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Lew Kowarski Lew Kowarski 1907-1979 Avant-propos ~~~'\ John B. Adams Les textes publies dans le present document sont ceux directeur de son Departement des sciences naturelles. des allocutions prononcees !ors d'une reunion a la me­ Denis de Rougemont, comme Lew Kowarski, a done pris moire de Lew Kowarski, qui s'est tenue au CERN a une grande part a la creation du CERN et s'est trouve en Geneve le 20 decembre 1979. contact avec Kowarski, tant a ce moment-la que pendant Ces allocutions couvrent les differentes phases de la vie Jes annees ou ce dernier a travaille au CERN. Leurs rela­ et de !'oeuvre de Lew Kowarski, et chaque orateur s'est tions se resserrerent encore apres que Kowarski eut pris sa trouve en association etroite avec lui a differentes epoques retraite. de sa carriere. Jean Mussard a egalement concouru a la creation du Jules Gueron a rencontre Kowarski avant la seconde CERN car, a l'epoque ou !'UNESCO entreprenait d'ela­ guerre mondiale alors qu'il travaillait au laboratoire de borer le projet d'un Laboratoire europeen de physique Joliot a Paris. Ensemble, ils entrerent a «Tube Alloys», nucleaire, ii etait directeur adjoint de la Division pour la nom de code pour le projet d'energie nucleaire en Angle­ cooperation scientifique internationale a l'UNESCO et terre, et se rendirent au Canada quand ce projet y fut Pierre Auger le chargea de cette elaboration. C'est ainsi transfere en 1943. Apres la guerre, tous deux devinrent qu'il entra en contact avec Lew Kowarski et ii resta en directeurs au CEA, en France, puis leurs itineraires se rapport etroit avec lui jusqu'au deces de celui-ci. Jean separerent, Kowarski venant au CERN et Gueron entrant Mussard rappelle le role joue par Kowarski dans la a l'EURATOM comme directeur general de la recherche. creation du CERN et ses activites au cours de ses annees Jules Gueron rappelle !es premieres annees des developpe­ ulterieures a Geneve. ments de l'energie nucleaire et le role joue par Kowarski En maniere d'introduction aux quatre evocations consi­ ~I pendant cette periode capitale de l'histoire recente. gnees dans le present document, je voudrais esquisser tres ! Charles Peyrou a travaille avec Lew Kowarski au brievement les evenements survenus au cours des jeunes CERN et rappelle la part qu'il a prise a !'oeuvre du Labo­ annees de Lew Kowarski, avant qu'il devienne une person­ ratoire apres sa creation en 1953. nalite. Denis de Rougemont etait rapporteur general du Ne en 1907 a Saint-Petersbourg, l'actuelle Leningrad, ii Mouvement europeen lorsque l'idee d'un laboratoire euro­ etait le fits d'un homme d'affaires juif et d'une chanteuse peen de physique nucleaire a ete debattue pour la premiere ukrainienne de religion orthodoxe. L'enfant d'une telle fois, !ors de la Conference europeenne de la culture qui union, dans la Russie tsariste d'alors, se heurtait a des pro­ s'est tenue a Lausanne en decembre 1949. A la suite de blemes que Jean Mussard rappelle. Kowarski affirmait cette conference, le Centre europeen de la culture a ete souvent que son interet pour la science remontait a cree a Geneve, en 1950, sous la direction de Denis de 1917, annee du coup d'Etat bolchevique en Russie, alors Rougemont et s'est vu confier, parmi ses premieres qu'age de dix ans ii lisait le roman de H.G. Wells intitule taches, les travaux preparatoires a la creation d'un tel «The World Set Free». A douze ans, on le faisait evader laboratoire europeen. En decembre 1950, cette creation de la Russie en revolution et gagner Vilna, revenue plus etait decidee et !'UNESCO se chargea de la tache en tard a la Pologne, OU son pere l'avait precede de quelques mai 1951, en confiant la responsabilite a Pierre Auger, mois. A vec l'appui financier de ce dernier, ii faisait des 3 etudes, d'abord a Gand (Belgique) puis a !'Ecole de chimie facile a comprendre et qui a ete parfois meconnue. Doue industrielle de Lyon, ou ii recevait en 1928 le diplome d'un brillant esprit d'analyse, ii aimait l'appliquer a une d'ingenieur chimiste. vaste pluralite de sujets. Mais on doit admettre que par­ Son premier emploi etait dans l'industrie ou, tout en tra­ fois, en mettant en cause !es verites etablies, ii ne se faisait vaillant a l'etude de canalisations a gaz, ii s'arrangeait pas toujours apprecier de ceux qu'il attaquait. C'est peut­ pour commencer des recherches scientifiques sur la crois­ etre pourquoi, comme l'ecrit Bruce Atkins dans son sance des cristaux, sous la direction de Jean Perrin, ce qui recent memoire sur Lew Kowarski, C<Sa mort n'a guere Jui valut un doctorat es sciences physiques a