A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Mustache's life in Munich was generally better than in Vienna, but he still looked malnourished.

In a few days, the Austrian military will conduct recruitment and directly appoint the local police in Munich to hand over the recruitment documents to him.

As a result, the mustache was disliked after he went to the Austrian army. The Austrian army recruitment officer commented: "(Hitler) is too weak to perform combat or auxiliary military service, and cannot bear a gun."

Due to his thin physique, Mustache was rejected by the Austrian army and had to return to Munich again.

Then, when World War I broke out, he volunteered to join the German army...

Hey, you can’t offend the art students.

When Mustache was in trouble in the past few years, he had a few close Jewish friends. If they hadn't helped Mustache sell his paintings, he would have starved to death on the streets.

He probably didn't have such strong anti-Semitic mentality at this time.

As for why they were so firmly anti-Semitic after World War I, it was actually to gain political capital.

The industrial revolution brought so many changes to society, such as making capital the most important means of production, rather than land.

This allowed Jews with a wealth base to become capitalists from the bottom of society, and their status and wealth were greatly increased.

As for what the capitalists did in the early 20th century, everyone knows without thinking that there must be many unkind means to enrich themselves.

After World War I, Mustache directed his struggle against the big Jewish capitalists, because at that time the entire German people were living in poverty, and these big Jewish capitalists made war fortune instead.

He suddenly discovered that he had a specialty - giving speeches, and then slowly became the German Chancellor, which was quite fantastic.

Most of the people killed in the subsequent massacres were ordinary Jews, and several big Jewish capitalists who were already at the top of the tower were killed.

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After the seminar, when he returned to Berlin, Li Yu met Rathenau, a model of the great German Jewish capitalist.

He has already arranged the batch of loans Li Yu applied for very quickly. He should have sent someone to investigate the U.S. stock market and found that Li Yu's LY radio was very strong, and another unlisted auto parts factory was working in full swing. It was growing wildly on the wave of the automobile industry. It was an absolutely powerful enterprise. .

Rathenau had extensive contacts in the German industrial community and contacted some companies to build factories in Shanghai or Qingdao, China.

Of course Li Yu was very happy and thanked him repeatedly.

I have been trying to harvest wool from Germany because it is easier to harvest, and Germany has money and technology, making it a perfect match.

There are many powers that have invaded us, but Germany has always been a bit unconventional in its colonial approach. Not only did it not make much money from China's colonies, but it instead gained hundreds of millions of taels of silver.

Such great powers are rare.

In 1898, before the German concession of Qingdao, they also looked at Xiamen and Sanmen Bay, and later chose Jiaozhou Bay in Qingdao.

The means of grabbing land were naturally very despicable. They deliberately used political means to make the death of the two priests a bigger issue, turning it into the "Juye Mission Case" and forcing the Qing government to sign the "Jiao'ao Concession Treaty".

After acquiring Jiaozhou Bay, Germany attached great importance to it because it was its only colony and only fulcrum in Asia. Germany invested a lot of money in repairing the port and building the Jiaoji Railway.

The Kaiser's original idea was: Although the money spent was large, if the infrastructure was improved, industry would develop, and once industry developed, more taxes could be collected. No matter how you calculate it, the tax revenue of up to 20 years can wipe out the initial investment; and the lease period stipulated in the contract is 99 years, which is a sure-profit deal.

As a result, as soon as it was built, a war broke out...

Qingdao was occupied by Japan and later recovered by the Beiyang government.

Therefore, Germany's colonial strategy is obviously different from that of Britain and France. They think long-term and are willing to spend money. Of course, they basically want to seize the colonial resources to the maximum extent, and they have evil intentions. It can be said that evil has its consequences.

Li Yu could only use it.

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On Bohr's side, when Denmark sent a letter agreeing to appoint him as a professor of theoretical physics, Bohr was very happy and asked Li Yu to go with him to watch the inauguration ceremony of Denmark's first professor of theoretical physics.

Li Yu was very curious: "There is also an inauguration ceremony for professors?"

"Of course," Bohr said, "and the king himself received him."

Amalienborg Palace, Denmark.

