R e d e
uitgesproken op 17september 1956 t e r gelegenheid van de e r e p r o m o t i e van
D r . T h . v o n K a r m a n
Dear Von Karman,
A p p o i n t e d by t h e Senate o f o u r Technological U n i v e r s i t y t o address y o u in this ceremonious session t o expound t h e reasons which led us t o confer upon y o u t h e highest t o k e n o f scientific esteem and respect o f which we dispose, i t is my first duty, and a great personal pleasure -t o bid y o u a mos-t cordial welcome in D e l f -t , no u n k n o w n -t e r r i -t o r y -t o you, w h i c h has lodged f o r many decades - in fact since t h e beginning o f y o u r remarkable career - an ever increasing n u m b e r o f y o u r admirers. By way of i n t r o d u c t i o n t o w h a t I w a n t t o say this a f t e r n o o n , I may start w i t h t h e paradoxical r e m a r k , t h a t t h e Idea t o h o n o u r y o u was accom-panied by a serious d o u b t , w h e t h e r o u r d o c t o r a t e could be granted t o you. If a t e s t i m o n y o f this kind has t o be pronounced at t h e end o f an academic e x a m i n a t i o n , t h e poor examinee, if not a l t o g e t h e r d e p r i v e d o f self-esteem, w i i i in his heart o f hearts rather wish t o fail, than t o pass his exam in such a p o o r way ( t h o u g h in my experience such a wish has never been p r o n o u n c e d ) . It w i l l be clear however t o everyone present here, t h a t considerations o f q u i t e a higher and d i f f e r e n t standard prevailed d u r i n g t h e discussions about y o u r honorary degree. The disadvantage o f t h e d o u b t - i f I may coin this new expression - as apposed t o t h e „ b e n e f i t " of t h e d o u b t , - did n o t lie w i t h y o u , but w i t h o u r Senate, whose j u d g m e n t was seriously hampered by t h e d o u b t w h e t h e r t h e i r ,,candidate" was n o t above t h e i r praise. N o f e w e r than 15 honorary degrees had already been conferred on y o u , c o m i n g f r o m A m e r i c a , Belgium, Germany, France, Israel and T u r k e y , and It m i g h t well be asked i f a new one could possibly evoke any real satisfaction In t h e recipient, and w o u l d n o t - on t h e c o n t r a r y - give rise t o t h e reproach - t h o u g h c e r t a i n l y never u t t e r e d by you - t h a t w i t h t h e o f f e r i n g o f o u r homage we w e r e lagging rather far behind others.
If we agree w i t h La Rochefoucauld, whose maxim It was t h a t ,,la racine de t o u t e action humaine est l ' é g o i s m e " , It cannot be denied, t h a t every act of admiration contains at least an element o f self-glorification. H o w e v e r wellmeant t h e act may seem, i t nevertheless finds Its roots in t h e g r a t i -f y i n g consciousness o -f being able t o j u d g e o-f t h e importance o r greatness of an outstanding personage and in t h e self-assumed r i g h t t o r e c o g n i t i o n o f this j u d g m e n t . Far f r o m c o n d e m n i n g these t w o traits of human char-acter, w h i c h - kept w i t h i n t h e bounds o f reason and sentiment - can also be looked upon as c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o human understanding and happiness, it nevertheless may be desirable t o analyse in w h a t measure t h e y have influenced t h e decision of o u r Senate.
