Philipp Lenard

Biography

Abstract

Philipp Lenard was a German physicist who won the 1905 Nobel Prize in Physics “for his work on cathode rays.” Lenard spent his career at various institutions around Germany and worked as an assistant to Heinrich Hertz at the University of Bonn early in his career.

Important Dates

June 7, 1862Birth, Bratislava (Slovakia).

1886Obtained PhD, University of Heidelberg (Universität Heidelberg), Heidelberg (Germany).

1887Demonstrator to Loránd Eötvös, University of Budapest (Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem).

1892 – 1894Privatdozent and assistant to Professor Heinrich Hertz, University of Bonn (Universität Bonn).

1894 – 1895Professor Extraordinary, University of Breslau (Universität Breslau. Physikalischen Institut).

1895 – 1896Professor of Physics, University of Aachen (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen).

1896 – 1898Professor of Theoretical Physics, University of Heidelberg (Universität Heidelberg), Heidelberg (Germany).

1898Constructed a cathode ray tube to show the photoelectric effect.

1898 – 1907Professor Ordinarius, University of Kiel (Universität Kiel), Kiel (Germany).

1905Member, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (Kungl. Svenska vetenskapsakademien).

1905Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics “for his work on cathode rays”.

1905Awarded Franklin Medal, Franklin Institute.

1907Member, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Magyar Tudományos Akadémia).

1907 – 1931Professor, University of Heidelberg (Universität Heidelberg), Heidelberg (Germany).

1911Honorary Doctorate, University of Oslo (Universitetet i Oslo).

1922Honorary Doctorate, University of Dresden (Technische Hochschule Dresden).

1942Honorary Doctorate, University of Pressburg (Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave).

May 20, 1947Death, Messelhausen (Germany).

Occupation

Atomic physicist.

Places

Birth

Bratislava (Slovakia)

Graduate Education

Heidelberg (Germany)

Employment

Heidelberg (Germany)

Kiel (Germany)

Death

Messelhausen (Germany)

Subjects

Atomic and molecular physics.

Cathode ray tubes.

Cathode rays.

Luminescence.

Phosphorescence.

Photoelectricity.

Relationships

People

Family

Schlehner, Katharina

Wife.

Advisors & Collaborators

Andrade, E. N. da C. (Edward Neville da Costa), 1887-1971

Advised by Lenard at University of Heidelberg (Universität Heidelberg).

Hertz, Heinrich, 1857-1894

Lenard served as assistant to Hertz at University of Bonn (Universität Bonn).

Kossel, Walther

Advised by Lenard at University of Heidelberg (Universität Heidelberg).

Quincke, Georg Hermann, 1834-1924

PhD advisor at University of Heidelberg (Universität Heidelberg).

Stark, Johannes, 1874-1957

Collaborated in the Deutsche Physik movement.

Additional

Coolidge, William David, 1873-1975

Edelstein, Ludwig, 1902-1965

Elsasser, Walter M., 1904-

Eötvös, Loránd, báró, 1848-1919

Served as his demonstrator at University of Budapest (Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem).

Ewald, Paul Peter, 1888-1985

Franck, James, 1882-1964

Halpern, Leopold

Hanle, Wilhelm, 1901-

Hertz, Gustav, 1887-

Hilbert, David, 1862-1943

Koenigsberger, Johann Georg

Lummer, O. (Otto), 1860-1925

Marx, Erich Anselm

Michelson, Vladimir Aleksandrovich

Pohl, Robert Wichard, 1884-1976

Rozental, S. (Stefan)

Saeland, Sem

Sponer, Hertha, 1895-1968

Von Kármán, Theodore, 1881-1963

Waly, Adnan

Weizsacker, Carl Friedrich, Freiherr von, 1912-2007

Wien, W. (Wilhelm), 1864-1928

Zeeman, Pieter, 1865-1943

Institutions

Major Positions

Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem

Demonstrator to Loránd Eötvös.

Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen

Professor of Physics.

Universität Bonn

Privatdozent and assistant to Professor Heinrich Hertz.

Universität Breslau. Physikalischen Institut.

Professor Extraordinary.

Universität Kiel

Professor Ordinarius.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

Franklin Institute (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Awarded 1905 Franklin Medal.

Kungl. Svenska vetenskapsakademien

Member.

Magyar Tudományos Akadémia

Member.

