Einstein and Ehrenhaft's wife. Ignored by conventional Einstein biographies, this episode took place during the initial years of the Second World War, but was rooted in disputes dating back to the early years of the twentieth century. The interesting intersection of a series of scientific controversies also highlights some aspects of the personal dramas involved, and after so many years the whole affair in itself is still intriguing.

"Philosophysics" at the University of Vienna: The (pre-)history of foundations of quantum physics in the Viennese cultural context

“…In fact, his -at that point questionable reputation as well as his high degree of specialization (as opposed to Exner, who valued many facets of cultural and scientific life)-disqualified him for the position 26 . Nevertheless, the University of Vienna opened a new institute for him, called the 3rd Physics Institute, partly because he was seen as a valuable experimentalist by some of his peers [52], but, more importantly, for what appears to have been political decisions to mitigate his influence [45,46].…”

“…Notably, Stefan Meyer, Felix Ehrenhaft, as well as the renown Austrian experimental physicists, Karl Przibram (1878-1973) -a pupil of the Nobel Laureate Joseph J. Thomson [51]-were expelled from Austrian institutions because they were Jews. They had to leave the country (with the exception of Meyer who due to his political acquaintances was granted the right to retire into private life in the countryside), and, in the case of Ehrenhaft, "he was arrested by the police and beaten up, had his money confiscated", and the "3rd Physics Institute" of which he was the head was dismissed (see also footnote 44) [45]. Also Hans Thirring was sent to forced retirement because of his "corroding influence on the military readiness of the nation", and his friendship with Jewish intellectuals the likes of Einstein and Sigmund Freud [63].…”

“…In particular, Thirring became a pioneer of anti-nuclear movements, writing a book on the "history of the atomic bomb" [64], and being the only Austrian representative in the famous Pugwash Conferences. 45 Some years later, Thirring also engaged in professional politics, serving as a member of the Austrian Federal Council (Bundesrat) for the Socialist Party of Austria (today Social Democratic Party of Austria, SP Ö) between 1957 and 1964 [19]. In that role, he promoted further pacifistic initiatives, such as a proposed unilateral disarmament of Austria, known as the "Thirring-Plan".…”

“…A story circulating among the students at that time tells that he had written a book on quantum mechanics which was lost in the mail on its way to the publisher, therefore he refused to teach quantum physics. 47 Whether there is some truth in this anecdote 45 The Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs is an association founded in 1957 in the course of a conference in Pugwash, Nova Scotia -to which Thirring participatedfollowing the initiative of the Russel-Einstein Manifesto against nuclear weapons. It was awarded the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize for its achievements towards denuclearization.…”