Li Yu and Bohr met the current Danish King Christian X and his Queen Alexandrine August.

It’s really easy for foreigners to choose names. They go all the way to the “tenth life”, but it doesn’t seem to matter.

The queen is the duchess of Germany, and the royal families of these European countries are all related.

King Christian X said to Bohr: "It's a pleasure to meet the famous football player Bohr."

The air froze instantly.

Remember that Bohr had a younger brother named Harnald Bohr. He was a mathematician and a very good football player.

When Li Yu first came to Denmark, he played football with the Bohr brothers.

His younger brother Harnad Bohr's football level was even higher. He once participated in the Danish national team and won the football runner-up at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

The Danish national football team had a very impressive record at that Olympics, defeating the French team 17:1 in the semifinals. His younger brother Harnad Bohr scored several wonderful goals as a right midfielder. (This score is still an Olympic world record)

As for his brother Bohr, he was the substitute goalkeeper at the time.

Bohr knew very well that the king was talking about his younger brother - to be honest, the two did look quite similar.

So Bohr corrected him: "I'm sorry, Your Majesty may have thought of my brother."

There were also some princes and ministers present. According to tradition, subjects cannot refute when they meet the king.

Bohr added: "But I am also a football player, but my brother is the famous football player."

King Christian X was quite surprised and had to greet him again: "Nice to meet you, Mr. Bohr. Oh, and you, Mr. Li Yu, who wrote the Star Wars series."

Li Yu said: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

It seems that this king does not care much about the scientific community.

An embarrassing situation occurred during the interview and it ended hastily.

Bohr did not take the unintentional offense to the king to heart and happily came to the University of Copenhagen to take up his post.

It is not easy for him to become a professor at his age, and it is the theoretical physics professor position that he most hopes for.

But I didn't expect that as soon as I took office, I found that it was not like what I said before: the Minister of Education seemed to have played a little trick. Although the professorship was established, there was no physics lecturer position. Instead, he was going to teach elementary physics to medical students.

Not only did Bohr and Li Yu find it unreasonable, but the university's School of Mathematics and Physics also found it unreasonable.

Bohr really wanted to talk to the Minister of Education for theory, but they obviously didn't realize Bohr's importance. The college could only appoint another person to teach the medical school, allowing Bohr to specialize in his theoretical physics research.

Bohr immediately set about setting up an advanced class. In order to increase his momentum, he also asked Li Yu to participate in the first few academic discussions. Bohr now has no assistant, and his working environment is relatively simple. There is only a small room of less than 15 square meters as an office.

Even so, Bohr was still eager to set up an institute for theoretical physics.

However, this matter was delayed for several years because of the First World War.

Bohr was more optimistic: "Fortunately, I don't need a complicated laboratory."

Li Yu said with a smile: "Maybe it's because they don't need a laboratory that they think your work is not as important as applied science."

Bohr said: "Applied science is of course important, but who can say that theory is not important. After reading Mr.'s article on falsifiability, I was deeply inspired. If the theory is not rigorous enough, pseudoscience will emerge. , is a very terrible thing.”

As a top physics figure, Bohr looked at the problem quite profoundly.

Li Yu said: "I think there is a telegraph machine in the university. We will keep in touch in the future."

Bohr said: "With pleasure."

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Returning to the University of Berlin again, Li Yu came to Planck's office and talked to him about his discovery with Sommerfeld.

Planck said with emotion: "Without stopping, so many people have devoted themselves to quantum theory research."

Li Yu said: "With so many new things being discovered, quantum theory is definitely a rising trend."

Planck said: "It is a pity that the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, which was just established by the emperor, implemented a policy of linking science and heavy industry according to Leonard's opinions. Quantum theory is obviously not in line with it."

Li Yu asked: "Isn't the director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Physics, a subsidiary of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, Einstein? He is a theoretical physicist."

Planck said: "We can only hope that he can produce some results that can reflect industrial value. Otherwise, not only will his position be unable to be maintained, but the Ministry of Finance may also cut off funding support."

Much of the credit for Einstein's success in getting this well-paid position was due to Planck's strong support.

