einstein erlangt weltruhm – eine vergleichende rezeptionsgeschichte der allgemeinen relativitätstheorie in großbritannien und deutschland 1919-1920

Abstract

Nowadays Albert Einstein is the archetype of a scientist. His world fame has its roots in the revolutionary corroboration of his general theory of relativity during the sun eclipse in May 1919 and the eventual presentation of the obtained results. Having a strong resonance in the scientific community as well as in public, the coverage in the press can be traced back to be the main factor that shaped Einstein’s picture in the past – reverberating even today. The political situation immediately after the First World War puts this episode in the history of science in a setting where many insights into the interactions between science, politics, the press and international relations at the shift from 1919–1920 can be found.