Alexander von Humboldt and Jacob Jacobi's appointment at the Viennese university (Q2567569)

The author describes the history of C. G. Jacob Jacobi's appointment to the position of full professor at the University of Vienna in 1850 and his ultimate rejection of it. Most of his life Jacobi was not politically active but he became involved in some political affairs for a short time in spring 1848. As a consequence he had to endure some reprisals and looked for a position abroad. Thanks to the efforts of Alexander von Humboldt the Prussian government acceeded and Jacobi kept his position at the Academy of Science in Berlin. The author based his article on the analysis of a great number of published correspondence of Jacobi, A. von Humboldt, and others as well as on some new material from archives in Berlin and Vienna.