General relativity and the growth of a sub-discipline “gravitation” in Germany

Abstract

We will follow the growth of gravitational theory in Germany from 1915 to the 1990s, i.e., relativistic theories of gravitation, mainly Einstein's, as a branch of physics in the sense of social, more precisely institutional history. As criteria for a continued professionalizing of the field, we use the numbers of published research papers, reviews, monographs, courses at universities, appointments of lecturers or professors as well as the status of those involved (members of academies). The foundation of special institutes for gravitational research and of particular divisions of physical societies forms the final stage of this process of institutionalization. At present, an institutionalization of research in relativistic gravitation has been achieved in Germany through a thriving topical section "Relativity and Gravitation" of the German Physical Society and a Max-Planck-Institute for Gravitational Physics. While an institutionalization of the field became achieved, the situation for young German relativists for entering into research in the field was not noticeably improved. Much of research in general relativity still is done at universities in rather small groups, the continuity of which is not guaranteed.