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K. Hentschel covers Einstein's
argumentation for the existence of graviational redshift, and the initial
search for empirical support. The error analysis of observational evidence
supporting relativistic light deflection is discussed in a paper by P. Brosche.
In particular, H. Duerbeck and P. Flin - in their description of the life and
work of Silberstein, who was quite sceptic on the significance of the
observational verifications à la Eddington - include the
transcription of two most revealing letters by Silberstein to Sommerfeld
(1919), and to Einstein (1934). In the first letter, Silberstein clearly shows
his scientific maturity and integrity by scrutinising the observational
evidence supporting light deflection, presented at a joint meeting of the Royal
Society and the Royal Astronomical Society. The second letter, which is more a
personal letter, includes lots of political references and connotations. Some
of Einstein's political views are also revealed by D.B. Herrmann on the basis
of his own correspondence with E.G. Straus, a collaborator of Einstein's. In a
consequent paper, S. Grundmann gives remarks on Herrmann's contribution and
illustrates Einstein's attitude towards Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin. M.
Schemmel discusses Schwarzschild's cosmological speculations, and wonders why
some people do immediately grasp the meaning and consequence of newly proposed
doctrines, whereas the bulk of the contemporaneous scientists respond in a
rather low profile.
T.
Jung reviews Einstein's contribution to cosmology, leading to the
Friedmann-Einstein and Einstein-de Sitter universes (with a detailed Appendix
on the Friedmann-Lemaître cosmology), and also presents the cosmological
work of Selety, and his correspondence with Einstein. In a subsequent paper,
H.-J. Schmidt comments on Einstein's criticism on de Sitter's solution of the
Einstein field equations.
Controversies with Einstein are elaborated by G. Singer (on Friedmann) and by
K. Roessler (on Lemaître). J. Renn and T. Sauer discuss Mandl's role in
the publication history of Einstein's papers, notably Einstein's short paper on
gravitational lensing.
Finally, the book concludes with a contribution by D.B. Herrmann about the
relationship between Einstein and Archenhold Observatory (where Einstein gave
his first Berlin popular lecture in 1915), the transcription of H.-J. Treder's
1979 public address at the Einstein memorial plaque, and an inventory list of
about 50 Einstein memorabilia - monuments, busts, plaques - compiled by W.R.
Dick.
This book is based
on ideas approached in a historical context from the individual perspective of
the authors. It is a real treasure trove of information and basic references on
the history of GR, and it also covers quite some grounds with mathematical
equations.
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