A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve: Studia Historica 6. (Szeged, 2003)
András LENGYEL – András LENGYEL, jr.: Polányi Mihály levelei Orowan Egonhoz
This latter reference is the one which is naturally of great interest in the research on Polanyi. For two reasons. 1. It enriches our image of Polanyi's Manchester years. 2. The letters make more perceptible the process through which the researcher of physical chemistry became a philosopher interested in social matters during his years in Manchester. This change is not unique either. As Tibor Frank has observed, a similar change almost always occurred among the Hungarian emigrant scientists after 1919. Therefore it is characteristic of the Hungarian emigrant scientists ofthat stratum and era. (cf. Frank, 2002. 132.) It is relevant to the story unravelled from the letters that Egon Orowan could finally go to the United Kingdom in 1937, where first he got a position at the University of Birmingham, then got employed in the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge. (From here, after the war, he moved to the USA in 1950 and became a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.) His scientific significance is indicated by the fact that several academies of sciences elected him a member later on (The Royal Society of London, National Academy of Sciences [USA], American Academy of Arts and Sciences [USA], etc.). So Michael Polanyi by all means paved the way for a worthy young scientist. Unfortunately, with no success at the first try. [1.1 23 rd , July, 1935. Dear Orowan, I am very sad to hear about the unfortunate outcome of your negotiations with the people in U.S.S.R. From information which has reached me recently, I gather that the U.S.S.R. are following a policy of seclusion, and I suppose that the failure to obtain a visa for you is an outcome of this policy. Certainly Joffe is in no way to be blamed except, perhaps, for not making it clear enough to you that his powers were limited in settling your appointment, but it is very possible that he himself was quite unaware of this limitation. I am afraid I cannot tell you anything at the moment which might help you any further. I will certainly keep in mind that you are again in need of a position, but I feel the outlook is anything but encouraging at the moment. With sincere sympathies, Yours ever, M Polanyi E. Orowan, Esq., Budapest, XI. Lenke-ter 5.