N o bestowal of an h o n o r a r y degree is In o u r o p i n i o n justifiable i f n o t t h e University itself can p o i n t t o self produced w o r k , f r o m w h i c h i t may at ieast be hoped, t h a t i t has f o u n d some appreciation on t h e part o f t h e recipient. From this p o i n t o f v i e w my task could not have been easier. W i t h o u t doing an Injustice t o any o f o u r colleagues w o r k i n g in t h e fieid o f mechanics, I may restrict myself t o d r a w i n g y o u r a t t e n t i o n t o y o u r life-long f r i e n d j . M . Burgers, whose w o r k w o u l d have sufficed t o make t h e University o f D e i f t - c o n f i n i n g myself f o r a moment t o t h e mechanical field - a w e l l k n o w n i n s t i t u t e all o v e r t h e w o r l d . Had n o t an u n b r i d l e d desire f o r extensive k n o w l e d g e and f o r a w i d e r o u t l o o k on human relations deprived us o f one o f o u r p r o m i n e n t scientists, you w o u l d have enjoyed at this m o m e n t t h e speech o f a far more competent p r o m o t o r . The loss you are suffering by his no l o n g e r being a member o f o u r Senate, is at least t o some e x t e n t made good by his presence here, w h i c h I v e n t u r e t o say w i l l be as highly appreciated by y o u as by his f o r m e r colleagues. A glance at t h e list of h o n o r a r y degrees, awarded since 1906, t h e year in w h i c h o u r University was raised t o Its present status suffices t o show h o w sparingly and w i t h w h a t caution o u r Senate has made use o f w h a t
i t regards t o be its highest prerogative. The list records in all o n l y 43 persons, no m o r e than 16 of w h o m are still alive. The reading o f t h e i r names revives o u r g r a t i t u d e f o r w h a t t h e y w e r e and w h a t t h e y d i d , and stimulates o u r p r i d e t h a t t h e i r names are lastingly connected w i t h t h e name and let us hope t h e fame of o u r U n i v e r s i t y . Nevertheless i t seems strange, that - w i t h o n l y one exception - no f o r e i g n scientists are t o be f o u n d in o u r list o f h o n o u r , so t h a t w i t h some malevolence t h e r e m a r k m i g h t be made, t h a t seemingly o u r scientific horizon is l i m i t e d by o u r D u t c h f r o n t i e r . The broad point of view w h i c h o u r c o u n t r y as a w h o l e has always taken In genuinely a d m i r i n g f o r e i g n achievements, may be a w a r r a n t that o u r U n i v e r s i t y too is well aware o f t h e great debt i t owes t o f o r e i g n science and c u l t u r e . Its natural shyness t o bear witness o f these feelings in an ofFicial manner could in no happier way be overcome than by paying high t r i b u t e t o a man of universal and indisputable r e p u t a t i o n in t h e field o f a basic engineering science: t h e vast domain o f t h e o r e t i c a l and applied mechanics. It is g r a t i f y i n g t h a t o u r appeal t o y o u has been answered in a w a y t o o fiattering f o r o u r U n i v e r s i t y t o be repeated here. It may find its fitting response In t h e assurance t h a t i t is we t h a t feel ourselves h o n o u r e d by t h e connection o f y o u r name w i t h t h a t o f o u r Institute.
A complete survey o f y o u r w o r k , y o u r personality, and y o u r relations w i t h scientific, industrial, and governmental Institutions w o u l d r e q u i r e considerably m o r e t i m e than is available in this session. T e m p t i n g as It w o u l d be t o analyse parts o f y o u r scientific w o r k , i t is imperative that I restrict myself t o a superficial review. May I ask y o u t h e n t o be t h e w i l l i n g v i c t i m o f this superficiality w h i c h in its essence is due t o t h e f e c u n d i t y o f y o u r activities. From a restricted point of v i e w I could confine myself t o y o u r purely scientific w o r k , but doing so, 1 should again be l e f t w i t h an insurmountable task even i f I should only be p e r m i t t e d t o read t h e
t i t l e s of y o u r 130 publications. T h e y cover a field of enormous e x t e n t and relate t o all t h e various branches o f applied mechanics. In t h e i r great m a j o r i t y t h e y bear on f u n d a m e n t a l questions, and excel in clearness and directness. In addition i t must be stressed, t h a t even the earliest publica-tions are of a classic nature and evoke t h e admiration of everyone w h o
reads t h e m nowadays in t h e i r o r i g i n a l w o r d i n g . They also t e s t i f y t o t h e diversity of y o u r interests, and suggest t h a t f r o m t h e beginning y o u wanted t o claim t h e whole field o f mechanics as y o u r sphere o f action. Three of t h e m at least must be m e n t i o n e d separately:
