The Bridge

Abstract

The beginning When I got back from Paris and Brussels in 1910 full of thoughts and plans for the future of the association that had just been formed and happy at Ernest Solvay ’s understanding help, which had made our friendship a lot closer, I found a letter from Munich waiting for me. This soon kept me very busy, although both head and heart were already fully engaged in the matter of the chemical association. The letter came with a typescript of 177 pages and a short accompanying note in which the authors asked for a personal appointment. Their names were K.W. Bührer and Dr. Ad. Saager neither of whom I knew. In the preface it was noted that the plan was Bührer’s and the manuscript had been written by Saager . The title was “The organisation of intellectual work by the Bridge”. I read the manuscript through and the result was that I wrote back to Munich to say that I would be happy to receive them. The idea they had developed was so close to my plans and wishes and in particular there were a number of points at which it provided solutions, where till now I had only seen problems, so that I felt I could not refuse the hand they had extended. The visitors arrived a few days later and after a discussion lasting several hours they left with my promise of help.