Letters of Hermann von Helmholtz to his wife

An annotated edition of fifty-three letters by Hermann von Helmholtz to his fiancée and later wife, Olga von Velten. Never previously published in complete form, these documents provide the most comprehensive autobiographical account of the young Helmholtz. In 1847, Helmholtz was a surgeon for the Prussian army in Potsdam, seeking to become a scientist. By 1859, he had become a professor in the medical faculty at Heidelberg and one of Europe's leading sensory physiologists. These letters thus span the formation of Helmholtz's university career and the development of his cultural, political and philosophical worldview. The letters are given in German, introduction and annotations in English.