firstly y o u r dissertation e n t i t l e d : Untersuchungen ü b e r K n i c k f e s t i g k e i t , p r i n t e d as nr. 81 in t h e , , M i t t e i l u n g e n ü b e r Forschungsarbeiten auf dem Gebiete des Ingenieurswesens, ins besondere aus den Laboratorien der technischen Hochschulen, herausgegeben von dem V e r e i n deutscher Ingenleure." It answers (in t h e affirmative) t h e question w h e t h e r t h e w e l l - k n o w n f o r m u l a o f Euler, valid f o r columns, centrally loaded and buckling w i t h i n t h e elastic range o f t h e material can be used as w e l l f o r buckling phenomena, o c c u r r i n g in t h e non-elastic range by replacing t h e modulus o f elasticity by a w e l l - d e f i n e d substitute,
secondly the remarkable paper ( w r i t t e n in collaboration w i t h A . Haar) t o be f o u n d in t h e ,,Nachrlchten der Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu G ö t t i n g e n 1909", being a f u n d a m e n t a l c o n t r i b u t i o n ,,zur T h e o r i e d e r Spannungszustande in plastischen und sandartigen M e d l e n " t o w h i c h reference is made in all treatises and books, on t h e t h e o r y o f plasticity, t h i r d l y t h e papers relating t o ,,dem Mechanismus des Widerstandes, den ein bewegter K ö r p e r in einer Flüssigkeit e r f a h r t " , published in t h e „ N a c h r i c h t e n der Gesellschaft d e r Wissenschaften zu G ö t t i n g e n , 1911 and 1912 and in t h e „ P h y s i k a l l s c h e Z e i t s c h r i f t 1912" (the l a t t e r paper being w r i t t e n in collaboration w i t h H . Rubach). The last mentioned papers put y o u at once in t h e l i m e l i g h t of the international scientific
amphitheatre and perhaps it w i l l impress you even f o r t y years a f t e r t h e event, t h a t o u r greatest physicist, H . A . L o r e n t z w i t h all t h e w e i g h t of his a u t h o r i t y paid his t r i b u t e of appreciation f o r y o u r w o r k in a magisterial lecture on hydrodynamical topics delivered t o t h e „ K o n i n k l i j k I n s t i t u u t van Ingenieurs". This lecture, unique in its c o n s t r u c t i o n and its lucidity, characterised by a seeming simplicity and a w i n n i n g charm w h i c h w e r e L o r e n t z ' personal secrets, f o u n d its culmination in t h e description of w h a t is n o w universally called the Karman-street, bordered by t w o neatly arranged rows of vortices. The a f t e r n o o n o f 12 December 1914 has always remained a landmark in y o u r p r o m o t e r ' s experiences and It marks t h e h o u r In w h i c h the desire t o make y o u r personal acquaintance began t o f o r c e itself on h i m . L i t t l e did he t h i n k t h e n h o w many times he was t o meet y o u later on and t o w h a t inspiring Influence he was t o be subjected In pursuing, t o g e t h e r w i t h Burgers, an Ideal of yours about which I shall speak w i t h i n a f e w minutes. For t h e present however, I w i l l continue my survey o f y o u r scientific p r o d u c t i o n .
W i t h o u t going Into d é t a i l 1 must first of all give some a t t e n t i o n t o y o u r papers on ,,dle Bedingungen des Bruches und der plastischen D e f o r m a -t i o n , ins besondere bei quasi iso-tropen K ö r p e r n ; Fes-tlgkei-tsversuche u n t e r allseltigem D r u c k ; die mittragende Breite v e r s t e l f t e r Platten, die T h e o r i e des Walzvorganges, elastische Grenzzustande, die Berechnung f r e i t r a g e n d e r Flügel, t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h i n plates In compression, t h e buckling of spherical shells by external pressure, t h e Influence o f c u r v a t u r e on t h e buckling characteristics of structures, t h e buckling o f t h i n cylin-drical shells under axial compression, t o m e n t i o n o n l y a f e w o f those 40 papers which are d e v o t e d t o elastic o r plastic problems. Y o u r t w o b r i l -liant c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h e ,,Enzyclopadie der Mathematlschen Wissen-schaften" on ,,Festigkeltsprobleme Im Maschlnenbau" and ,,physikallsche Grundiagen d e r Festlgkeltslehre" have w o n y o u t h e g r a t i t u d e o f all y o u r
c o l l e a g u e s , a n d y o u r b o o k , w r i t t e n In c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h B i o t o n M a t h e -m a t i c a l -m e t h o d s in E n g i n e e r i n g t r a n s l a t e d as i t has b e e n i n t o F r e n c h , S p a n i s h , P o r t u g e s e , I t a l i a n , T u r k i s h a n d Japanese, is in t h e hands o f all a d v a n c e d s t u d e n t s a n d y o u n g s c i e n t i s t s in t h e field o f m e c h a n i c s . Y o u r W i l l a r d G i b b s l e c t u r e d e l i v e r e d t o t h e A m e r i c a n M a t h e m a t i c a l S o c i e t y u n d e r t h e s u g g e s t i v e t i t l e , , t h e E n g i n e e r g r a p p l e s w i t h n o n l i n e a r p r o -b l e m s " has had a m o s t s t i m u l a t i n g e f f e c t , a n d is an o u t s t a n d i n g t e s t i m o n y o f y o u r p e d a g o g i c a l g i f t s .
