Sharon Nicholson interviewed Heinz Lettau at Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, as part of the American Meteorological Society’s Tape Recorded Interview Project. Heinz Lettau, born in Königsberg, Germany (now Kaliningrad, Russia) in 1909, reflects on his early life, education, and career in meteorology and geophysics. He discusses his formative experiences during World War I in East Prussia, his family’s dairy business, and his early fascination with nature and science. Lettau recounts his academic journey, which began with glider flight observations that sparked his interest in meteorology, leading to studies at Königsberg, Frankfurt, and Leipzig universities. He elaborates on his doctoral research under Wilhelm Weickmann at Leipzig, focusing on atmospheric waves and circulation, and his later habilitation thesis, which explored seismological applications of the horizontal pendulum, supervised by Werner Heisenberg.

Lettau also discusses his long academic career, his involvement with geophysical research, and his contributions to understanding air turbulence, micrometeorology, and wind dynamics. Lettau’s wife, Käte, a meteorologist, shares her parallel academic experiences, including her research on evaporation and her unique position as a woman in the male-dominated field during the early 20th century. Together, they reflect on their collaborations, contributions to meteorological research, and the impacts of historical events, such as the Great Depression and World War II, on their lives and work. The interview offers valuable insights into the development of meteorology and geophysics as scientific disciplines, as well as personal narratives of resilience and academic achievement.