The Early Copenhagen Years: From Student to Apostle

Abstract

It is surprising that a venture so haphazardly conceived as Kramers’ trip to Bohr led to such unquestioned successes. The motivation for Kramers’ departure from Holland Was general unhappiness with Leiden and Ehrenfest, and severe doubts and concerns about his ability to do genuine physics. He came to Bohr without introduction, help, or recommendation from those who made Leiden renowned. He came at a time when his personal problems were severe and he was in the midst of great uncertainty and confusion about his scientific goals. Yet on this most tenuous basis Kramers proceeded to accomplish a prodigious amount of significant work in an incredibly short period of time.