may have been a final ‘nudge’ to his friend. Certainly, his lawsuit seems to
have been in place by March 1924, some time before he was due to attend the
first World Power Conference
64 in London opening on 30 June 1924 where
1700 experts from 40 countries were to meet to discuss energy provision.
France and Belgium were opposed to the participation of Germany but the
UK and the USA were in favour, and Robert knew that a German delegation
was invited, bringing Haber as a member. Haber arrived in London in late
June accompanied by his wife Charlotte, and Robert may have seen this as an
ideal opportunity to both re-acquaint himself and to resolve their stumbling
financial relationship. In short, the lawsuit may have been a ploy to apply a
pecuniary ‘pressure push’ on Haber.
During the conference, the Germans and the Austrians were marginalized
by the Allies and made to sit amongst the ‘neutral’ states. Sir Ernest
Rutherford, President of the Royal Society, neither spoke to Haber, nor
shook hands with him. He extended the same discourtesy to Charlotte. Very
few delegates made any effort to meet with Haber, but Robert was an
exception, shaking hands with him in a very public manner.
65 History has
not recorded what passed between these two at the time but Haber remained
in London for the next two months and some time after the conference
Robert withdrew his legal action. The conference closed on 11 July 1924 and
was regarded by Germany as a success, a step on her road to international
redemption. The World power conference of 1924 was the last occasion
where it was publicly recorded that the two men met. However, in conversation with Jaenicke in Beaconsfield in September 1959, (Chap. 18) Robert
describes a further meeting with Haber and Mayer in the health-resort of
Wurzach, Baden-Württemberg near Karlsruhe, in 1926. Haber at the time
was on the Supervisory Board (the Aufsichtsrat) of the BASF
61 and Robert’s
observation, described by Jaenicke’s clumsy English, that;
Years afterwards, when Haber was Aufsichtsrat in the Badische, they
showed us the work. But they were so tight; Haber was so angry he didn’t
see anything …
Might well refer to this meeting, whilst in another letter to Johannes Jaenicke
in August 1959 (Chap. 18) Robert recalls last seeing his ‘dear old Professor
and friend, Haber, in 1933(?)’ although no such meeting is mentioned in
Jaenicke’s notes of their subsequent conversation in September 1959. What
passed between Haber and Robert at these meetings however, has not been
recorded.
15 The Post-war Years 1919–1930
347
have been in place by March 1924, some time before he was due to attend the
first World Power Conference
64 in London opening on 30 June 1924 where
1700 experts from 40 countries were to meet to discuss energy provision.
France and Belgium were opposed to the participation of Germany but the
UK and the USA were in favour, and Robert knew that a German delegation
was invited, bringing Haber as a member. Haber arrived in London in late
June accompanied by his wife Charlotte, and Robert may have seen this as an
ideal opportunity to both re-acquaint himself and to resolve their stumbling
financial relationship. In short, the lawsuit may have been a ploy to apply a
pecuniary ‘pressure push’ on Haber.
During the conference, the Germans and the Austrians were marginalized
by the Allies and made to sit amongst the ‘neutral’ states. Sir Ernest
Rutherford, President of the Royal Society, neither spoke to Haber, nor
shook hands with him. He extended the same discourtesy to Charlotte. Very
few delegates made any effort to meet with Haber, but Robert was an
exception, shaking hands with him in a very public manner.
65 History has
not recorded what passed between these two at the time but Haber remained
in London for the next two months and some time after the conference
Robert withdrew his legal action. The conference closed on 11 July 1924 and
was regarded by Germany as a success, a step on her road to international
redemption. The World power conference of 1924 was the last occasion
where it was publicly recorded that the two men met. However, in conversation with Jaenicke in Beaconsfield in September 1959, (Chap. 18) Robert
describes a further meeting with Haber and Mayer in the health-resort of
Wurzach, Baden-Württemberg near Karlsruhe, in 1926. Haber at the time
was on the Supervisory Board (the Aufsichtsrat) of the BASF
61 and Robert’s
observation, described by Jaenicke’s clumsy English, that;
Years afterwards, when Haber was Aufsichtsrat in the Badische, they
showed us the work. But they were so tight; Haber was so angry he didn’t
see anything …
Might well refer to this meeting, whilst in another letter to Johannes Jaenicke
in August 1959 (Chap. 18) Robert recalls last seeing his ‘dear old Professor
and friend, Haber, in 1933(?)’ although no such meeting is mentioned in
Jaenicke’s notes of their subsequent conversation in September 1959. What
passed between Haber and Robert at these meetings however, has not been
recorded.
15 The Post-war Years 1919–1930
347