A n d y e t , all t h i s v a l u a b l e w o r k has b e e n surpassed b y y o u r n u m e r o u s c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h e field o f h y d r o - a n d a e r o d y n a m i c s . G o i n g t h r o u g h t h e i r list o n e is at a c o m p l e t e loss, w h i c h o f t h e m t o s i n g l e o u t f r o m t h e m o r e t h a n 6 0 p a p e r s w h i c h all r e l a t e t o a m o s t i n h o s -p i t a b l e d o m a i n o f -p h y s i c a l a n d m a t h e m a t i c a l d i f f i c u l t i e s . H e r e , e v e n m o r e so t h a n in t h e o t h e r d o m a i n s y o u r s p e c i f i c g i f t c o m e s t o t h e f o r e , t o i s o l a t e e s s e n t i a l p a r t s o f a p r o b l e m , t o n e g l e c t all u n e s s e n t i a l s , t o s e a r c h , g u i d e d b y a r a r e I n t u i t i o n , f o r a p p r o x i m a t e s o l u t i o n s a n d t o s e t u p a t t h e e n d o f t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n c o n t r o l c a l c u l a t i o n s w i t h r e s p e c t t o i n i t i a l l y n e g l e c t e d t e r m s . H a v i n g b e e n an assistant o f P r a n d t l i n y o u r G ö t C i n g e r -t i m e i -t is n o -t s u r p r i s i n g , -t h a -t y o u w e r e -t e m p -t e d by his b o u n d a r y - l a y e r e q u a t i o n s w h i c h y o u a t t a c k e d in s u c h a b r i l l i a n t w a y . A n d o f c o u r s e y o u have t i m e a n d a g a i n b e e n c h a l l e n g e d b y t h a t i n t r i c a t e p r o b l e m , w h i c h i n t r i g u e s all a e r o d y n a m i s t s . E v i d e n c e o f t h i s is g i v e n b y t h e n u m e r o u s p a p e r s b e a r i n g o n t h i s s u b j e c t , s o m e f e w o f w h i c h m a y be m e n t i o n e d h e r e : Ü b e r d i e S t a b i l i t a t d e r L a m i n a r s t r ö m u n g u n d d i e T h e o r i e d e r T u r b u l e n z ( P r o c . F i r s t I n t e r n . C o n g r . A p p l . M e c h . D e l f t , 1 9 2 4 ) , M e c h a -nische A h n l i c h k e i t u n d T u r b u l e n z ( P r o c . T h i r d I n t e r n . C o n g r . A p p l . M e c h . S t o c k h o l m , 1 9 3 8 ) , S o m e aspects o f t h e T u r b u l e n c e P r o b l e m , ( P r o c . f o u r t h I n t . C o n g r . A p p l . M e c h . C a m b r i d g e E n g . , 194-4), O n t h e S t a t i s t i c a l T h e o r y o f T u r b u l e n c e ( j o u r n a l A e r o . S c i . 1 9 3 7 ) , O n t h e S t a t i s -t i c a l T h e o r y o f I s o -t r o p i c T u r b u l e n c e ( w i -t h H o w a r -t h ) ( P r o c . Roy. S o c . b o n d . 1 9 3 8 ) , S o m e r e m a r k s o n t h e S t a t i s t i c a l T h e o r y o f T u r b u l e n c e ( P r o c . 5 t h I n t . C o n g r . A p p l . M e c h . C a m b r i d g e Mass. 1 9 3 8 ) , O n L a m i n a r a n d T u r b u l e n t F r i c t i o n ( N . A . C . A . T e c h n . M e m . 1 9 4 6 ) , O n t h e c o n c e p t o f S i m i l a r i t y in t h e t h e o r y o f I s o t r o p i c T u r b u l e n c e ( w i t h C . C . L i n n ) ( M o d e r n Physics 1 9 4 9 ) . M a n i f o l d o t h e r t o p i c s , h o w e v e r , have e n g a g e d y o u r a t t e n -t i o n : S -t a b i l i -t y o f a e r o p l a n e s , r e s i s -t a n c e p r o b l e m s o f ships, w i n d -t u n n e l p r o b l e m s , p r o b l e m s o f f l o w in c o m p r e s s i b l e fluids, s u p e r s o n i c a e r o d y n a -m i c s , a n d -m a n y o t h e r s , s o -m e o f w h i c h a r e o f a s p e c i f i c physical n a t u r e . W i t h u n s t i n t e d g e n e r o s i t y y o u c o n t r i b u t e d t o a n n i v e r s a