| Abstract: | Gösta Mittag-Leffler was the founding editor of the journal Acta Mathematica. In the early 1870's it was meant, in part, to bring the mathematicians of Germany and France together in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War, and the political neutrality of Sweden made it possible for Mittag-Leffler to realize this goal by publishing articles in German and French, side by side. Even before the end of the First World War, Mittag-Leffler again saw his role as mediator, and began to work for a reconciliation between German and Allied mathematicians through the auspices of his journal. Similarly, G. H. Hardy was particularly concerned about the reluctance of many scientists in England to attempt any sort of rapprochement with the Central European countries and he sought to do all he could to bring English and German mathematicians together after the War. His correspondence with Mittag-Leffler survives in the Archives of the Institut Mittag-Leffler, Djursholm, Sweden, and serves as the basis for this article, which focuses upon the attempts of Mittag-Leffler to reconcile mathematicians after the War, and to renew international cooperation. |
