Talk:Lorentz Institute

First institute for theoretical physics in The Netherlands

A statement that the Lorentz Institute, founded in 1921, was the first institute for theoretical physics in The Netherlands has been removed.

If we take the stated affiliation of its members as evidence, then the institute for theoretical physics in Utrecht University is older, in view of a 1916 paper by Moll and Ornstein [1]. Theoretical physicists in Leiden still signed their papers without the "institute" qualification until 1921. A speech [2] by the Utrecht rector from September 1916 says:

In het Physisch Laboratorium waren kort na het begin van den afgeloopen kursus de nieuw bijgebouwde vertrekken zoover gereed dat zij in gebruik konden worden genomen; hierdoor werd het mogelijk, aldaar een instituut voor theoretische Natuurkunde onder leiding van onzen ambtgenoot Ornstein te stichten, terwijl dit deel van het onderwijs in de natuurkunde tevens werd bevorderd door het aanstellen van een assistent in dit vak.

In the Physics Laboratory the new rooms had progressed sufficiently that they could be used at the start of the academic year; this made it possible to create there an institute for theoretical physics, led by our colleague Ornstein, and moreover this aspect of the study of physics was promoted by the appointment of an assistant.

[1] W.J.H. Moll and L.S. Ornstein, Contributions to the research of liquid crystals, https://www.dwc.knaw.nl/toegangen/digital-library-knaw/?pagetype=publDetail&pId=PU00012464

[2] "Dingen en Menschen", speech by Ernst Cohen, Rector Magnificus of Utrecht University, held on 18 September 1916; page 25 --- https://ilorentz.org/history/il1921/Dingen_en_Menschen.pdf

I thank Cristiane de Morais Smith (Utrecht University) for bringing this to my attention. Brienanni (talk) 17:04, 2 October 2020 (UTC)