r y b o o k s , d e d i -c a t e d t o s o m e o f y o u r -c o l l e a g u e s , o n e o f w h o m is h i g h l y in y o u r d e b t f o r y o u r a r t i c l e o n t h e t h e r m a l t h e o r y o f c o n s t a n t p r e s s u r e d e f i a g o r a t i o n , w r i t t e n in c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h G . M i l l a n . C o n t r i b u t i o n s in b o o k - f o r m w e r e g i v e n b y y o u in t h e D u r a n d E d i t i o n u n d e r t h e t i t l e P e r f e c t F l u i d s , in c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h J. M . B u r g e r s , In , , t h e A d v a n c e s in A p p l i e d M e c h a n i c s " i n i t i a t e d by R. v o n Mises, a n d In t h e S e l e c t e d T o p i c s in t h e l i g h t o f t h e i r h i s t o r i c a l d e v e l o p m e n t ( N e w Y o r k 1 9 5 4 ) . I n o w w a n t t o d r a w t h e a t t e n t i o n o f m y a u d i e n c e t o q u i t e a n o t h e r a c t i v i t y o f y o u r s , t h e i n f l u e n c e o f w h i c h o n o u r p r o f e s s i o n a l w o r l d can h a r d l y be o v e r - e s t i m a t e d . I a l l u d e t o t h e C o n f e r e n c e o f I n n s b r i j c k in 1 9 2 2 , c o n v e n e d b y y o u a n d y o u r f r i e n d L e v i - C i v i t a , t o e n a b l e a r e s t r i c t e d n u m b e r o f s c i e n t i s t s t o c o m p a r e in an u n r e s t r a i n e d a n d q u i t e i n f o r m a l w a y t h e i r r e s u l t s a n d g e n e r a l t h o u g h t s . T w o s t i l l l i v i n g p a r t i c i p a n t s p r e s e n t at t h a t m e e t i n g , a r e in t h i s r o o m : T h i j s s e a n d B u r g e r s , a n d t h e i r t h o u g h t s , in u n i s o n w i t h y o u r s , w i l l d o u b t l e s s g o b a c k t o t h o s e h a p p y days, w h e r e , a f t e r t h e p e s t i l e n c e o f w o r l d - w a r I, f r e e i n t e r c o u r s e b e c a m e p o s s i b l e a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l f r i e n d s h i p a n d n e w i d e a l i s m r e v i v e d . - I t is n o t a s t o n i s h i n g t h a t a f t e r t h e i n s p i r i n g success o f t h e C o n f e r e n c e , y o u r restless m i n d b e c a m e p r e o c c u p i e d b y t h e m u c h b r o a d e r s c h e m e t o call f o r t h an i n t e r
national Congress w h i c h w o u l d not restrict itself t o A e r o and H y d r o d y -namics but w o u l d cover t h e w h o l e field o f applied mechanics. W i t h a view t o the still prevailing national controversies, delicate consideration was required as regards t h e place o f gathering and no less t h e choice o f an international C o m m i t t e e o f sponsors t h a t could be expected t o f i n d universal international confidence. D e l f t became the delected place and f r o m t h a t moment on a never failing cooperation, a never fading f r i e n d ship arose between you and Burgers and myself. The success o f t h e C o n -gress, t h o u g h guaranteed beforehand by t h e names of its sponsors: Ames, Bairstow Bjerknes, C o k e r , Forchhelmer, G r i f f i t h , von Karman, L e v i -Civita, von Mises, Oseen, Prandtl, S o u t h w e l l , Stodola and Taylor, sur-passed every expectation, and no higher t r i b u t e t o y o u r b r i l l i a n t i n i t i a t i v e can be paid than by a remembrance o f t h e series of Congresses, w h i c h every f o u r t h year w e r e held in Z ü r i c h , S t o c k h o l m , Cambridge (England), Cambridge (U.S.A.), Paris, L o n d o n , Istanbul, and but a w e e k ago in Brussels, and which w i l l regularly be c o n t i n u e d .
