European Physical Society – 11th July 2005

It is a great pleasure and an honour for me to welcome you on behalf of the authorities of the University of Bern and, at the same time, to open your Conference. Looking around I should like to add: to welcome you in the University of Bern but unfortunately – although we are an autonomous institution – our material conditions and possibilities haven’t yet evolved that far. On the contrary: I must firmly declare that this hotel and everything you will discover in it does not belong to the University of Bern. In a way, that is a pity – and we would certainly take into consideration accepting such an establishment as a gift.

However, I can assure you that in the course of your Conference you will have the oppor- tunity to find out what our daily reality looks like – and that the University of Bern is situ- ated in highly attractive surroundings.

But of course, what really matters are not more or less historic buildings, rivers or moun- tains. The University of Bern was founded in 1834, its roots reaching back deeply into the 16th century, into the time of the reformation. Having started as a theological seminary, it expanded rapidly, acquiring many new disciplines long before it was formally given the status of a university. Today, it still wants to stick to the idea of a “university”, with a rela- tively broad range of disciplines, each of them being part of one of our seven schools (or faculties): theology, law, economics and social sciences, medicine, veterinary medicine, hu- manities, natural sciences. One of the many conveniences of the University of Bern is that – with a total of 13’000 students – it still has manageable and human dimensions even though within Switzerland it belongs – after Zurich and Geneva – already to the big universities. On the whole it is a good university (what else should I say?). Being a good university means aiming at a high average and cultivating a selection of fields where you want to be really strong. I hurry to specify that I clearly count Physics among our strong disciplines.

This last statement would have been valid five years ago just as well, long before the “World Year of Physics” was proclaimed and long before we were put into a condition of incessantly celebrating Einstein and thus being obliged to bestow praise on Physics. On the other hand I am of course aware that Einstein has a great part in the fact that you chose Bern for your Conference – 100 years after the annus mirabilis. By the way, you may have realised that it was this university where Einstein applied for his venia docendi, his “licence to teach”, in 1908. He finally succeeded, but only after a second attempt – we simply couldn’t lower our standards just for him.

If one of our physicists had listed Physics among the strong disciplines of the University of Bern you would have to distrust such self-praise. But as a former philologist and actual

______Proc. of the EPS-13 Conference “Beyond Einstein” – Physics for the 21st Century 11-15 July 2005, Bern, Switzerland (ESA SP-637, November 2006)

Rector I may claim to be thoroughly objective: indeed my impartiality is founded on abso- lutely minimal expertise.

Which, of course, is a pity again, even more so since from my earliest youth I had an admi- rable mentor ready to take care of me: Markus Fierz (your president will mention him too), then professor at the University of Basel, later at the ETHZ and father of a school friend. With great pleasure I remember the illuminating and encyclopaedic conversations the pro- fessor of Physics held with the schoolboy in the garden of his holiday domicile at the upper end of the Lake of Zurich. There I was taught, for instance, how Ventris and Chadwick had deciphered Linear B – supposing the texts contained an early form of Greek (I’m sure, Pro- fessor Gell-Mann will be able to explain that to you). I also got an introduction into the history of European music under idiosyncratic aspects; and in a most extensive way I had the privilege to become acquainted with the works of Goethe, especially Faust II (large parts of which the professor knew by heart). But where did Physics enter in all this? The closest I ever got was probably an interpretation of Goethe’s “Farbenlehre” where even the name of Newton must have occurred. Well, I guess that Markus Fierz, obviously an able pedagogue, had realised right from the beginning that I was lost for Physics. So he kept Physics safely away from me, knowing well that life has in store plenty of intellectually less demanding tasks – as for instance that of a Rector – and that not every human being has to dive into the ultimate mysteries of Physics.

I readily accept the verdict that I was lost for Physics long before I got in touch with it. But what about all those gifted young people, eagerly looking for enlightenment, but turning away from mathematics, chemistry, physics and doing social studies and humanities in- stead? For, it is a fact that our hopeful youth is more than ready to make extensive use of the most recent and refined technologies – whereas general enthusiasm is very limited as soon as they are invited to understand the scientific basis of what seems to be so fundamen- tal to our life. In my opinion, this is a crucial problem that has to be taken very seriously, not only by scientist, but by society at large. Therefore, I do hope that the “World Year of Physics” will contribute to stimulate young people’s interest in the fascinating realms of Physics. This interest, I repeat myself, is vital for the progress of science and for the whole of our society; it can be stimulated only by physicists, trying to attract young people instead of intimidating them, instead of generally despising the intellectual weakness of the rest of mankind. That is why I was especially pleased about the recent initiative of our Physicists in Bern who sacrificed their free Saturdays in order to introduce high school students into the universe of Physics.

As you realise, ladies and gentlemen, you have come to the right place at the right time. We are proud and delighted to be your hosts. I wish you exciting lectures and workshops, vivid discussions, many new insights, stimulating encounters – and an altogether pleasant stay in Bern and at the University of Bern.