Abstract
THE Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Scientific Research was formed on February 26, with the approval of the Military Governments of the British and U.S. Zones of Germany. It will replace the Kaiser Wilhelm Society for the Advancement of Science which was dissolved in July 1946. The fact that the latter society had during the War come under the influences of the Nazi regime was one of the reasons for the order being given for its dissolution. The new Society, which will operate under the provisions of the Allied Control Council‘s law No. 25, relating to the control of scientific research, will have as its main object the encouragement of fundamental and independent research on peaceful lines. It will make it possible once more for the British and American Zones of Germany to be fully represented in the international field of scientific research. Otto Hahn, known for his fundamental research in nuclear fission, has been elected president, and Dr. Ernst Telschow, of Göttingen, who, since the end of the War, has played a leading part in maintaining scientific work in the U.S.-British Zones, has been appointed general director. The following have been elected members of council : Prof. Edrich Retener, director of the Institute of Physics, Technical High School, Stuttgart ; Prof. Adolf Windaus, formerly director of the Chemistry Institute, University of Göttingen ; Dr. Wilhelm Boetzkef, Banking Boetzkef, banking director, of Düsseldorf ; Prof. Georg Schrieber, professor of theology, University of Münister; Dr. Theo Goldschmidt, director of the chemical manufacturing firm in Essen bearing his name ; Adolf Grimme, Minister for Education, Land Niedersachsen ; Prof. Richard Kuhn, director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg ; Dr. Alfred Petersen, president of the Frankfurt Chamber of Commerce and Industry ; Senator Landahl of Hamburg ; and Prof. Heinrich Weiland, formerly director of the Institute of Chemistry, University of Munich. Prof. Hahn, Dr. Telschow and Prof. Max von Laue are ex officio members of council. In addition to the president and the general director, the following will constitute the administrative council : Prof. Retener (vice-president) ; Prof, von Laue (general secretary) ; Prof. Kuhn (deputy general secretary) ; Dr. Boetzkef (treasurer) ; and Dr. Petersen (deputy treasurer).
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10 April 1948
An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/161555e0
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Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Scientific Research. Nature 161, 427–428 (1948). https://doi.org/10.1038/161427d0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/161427d0