Technische Hochschule Dresden

Honorary Doctorate.

Universität Heidelberg

Obtained PhD (1886). Professor of Theoretical Physics and Professor.

Universitetet i Oslo. Department of Physics

Honorary Doctorate.

Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave

Honorary Doctorate.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Erinnerungen eines naturwissenschaftlers, der Kaiserreich, Judenherrschaft und Hitler erlebt hat.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Philipp Lenard papers, 1940-1947.

Great Britain. National Archives.

Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU, UK

Philipp Lenard papers.

In private hands

Bavaria, Germany

Philipp Lenard papers.

Deutsches Museum

Museumsinsel 1, 80306 Munich, Germany

Philipp Lenard papers.

Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg

Postfach 10 57 49, D-6900 Heidelberg 1

Philipp Lenard personal records.

Generallandesarchiv Karlsruhe

Nördliche Hilaapromenade 2, 76133 Karlsruhe

Subject

David Hilbert papers.

Abteilung für Handschriften und seltene Drucke

Niedersächsische Staats-und Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen

Papendiek 14, D-37073 Göttingen

Erich A. Marx papers, 1905-1913.

Folsom Library. Institute Archives and Special Collections

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY 12180, USA

Johann Koenigsberger correspondence.

Handschriftenabteilung

Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich

Zurich, Switzerland

Lectures by William Coolidge, L. E. Etter, and Niels Bohr [sound recording], 1938.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Adnan Waly, 1994 February-March.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Carl Friedrich Weizsacker, 1986 January 28.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Gustav Ludwig Hertz, 1963 May 14 and 15.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Leopold Halpern, 1999 March 5.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Ludwig Edelstein, 1962 May 7.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Paul Peter Ewald, 1968 May 17 and 24.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Robert Wichard Pohl, 1963 June 25.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Stefan Rozental, 1971 August 27.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Theodore Von Karman, 1962 June 29.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Walter M. Elsasser, 1962 May 29.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Wilhelm Hanle, 1979 May 23 to June 2.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history joint interview with James Franck and Hertha Sponer-Franck, 1962 July 9 to 14.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Otto Lummer correspondence, 1899-1922.

Dept. of Manuscripts

Wroclaw University, Library

Sw. Jadwigi 3/4, 50-266 Wroclaw

Pieter Zeeman papers, 1877-1946.

Rijksarchief in Noord-Holland

Kleine Houtweg 18, Haarlem, Netherlands

Sen Saeland papers, 1898-1921.

In private hands

Transcript and translation of an interview with Wilhelm Hanle primarily about his reminiscences of Philipp Lenard, 1989.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Vladimir A. Michelson papers, 1884-1927.

St. Petersburg Branch. Archive

Russian Academy of Sciences

Universitetskaia hab., 1, Korp. 2, St. Petersburg 199034

Wilhelm Wien papers, 1898-ca. 1930.

Deutsches Museum

Museumsinsel 1, 80306 Munich, Germany

Published Resources

Author

Deutsche physik : in vier bänden / von Philipp Lenard …

England und deutschland zur Zeit des grossen Krieges

Gesammelte Werke / von Heinrich Hertz.

Great men of science : a history of scientific progress / by Philipp Lenard ... translated from the second German edition by Dr. H. Stafford Hatfield, with a preface by E.N. da C. Andrade …

Grosse naturforscher, eine geschichte der naturforschung in lebensbeschreibungen / von Philipp Lenard ... ; mit 70 bildnissen.

Quantitatives über Kathodenstrahlen aller Geschwindigkeiten / von P. Lenard …

The principles of mechanics presented in a new form by Heinrich Hertz; with an introduction by H. von Helmholtz. Authorised English translation by D. E. Jones and J. T. Walley.

Über äther und materie : Vortrag, gehalten in der Gesamtsitzung der Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften am 4 Juni 1910 / P. Lenard.

Über äther und urather, von P. Lenard.

Über Relativitätsprinzip : Äther, Gravitation / von P. Lenard.

Wissenschaftliche Abhandlungen aus den Jahre 1886-1932 / mit anfugten verbindenden erlauternden Bemerkungen und einem Vorwort von P. Lenard. Herausgegeben ...von Ludwig Wesch.

Subject

Encyclopaedia Britannica - Philipp Lenard.

Philipp Lenard Nobel Prize biography.