International relations in Spanish physics from 1900 to the Cold War

Abstract

This paper studies the tactics developed in Spain to improve the country's scientific capacity over most of the 20th century. Early in the 20th century, Spain sought to raise its low scientific standing by establishing relations with foreign scientists. The tactics changed according to the political situation. The first part of the paper covers the period from 1900 to the Civil War (1936-39); the second examines consequences of the conflict for physical scientists in Spain; and the third analyzes the growth of physical sciences in Franco's Spain following the Civil War, a period in which the United States exerted special influence.

Engineers and Scientists as Commercial Agents of the Spanish Nuclear Programme

“…Relationships with Spain were resumed immediately after the war in Göttingen to enable Spanish physicists to research their doctoral theses. 53 Otero Navascués travelled there in 1949, having taken an interest in the German pioneers of reactor technology. In March 1950, the newspaper Die Welt reported that Wirtz would travel to Madrid at the request of the Franco government to assist in the establishment of a cosmic radiation laboratory.…”

Relocating the History of Science

“…11 The year 1912 was particularly active for grants for members of the Laboratorio. The necessities of the Madrid laboratory were becoming clear: above all, to establish international connections to learn what was being done in the best centers 9 The international relationships of Spanish physicists in a more general context are studied in Sánchez-Ron (2002). 10 Junta para Ampliaci on de Estudios Archive, Residencia de Estudiantes, Madrid.…”