Fortunately, his worries would disappear because of World War I: after the war broke out, the Ministry of Finance immediately cut off funding support.

Although many scholars denounced this as the government giving up support for scientific research in order to ensure military spending, it is certainly impossible to allocate more money.

While the two were talking, Lize Meitner opened the door and came in: "Professor Planck, I have completed grading the homework of 200 students, and three of them failed."

Plank said: "Thank you for your hard work. If you are not qualified, let them resubmit."

"I understand, professor," Liz Meitner said, and immediately saw Li Yu, "Mr. Academician!"

"Long time no see," Li Yu said with a smile. The last time he saw her was in Vienna. Li Yu then asked, "Have you become Professor Planck's assistant?"

Liesl Meitner nodded: "Yes, I am very grateful for Professor Planck's help. If it weren't for him, I might have been forced to leave Germany."

"You have done a very good job during this period." Plank praised.

Liz Meitner said: "Being able to work next to a great scientist like you has opened the door to my scientific research career. It can even become my passport to enter scientific research activities and overcome various prejudices against women in academia."

It is very difficult for female scientists to join academia, especially in Germany, a relatively conservative environment.

In Germany, three words are commonly used to summarize a woman's responsibilities: children, kitchen, and church.

Official German policy previously prohibited women from attending classes as full-time students, regardless of their country of origin or their academic performance.

It was not until 1909 that women were allowed to attend the University of Berlin as full-time students.

Liesel Meitner has been in Germany for many years, but has always lived a simple life. Although she can enter Otto Hahn's laboratory, the laboratory cannot provide her with a salary.

She could only earn some royalties by translating scientific articles from English to German and writing articles for popular science magazines, but the money was still not enough to support herself.

The University of Prague wanted Meitner to become an associate professor, and the salary was good, but she was unwilling to leave Germany.

And if there is no income, she has to leave. Fortunately, Plank asked her to be his assistant at a critical moment. Although the salary was not very high, at least she could stay.

She was Planck's first female assistant, responsible for grading homework and organizing seminars for two hundred students.

After finishing her work as Planck's assistant, Liesl Meitner asked: "Professor, can I go to Mr. Hahn's laboratory?"

"Of course," Plank said.

"Thank you." Meitner said politely.

Otto Hahn is currently Director of the Institute of Chemistry of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society.

Li Yu happened to want to take a look and meet Einstein, the director of the Institute of Physics, so the two traveled together.

When he arrived at the institute, Otto Hahn shook hands with him and said: "Mr. Academician, it is an honor to meet you."

Li Yu said: "I am honored too."

Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner were a close pair who worked together for thirty years starting in 1907. Their work made the atomic bomb possible because they discovered nuclear fission.

Lise Meitner expertly served them tea.

Li Yu smiled and said: "Mr. Hahn is really lucky to have such an excellent female scientist as his colleague."

Liesl Meitner said sheepishly: "I should thank Mr. Hahn. Without him, I would not have been able to take root in Berlin so smoothly seven years ago."

Meitner is a kind-hearted and grateful person, and he will always remember his help to Hahn and Planck.

Meitner's working environment here is actually not that good. Previous researchers did not allow women to enter the laboratory because they were worried that women's hair might be lit by Bunsen burners, but men with beards were allowed to work in the laboratory. .

In addition, to use the restroom, Meitner had to go across the street to the hotel across the street, where there was a women's restroom.

Fortunately, Hahn is pretty good to her now, and the two have collaborated on multiple papers.

Li Yu joked: "It's easy to get further if we get along day and night."

Seemingly having been asked this question many times, Liz Meitner quickly said: "Oh, I don't have time to think about it!"

Hahn also said: "We have not had any close contact outside of the laboratory. Apart from formal activities, I have not had meals with Meitner in so many years, nor have I tried to take a walk together. If you don't count the physics seminar, we have only We met in the lab, and although we would work here until eight o'clock in the evening, we would go home alone after get off work. But we are still very good friends."

These two are so interesting.

Meitner never married, but he had a very good confidante.

If you love someone and Xue someone, it's hard to say.

Li Yu could only give a thumbs up: "I admire you!"