Seite - 33 - in Nikola Tesla and the Graz Tech

33 ‘Rector, Allow me to offer you and the Professorial Council my warmest thanks as Tesla’s representative. By conferring a doctorate on Tesla today, you have accorded him a great honour and given him a special pleasure. I know that he is present here at this time in his thoughts, and that he is thinking of the wonderful time as he studied at your university and spent time in this pleas- ant city. I therefore ask you once again, on behalf of Tesla, to accept my most sincere thanks.’ Two other persons were awarded honorary doctorates in technical sciences at the same time as Tesla on 23 January 1937. They were: • Hofrat em.o.ö. Professor Friedrich Emich, Dr. phil. h.c., Dr. Ing. e.h. • Dr. techn. Emil Flatz, director and member of the management board of Humboldt-Deutz- Motoren AG. On the occasion of this academic ceremony, all those present were invited to a festive dinner. The order of courses is known to posterity: Mayonnaise and aspic Hunter’s fillet of venison Styrian poularde Mixed salad Chestnut purée and cream Mokka During the banquet, Dean Prof. Dr. Bernhard Baule brought the following letter of thanks from Nikola Tesla to the attention of those present: Telegram from Nikola Tesla to the Rector of the Graz-Leoben College of Technology and Mining on the occasion of his honorary doctoral graduation on 23 January 1937. I cannot adequately express my regret of how much I miss the opportunity of making new friendships and personally accepting the document of hon- our which I esteem so highly from the College of Technology at which I, under the guidance of extraordinarily authoritative and paternally inclined teach- ers, lessened my tremendous ignorance through clear concepts. I owe these high-minded men a considerable share of my life’s work; namely, to the capti- vating Doctor Allé, who devoted many private lessons to me to illuminate my mathematical knowledge and to practise it by way of profoundly thought-out