l'Universite paru recevoir du public !'attention qu'on aurait pu attendre de Paris. II entrait ensuite dans le groupe de Joliot-Curie, pour l'un des peres de l'energie nucleaire». J'espere tres comme son secretaire a temps partiel, pour devenir en vivement que Jes discours consignes ici feront mieux 193 7 chercheur a part entiere avec Joliot et von Hal ban. comprendre sa vie et !'importance de son oeuvre. Ainsi, a trente ans enfin, apres une enfance extraordinaire Que sa vie fut si remplie est du a son extraordinaire et une adolescence qui eut brise un moins fort caractere, puissance intellectuelle et au profond interet qu'il portait ii entrait, pour ainsi dire par la petite porte, dans le monde aux grandes questions scientifiques de son temps. Qu'il de la science. supporta si longtemps sa maladie est le fruit de son Etant donne rinsecurite de son enfance, ses luttes de extreme volonte (qui Jui donna encore la force d'assister jeune homme et son entree peu commune dans le monde a la celebration du 25e anniversaire du CERN en 1979) et de la science, ii n'est guere surprenant que sa personnalite des soins devoues de Kate, sa sereine et douce epouse. prit une forme assez complexe, qui n'etait pas toujours J.B.A. 4 Lew Kowarski et le developpement de 1' energie nucleaire Jules Gueron Nous sommes reunis en memoire d'un homme excep­ aussi il y a peu de mois et qui devait devenir un des prin­ tionnel. La vie et les oeuvres de Lew Kowarski sont large­ cipaux acteurs du CEA avant d'y succeder, comme haut ment connues, car elles sont au coeur d'evenements qui commissaire, a Francis Perrin. dominent non seulement la science et la technique de notre Je passai les premiers mois de la guerre au College de generation mais aussi l'histoire de notre temps. 11 serait France, dans le laboratoire de Marcel Delepine, mais sans trop long d'enumerer les articles et les livres, qu'il s'agisse entendre un traitre mot de ce qui se passait a quelque de traites historiques OU de recits personnels, OU sont cent metres de la, chez Joliot, et sans meme croiser une decrits la personne et !'action de Kowarski. Laissez-moi fois Kowarski. cependant citer le livre recent de Spencer Weart ( «Scien­ C'est le 22 ou le 23 juin 1940 que je tombai sur lui et tists in power») et, parmi les notices necrologiques, celle sur Laugier, en sortant de la gare de Paddington, a qu'a ecrite O.R. Frisch, lui-meme disparu peu de se­ Londres, apres trois jours sur un cargo charge de poussier maines apres son ami. de charbon, vingt heures dans un cinema de Falmouth Tous ici, nous avons connu Kowarski. Mais ce fut a des transforme en centre d'hebergement de refugies, et une moments divers. De sorte que chacun ne peut avoir de lui nuit dans un train bonde! Laugier me reconnut cependant qu'une image personnelle partielle, associee a une phase et m'invita pour le lendemain a une reunion OU l'on devait particuliere de sa multiple carriere. Aussi devons-nous examiner l'emploi de scientifiques fran9ais. 11 s'avera tres remercier le CERN qui permet aujourd'hui a divers vite qu'elle etait reservee au groupe amene par Lord temoins de contribuer a !'evocation d'un portrait plus Suffolk, qui ressemblait a un boucanier d'operette, et je complet. sortis de la salle, tot apres y etre entre, sans avoir rien J'ai rencontre Kowarski pour la premiere fois en 1937, appris des sujets al'ordre dujour. avant la decouverte de la fission; nous avions a peine Un an plus tard a peine, au debut de l'automne 1941, depasse notre trentieme annee. Henri Laugier, premier Kowarski reprit contact avec moi. 11 ne pouvait parler directeur du tout jeune CNRS, m'avait promis une mo­ qu'a mots couverts. Des progres importants avaient ete deste subvention d'appareillage, ajoutant toutefois: «11 accomplis par une toute petite equipe, mais il n'avait pas le faut une decision de commission; allez done raconter votre droit d'en dire plus. Le travail devait s'amplifier; il se pour­ affaire a Joliot!» Rendez-vous pris, Joliot ne me re9ut pas suivrait en Angleterre ou aux Etats-Unis - qui n'etaient U'etais sans doute trop menu fretin) mais un jeune geant a pas encore en guerre. 11 fallait quelques physico-chimistes cheveux blancs excusa son patron, ecouta mon histoire, en renfort. Etais-je disponible? Mes questions portaient puis m'aiguilla vers une longue discussion de thermo­ sur la situation technique, sur !es chances d'aboutir a quoi dynamique. Ma subvention fut accordee, contribuant a me que ce soit contribuant a !'effort de guerre, sur Jes risques laisser un hon souvenir de mon interlocuteur inattendu.
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