Y o u r great ability t o solve Intricate physical problems, y o u r technical feeling, y o u r organising p o w e r and y o u r amiable personality have made you t h e vademecum of hundreds of persons, and the adviser o f numerous institutions and governments. Once again I have t o restrict myself t o a mere summing up w h i c h , f o r all Its simplicity w i l l yet be Impressive enough.
A f t e r having built between 1912 and 1930 the Aachen Institute I n t o a w o r l d - r e n o w n e d research Institute and having I n t e r r u p t e d y o u r activities t h e r e by a visit t o t h e Massachusetts Institute o f Technology as a guest lecturer, and by a visit t o Japan, w h e r e you designed the first w i n d -t u n n e l , you w e n -t , In 1930, -t o -t h e U.S.A. f o r good and all, w h e r e y o u r stimulating influence made Itself at once noticeable In many directions. A l r e a d y in t h a t same year t w o o f y o u r co-workers T r o l l e r and W a t t e n d o r f
w e r e indicated t o design and supervise under y o u r final responsibility t h e construction o f t h e newly-authorized Daniel Guggenheim A i r s h i p Institute. In 1936 y o u w e r e engaged In the design and supervision o f t h e first t w o w i n d - t u n n e l s in Peiplng, China, w h e r e D r . W a t t e n d o r f started t h e w o r k in 1936 and w h e r e in 1937 this w o r k had also y o u r personal a t t e n t i o n . In 1930 you w e r e appointed D i r e c t o r of t h e newly established Guggenheim A e r o n a u t i c a l Laboratory, and In this f u n c t i o n you have exerted great Influence on t h e aeronautical sciences In the U.S.A. The Institute Itself soon enjoyed a w o r l d - w i d e r e p u t a t i o n , and attracted numbers of excellent scholars. In 1932 you w e r e one o f t h e founders of t h e American Institute o f Aeronautical Sciences. In 1937 you w e r e selected t o give the W i l b u r W r i g h t Lecture, an h o n o u r w h i c h is only bestowed on p r o m i n e n t A m e r i c a n scientists. In 1932 you advised t h e U n i t e d States m i l i t a r y forces t o assign young officers t o y o u r Institute f o r advanced studies t h e r e b y g r e a t l y p r o m o t i n g the scientific development o f these services.
In 1944 t h e C h i e f o f t h e A r m y - A l r - F o r c e s Invoked y o u r help t o advise him on f u t u r e developments in t h e conquest o f t h e air, and since t h e n you have more and m o r e occupied yourself w i t h questions o f p r i m o r d i a l significance f o r m a n k i n d . From the excellent biography by W a t t e n d o r f recently published in t h e Z e i t s c h r i f t f ü r Flugwesen, w e learn t h a t a N A T O conference, attended by a number of its leading N A T O research Directors, appointed you as chairman of the A d v i s o r y G r o u p f o r A e r o n a u -tical Research and D e v e l o p m e n t , k n o w n as t h e A . G . A . R . D . The problems of international organization at w h i c h A . G . A . R . D . aims foreshadowed considerable difficulties, so t h a t provisionally a t r i a l basis of t w o years was fixed. As was t o be expected y o u r new e x p e r i m e n t In international scientific cooperation has proved t o be a great success, and earns, as we learn here f r o m o u r colleague van der Maas universal appreciation. The
