panofsky_bio_479_486_1p.indd 479 WOLFGANG KURT HERMANNPANOFSKY KURT WOLFGANG 24 april 1919 24 april . 24 september 2007 COURTESY OF SLAC NATIONAL ACCELERATOR ARCHIVES AND HISTORY OFFICE / DIANA ROGERS PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY VOL. 157, NO. 4, DECEMBER 2013 12/5/14 4:19 PM panofsky_bio_479_486_1p.indd 479 WOLFGANG KURT HERMANNPANOFSKY KURT WOLFGANG 24 april 1919 24 april . 24 september 2007 COURTESY OF SLAC NATIONAL ACCELERATOR ARCHIVES AND HISTORY OFFICE / DIANA ROGERS 12/5/14 4:19 PM panofsky_bio_479_486_1p.indd 479 WOLFGANG KURT HERMANNPANOFSKY KURT WOLFGANG 24 april 1919 24 april . 24 september 2007 COURTESY OF SLAC NATIONAL ACCELERATOR ARCHIVES AND HISTORY OFFICE / DIANA ROGERS 12/5/14 4:19 PM biographical memoirs olfgang K. H. PANOFSKY was born 24 April 1919 in olfgang K. H. PANOFSKY was born 24 April 1919 in olfgang K. H. PANOFSKY was born 24 April 1919 in Berlin and died, working at home, 24 September 2007. His Berlin and died, working at home, 24 September 2007. His Berlin and died, working at home, 24 September 2007. His diminutive, Pief, belied his status as a titan in spirit and in diminutive, Pief, belied his status as a titan in spirit and in diminutive, Pief, belied his status as a titan in spirit and in achievement.W He was the son of the eminent art historian Erwin achievement.W He was the son of the eminent art historian Erwin achievement.W He was the son of the eminent art historian Erwin Panofsky, who immigrated to the United States with his family in 1934 Panofsky, who immigrated to the United States with his family in 1934 Panofsky, who immigrated to the United States with his family in 1934 to take a position as a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in to take a position as a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in to take a position as a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton; as a Jew, Erwin Panofsky had been dismissed from his Princeton; as a Jew, Erwin Panofsky had been dismissed from his Princeton; as a Jew, Erwin Panofsky had been dismissed from his professorship at the University of Hamburg. Pief’s brother, Hans professorship at the University of Hamburg. Pief’s brother, Hans professorship at the University of Hamburg. Pief’s brother, Hans Arnold, two years older than Pief, became an atmospheric scientist Arnold, two years older than Pief, became an atmospheric scientist Arnold, two years older than Pief, became an atmospheric scientist with a long career at Penn State. As youths in Hamburg the two with a long career at Penn State. As youths in Hamburg the two with a long career at Penn State. As youths in Hamburg the two brothers delighted in building complex toys from a Märklin brothers delighted in building complex toys from a Märklin brothers delighted in building complex toys from a Märklin construction set supplemented each year by their parents; among the construction set supplemented each year by their parents; among the construction set supplemented each year by their parents; among the products was an “automated vending machine to sell candy and products was an “automated vending machine to sell candy and products was an “automated vending machine to sell candy and cigarettes at exorbitant prices to their father’s art history students at cigarettes at exorbitant prices to their father’s art history students at cigarettes at exorbitant prices to their father’s art history students at their seminars.” Early on, Pief developed an aversion to art, but enjoyed their seminars.” Early on, Pief developed an aversion to art, but enjoyed their seminars.” Early on, Pief developed an aversion to art, but enjoyed and participated in music. and participated in music. and participated in music. On their arrival at Princeton in 1934, Pief and Hans were admitted On their arrival at Princeton in 1934, Pief and Hans were admitted On their arrival at Princeton in 1934, Pief and Hans were admitted to the university on probation, not having graduated from high school. to the university on probation, not having graduated from high school. to the university on probation, not having graduated from high school. Pief obtained his B.S. in physics from Princeton in 1938, summa cum Pief obtained his B.S. in physics from Princeton in 1938, summa cum Pief obtained his B.S. in physics from Princeton in 1938, summa cum laude, and his Ph.D. in physics in 1942 from Caltech. That same year laude, and his Ph.D. in physics in 1942 from Caltech. That same year laude, and his Ph.D. in physics in 1942 from Caltech. That same year he married Adele DuMond, elder daughter of his thesis sponsor Jesse he married Adele DuMond, elder daughter of his thesis sponsor Jesse he married Adele DuMond, elder daughter of his thesis sponsor Jesse W. M. DuMond, and was granted U.S. citizenship, ending his anoma- W. M. DuMond, and was granted U.S. citizenship, ending his