In 1911, Heisenberg enrolled in the Maximilians-Gymnasium,
a school was headed by his maternal grandfather, Nikolaus Wecklein.
Under Wecklein's leadership, the school had acquired a reputation
as academically and socially elite. Its distinguished alumni included
Max Planck, one of Heisenberg's major forerunners in quantum mechanics.
Despite trends in Germany toward the teaching of more practical
skills, the Max-Gymnasium's educational approach remained staunchly
classical. Heisenberg therefore spent the majority of his hours
on Greek and Latin, with slightly less attention paid to mathematics,
and very little attention paid to physics, which was the least
significant subject aside from drawing. Only the outbreak of war
in 1914 was able to reverse the trend, as science and technology
found favor in both students and the Interior Ministry.
In 1913 Heisenberg experienced one of the highlights of
his youth. Ludwig, the Prince Regent of Bavaria, came to Max-Gymnasium
for the dedication of a new building, and Heisenberg's mother had
written a poem for the occasion. The 11- year-old Werner was allowed
to recite the poem to the prince during the ceremony. Ludwig rewarded
the young boy with a pair of cufflinks engraved with the letter
"L"–a token that Heisenberg would cherish with pride.
When World War I began in August of 1914, many of its
participants were enthusiastic. Few of fighting age had experienced
the reality of warfare, and many of the participant countries were
filled with romanticized images of victory, nationalist vehemence,
and feelings of social unity. August Heisenberg, still an officer
of the Prussian reserves, was called to active duty. August's political
views were strong, and he was not content with mere garrison duty.
By October of 1914, he was promoted to captain, and by January of
the next year he was leading a company on the front in France.
The esteem that Werner held for his father must have increased
greatly during the early period of the war, for August showed courage
both in word and action. By April of 1915, however, August had
had enough of the war, as he soon suffered disillusionment out
in the brutality of the trenches. He requested a transfer back to
Munich, and it was readily granted on account of his age. Exactly
how Werner perceived his father's move is not certain, but it likely
contributed to a sense of disillusionment with the war and with
his father.
The Max-Gymnasium was forced to make many adaptations,
as Bavarian troops used the school's new building to quarter soldiers. Shortages
of coal and other resources also forced many cutbacks, including
the shutdown of a new physics laboratory. The school finally regained
control of the building in 1920, only four months before Werner
graduated. Nevertheless, he had mastered his studies, and because
of all the interruptions, he had more time for independent study
that brought him far beyond the assigned curricula. He taught himself
calculus at the age of sixteen in order to tutor a family friend
preparing for the mathematics section of a doctoral examination
in chemistry. Werner also found number theory fascinating, but
he did not show a strong inclination toward physics until he discovered
a single comprehensive textbook that served as his only source
of information.
For two years, Werner also took part in early training
for younger pupils. THe war, however, ended a month before his
seventeenth birthday. Meanwhile, food shortages would take their
toll on the growing boy, and for the summer of 1918 he and his
family decided that he would go to work on the farms. With almost
4,000 other students, Werner worked from 6:00 in the morning to
as late as 10:00 at night. Though the work was monotonous and often grueling,
he would later look back on the summer as significant for his development.
The work experience showed him for the first time what labor really
meant, and also exposed him to people from different classes. Exhaustion
prevented any significant mental work, so Werner spent his free
time playing chess–winning all his games–and playing the piano.
He occasionally studied some mathematical texts he had brought
along, as well as one of Kant's Critiques.
Upon Heisenberg's graduation, he was entered into a Bavaria-wide
competition for the sponsorship of a foundation established in 1849
by King Maximilian I. The evaluating committee was enthusiastic
about Werner's demonstrated ability in math and physics, but expressed
reservation about his German essay. He took the eleventh and last
available position. He also declined the offer of free room and
board, preferring to live with his parents and to allow the support
to go to needier students.