v a l u e , w h i c h o u r c o u n t r y a t t a c h e s t o y o u r i n t e r n a t i o n a l w o r k r e c e n t l y f o u n d its s y m b o l i c e x p r e s s i o n i n t h e h i g h o r d e r w h i c h i t pleased o u r M a j e s t y t h e Q u e e n t o c o n f e r u p o n y o u . in t h e f o r e g o i n g n o m e n t i o n has b e e n m a d e o f p e c u l i a r i t i e s c o n n e c t e d w i t h y o u r p e r s o n a l h a b i t s , y o u r j o k e s o r y o u r w i t t y r e m a r k s . T h e y a r e n o t in k e e p i n g w i t h t h e l e v e l o n w h i c h y o u had t o b e c o n s i d e r e d here. N e v e r t h e l e s s I m a y r e v i v e o n e o f y o u r r e m a r k s , m a d e at a b a n q u e t in M a d r i d , w h e r e t o m y g o o d f o r t u n e w e w e r e b o t h a s k e d t o l e c t u r e a t t h e I n s t i t u t e o f o u r m u t u a l f r i e n d T e r r a d a s . I t was a f t e r h a v i n g h e a r d s e v e r a l s p e e c h e s i n f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e s , t h a t y o u confessed y o u c o u l d f o l l o w an o r a t o r b e s t , i f h e e x p r e s s e d h i m s e l f in a n o t h e r i d i o m t h a n his n a t i v e t o n g u e , e x c e p t i o n b e i n g m a d e o f c o u r s e f o r t h e H u n g a r i a n l a n g u a g e ; at a n y r a t e y o u a d d e d i t w a s c h i e f l y t h o s e p a r t s o f t h e Spanish c o n -v e r s a t i o n o f t h a t e -v e n i n g c o n t r i b u t e d b y n o n S p a n i a r d s t h a t h a d b e e n u n d e r s t o o d b y y o u . R e m e m b e r i n g t h i s r e m a r k - w h i c h w a s m e t w i t h g e n e r a l l a u g h t e r , because i t stressed c l e a r l y e n o u g h t h e f a c t t h a t a l a n g u a g e can n e v e r be s p o k e n q u i t e c o r r e c t l y b y a f o r e i g n e r a n d b e i n g n o H u n -g a r i a n - I t h o u -g h t i t a p p r o p r i a t e t o a d d r e s s y o u i n a l a n -g u a -g e f o r e i -g n t o b o t h o f us. If l a c k o f f l u e n c y in m y a d d r e s s c o u l d b e c o m p e n s a t e d b y y o u r c a p a c i t y a n d r e a d i n e s s t o d e t e c t t h e u n d e r l y i n g a d m i r a t i o n a n d f r i e n d s h i p I w o u l d f e e l a p p e a s e d a n d f r e e d f r o m t h e r e p r o a c h t h a t I d i d n o t s p e a k t o y o u in D u t c h . N e v e r t h e l e s s I w o u l d d o w r o n g t o a v o i d t h i s l a n g u a g e a l t o g e t i i e r . N o t o n l y t h a t t h i s w o u l d m e a n u n d e r r a t i n g y o u r w e l l - k n o w n l i n g u i s t i c g i f t s i t is said t h a t y o u u n d e r s t a n d n o f e w e r t h a n 7 l a n g u a g e s -i t w o u l d also -i n v a l -i d a t e t h e v a l u e a n d t h e d -i g n -i t y o f o u r o w n l a n g u a g e , in w h i c h e v e r y t h i n g w o r t h s a y i n g can be said in q u i t e a c l e a r w a y , a n d w h i c h t o r e n o u n c e w o u l d a f f e c t t h e v e r y r o o t s o f o u r n a t i o n a l c o n s c i o u s -ness. T h e r e f o r e m y last w o r d s m a y b e s p o k e n in m y m o t h e r t o n g u e : H o o g g e a c h t e v o n K a r m a n : D e b e t e k e n i s v a n d e o n d e r s c h e i d i n g , d i e U h e d e n t e n d e e l v a l t , m o e t s t e l l i g n i e t i n d e e e r s t e plaats g e z o c h t w o r d e n i n h e t f e i t , d a t G i j ze z o d a d e l i j k z u l t o n t v a n g e n u i t h a n d e n v a n e e n v r i e n d , d i e U w e w e t e n s c h a p p e l i j k e e n m a a t s c h a p p e l i j k e l e v e n s g a n g in z i j n g e h e e l e n m e t d e g r o o t s t e b e w o n d e r i n g h e e f t g a d e g e s l a g e n , d o c h in h e t f e i t d a t h e t i n i t i a t i e f e r t o e w e r d g e n o m e n d o o r U w v a k g e n o t e n i n d e g e z a m e n l i j k e A f d e l i n g e n d e r W e r k t u i g b o