anoma- W. M. DuMond, and was granted U.S. citizenship, ending his anoma- lous status as an enemy alien with security clearance. He was swept up lous status as an enemy alien with security clearance. He was swept up lous status as an enemy alien with security clearance. He was swept up in the war effort and wrote his parents, “Our life is occupied by sleep, in the war effort and wrote his parents, “Our life is occupied by sleep, in the war effort and wrote his parents, “Our life is occupied by sleep, work, and babies. About work I am not allowed to write, about sleep I work, and babies. About work I am not allowed to write, about sleep I work, and babies. About work I am not allowed to write, about sleep I know nothing, and therefore this letter will deal with babies.”1 know nothing, and therefore this letter will deal with babies.”1 know nothing, and therefore this letter will deal with babies.”1 With Alex E. S. Green, Pief devised an aircraft-towed “firing-error With Alex E. S. Green, Pief devised an aircraft-towed “firing-error With Alex E. S. Green, Pief devised an aircraft-towed “firing-error indicator” for the training of anti-aircraft gunners; this transmitted by indicator” for the training of anti-aircraft gunners; this transmitted by indicator” for the training of anti-aircraft gunners; this transmitted by radio the acoustic pulse from a microphone in the towed banner, thus radio the acoustic pulse from a microphone in the towed banner, thus radio the acoustic pulse from a microphone in the towed banner, thus allowing a precise determination of the projectile miss distance. He allowing a precise determination of the projectile miss distance. He allowing a precise determination of the projectile miss distance. He then joined the nuclear weapon program at Los Alamos, commuting then joined the nuclear weapon program at Los Alamos, commuting then joined the nuclear weapon program at Los Alamos, commuting from Caltech. from Caltech. from Caltech. At Los Alamos, at the request of Luis W. Alvarez, leader of the “det- At Los Alamos, at the request of Luis W. Alvarez, leader of the “det- At Los Alamos, at the request of Luis W. Alvarez, leader of the “det- onation” group there, he used similar technology to build an atmo- onation” group there, he used similar technology to build an atmo- onation” group there, he used similar technology to build an atmo- spheric pressure transducer that would be dropped with the nuclear spheric pressure transducer that would be dropped with the nuclear spheric pressure transducer that would be dropped with the nuclear weapons at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to hang from a parachute at the weapons at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to hang from a parachute at the weapons at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to hang from a parachute at the time of the explosion and to transmit by radio to a chase plane the time of the explosion and to transmit by radio to a chase plane the time of the explosion and to transmit by radio to a chase plane the pressure wave from the explosion, thus allowing a determination of the pressure wave from the explosion, thus allowing a determination of the pressure wave from the explosion, thus allowing a determination of the explosive yield and the height of burst. explosive yield and the height of burst. explosive yield and the height of burst. At the war’s end, Alvarez returned to the University of California At the war’s end, Alvarez returned to the University of California At the war’s end, Alvarez returned to the University of California Radiation Laboratory at Berkeley and enticed Pief to accompany him. Radiation Laboratory at Berkeley and enticed Pief to accompany him. Radiation Laboratory at Berkeley and enticed Pief to accompany him. 1 The definitive and rich account of Pief’s life is in his autobiography, Panofsky on Phys- 1 The definitive and rich account of Pief’s life is in his autobiography, Panofsky on Phys- 1 The definitive and rich account of Pief’s life is in his autobiography, Panofsky on Phys- ics, Politics, and Peace: Pief Remembers (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 2007). ics, Politics, and Peace: Pief Remembers (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 2007). ics, Politics, and Peace: Pief Remembers (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 2007). [ 480 ] [ 480 ] [ 480 ] panofsky_bio_479_486_1p.indd 480 12/5/14 4:19 PM panofsky_bio_479_486_1p.indd 480 12/5/14 4:19 PM panofsky_bio_479_486_1p.indd 480 12/5/14 4:19 PM wolfgang kurt hermann panofsky 481 wolfgang kurt hermann panofsky 481 wolfgang kurt hermann panofsky 481 Alvarez called Pief his “secret weapon,” but not too often, lest the se- Alvarez called Pief his “secret weapon,” but not too often, lest the se- Alvarez called Pief his “secret weapon,” but not too often, lest the se- cret get out.