The conversations with German
physicists in the autumn of 1942.
Through the German authorities Heisenberg and Weizsäcker had
arranged a physics conference at the German Institute in Copenhagen, which had
been established by the occupying power. Only a few Danes took [part] in this
conference, and among them none of the leading physicists at the University’s
Institute for Theoretical Physics. During those days, however, Heisenberg and
Weizsäcker visited this Institute and had conversations with Chr. Møller as
well as with Bohr.
During a conversation with Bohr, Heisenberg stated that he was
working on the release of atomic energy and expressed his conviction that the
war, if it did not end with a German victory, would be decided by such means.
Heisenberg said explicitly that he did not wish to enter into technical details
but that Bohr should understand that he knew what he was talking about as he
had spent 2 years working exclusively on this question.
Bohr restrained himself from any comment but understood that this
was important information which he was obliged to try to bring to the attention
of the English.
During conversations with Møller, Heisenberg and Weizsäcker sought
to explain that the attitude of the Danish people towards Germany, and that of
the Danish physicists in particular, was unreasonable and indefensible since a
German victory was already guaranteed and that any resistance
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against
cooperation could only bring disaster to Denmark. In a conversation with
Møller, Weizsäcker further stated how fortunate it was that Heisenberg’s work
would mean so much for the war since it would mean that, after the expected
great victory, the Nazis would adopt a more understanding attitude towards
German scientific efforts.