u w k u n d e , S c h e e p s b o u w -k u n d e e n V l i e g t u i g b o u w -k u n d e . H e t is in d e e e r s t e plaats d e nieuwe g e n e r a t i e , d i e h a a r e e r b i e d v o o r U w w e r k t o t u i t d r u k k i n g h e e f t w i l l e n b r e n g e n , in h e t s c h e r p e b e w u s t z i j n v a n d e b e t e k e n i s d i e d i t w e r k o o k in d e t o e k o m s t zal b l i j v e n b e h o u d e n . U w o u d e D e l f t s e v r i e n d e n . B u r g e r s e n i k z e l f , h o p e n d o o r h u n o n d e r w i j s e n h u n h o u d i n g w e l l i c h t i e t s t o t h e t o n t s t a a n en d e g r o e i v a n d i e e e r b i e d t e h e b b e n b i j g e d r a g e n . B i j h e t t o t u i t i n g b r e n g e n v a n b e w o n d e r i n g v o o r e e n m e n s is h e t a l t i j d m o e i l i j k e e n g r e n s t e t r e k k e n t u s s e n w a t i n z i j n w e r k als e e n w o n d e r l i j k e s c h i k k i n g v a n d e n a t u u r m o e t w o r d e n a a n g e z i e n , e n w a t , v o o r z o v e r w i j d a a r o v e r e e n o o r d e e l k u n n e n u i t s p r e k e n , als m e n s e l i j k e v e r d i e n s t e . V o o r e e n m a n v a n s t a t u u r is h e t o n m o g e l i j k v o l d o e n i n g t e p u t t e n u i t e e n p e r s o o n s v e r h e e r l i j k i n g , v o o r b i j g a a n d e aan h e t f e i t , d a t - o m e e n m a n v a n b e t e k e n i s t e k u n n e n w o r d e n - d e n a t u u r v o o r a f e e n s c h e p p e n d e i n v l o e d m o e s t d o e n g e l d e n , w a a r a a n h i j z e l f g e e n v e r d i e n s t e kan o n t l e n e n . D e l o f , b e w o n d e r i n g e n d a n k b a a r h e i d v a n a n d e r e n k a n e c h t e r t e n v o l l e e n m e t r e c h t a a n v a a r d w o r d e n d o o r h e m , d i e m e t i n s p a n n i n g v a n al z i j n k r a c h t e n d e h e m g e s c h o n k e n g a v e n t o t o n t p l o o i i n g h e e f t g e b r a c h t , e n d e r e s u l t a t e n v a n z i j n r u s t l o o s s t r e v e n t e r b e s c h i k k i n g van z i j n m e d e -m e n s e n h e e f t g e s t e l d . N a a r die m a a t s t a f g e m e t e n , w e n s e n , a l l e n h i e r a a n w e z i g , U v a n h u n h o o g a c h t i n g t e g e t u i g e n , n a a r die m a a t s t a f g e m e t e n w o r d t G i j aan d e h i e r a a n w e z i g e a k a d e m i s c h e j e u g d v o o r g e h o u d e n als e e n l i c h t e n d v o o r
-beeld, naar die maatstaf gemeten heeft de Senaat besloten U zijn hoge waardering v o o r U w w e r k en U w streven als v o l g t t o t u i t i n g t e laten brengen d o o r U w d o o r hem aangewezen p r o m o t o r :
De Senaat van de Technische Hogeschool In zijn vergadering van 5 j u l i 1956, g e b r u i k makend van de hem krachtens de W e t toegekende bevoegd-heid, verleent U
T h e o d o r e von Karman
het doctoraat in de technische wetenschap honoris causa met alle rechten d o o r de W e t en g e w o o n t e aan de d o c t o r s t i t e l verbonden op g r o n d van U w zeer uitstekende verdiensten op het gebied van de technische w e t e n -schap in het algemeen en die op het t e r r e i n van de elasticiteitstheorie, de plasticlteitstheorle en de aero- en hydrodynamica ln het b i j z o n d e r , alsmede op g r o n d van de b e l a n g r i j k e bijdrage, die G i j geleverd hebt t o t de Internationale s a m e n w e r k i n g o p d i t wetenschapsgebied,
i k nodig U uit het diploma, d o o r de Rector Magnificus en de Secretaris van de Senaat o n d e r t e k e n d , en met het grootzegel van de Senaat be-k r a c h t i g d , w e l te w i l l e n aanvaarden.
