Science and technology in Göttingen's golden era: the first Wolfskehl lectures
Résumé
The spectacular rise of Göttingen as a scientific center in the early twentieth century is a curious historical phenomenon, which has attracted significant attention from historians (including David Rowe). My talk will briefly review historical thought on the rise (and fall) of Göttingen, and focus on one of the means by which Göttingen's star mathematician David Hilbert sought to extend the reach of his colleagues and students: the lecture series launched by Henri Poincaré in April 1909, at the behest of the Wolfskehl-Stiftung. Hilbert's role in organizing the Frenchman's visit to Göttingen is examined in light of his correspondence with Poincaré (Dugac, ed, 1986).