University of Michigan Libraries
announced in August that the prized
gem of its astronomy collection, an
original manuscript by Galileo Galilei,
was actually a forgery following
an investigation by Georgia State
University professor Nick Wilding.
The
manuscript
contained
writings
on
Galileo’s
telescopic
observations
of
celestial
bodies
orbiting Jupiter, which reversed
a
common
17th
century
belief
that Earth was at the center of the
universe. Galileo’s observations went
on to have major implications in the
field of astronomy.
Wilding,
who
is
currently
writing a comprehensive biography
on Galileo’s life and work, made a
similar discovery in 2012 when he
determined that a rare 17th-century
book written by Galileo was also an
elaborate forgery. Pablo Alvarez,
U-M Special Collections Research
Center curator, told The Michigan
Daily that this discovery made him
apprehensive about other forgeries
when he was first contacted by
Wilding.
“I was very concerned because I
knew that (Wilding) was somebody
with a lot of expertise in this field, not
somebody simply asking very general
questions but somebody who already
probably had some very strong
grounds to express those doubts,”
Alvarez said.
Wilding told The Daily that his
prior
experiences
in
identifying
forgery motivated him to examine the
U-M manuscript even closer.
“I’ve had to look really, really
careful and kind of invent new tests to
find those forgeries,” Wilding said. “It
made me hyper acute to looking for
forgeries, when most people would
just say, ‘There’s no problem with the
sources.’”
Wilding said he generally looks
into the background of a source before
deciding whether or not to trust it.
Most of Galileo’s works reside in a
single archive in the National Central
Library of Florence, and Wilding
said he found it suspicious that the
University would end up with such
a valuable piece of work so far away
from the others.
“There are like five Galileo
documents in all of North America,”
Wilding said. “I’m not saying that
everything in America is fake, but
you have to look a lot harder at those
objects.”
While
the
location
of
the
manuscript was the initial red flag, it
took a much closer look for Wilding
to determine the manuscript was
a forgery. Wilding explained that,
typically, Galileo would have one
stack of papers all with a single
watermark and use that stack until
he was out before getting a new stack
with a different watermark. In the
17th century, watermarks were often
used on hand pressed paper for the
manufacturers to identify the paper
that they made. Therefore, paper can
be dated using watermarks, as was
the case in the U-M manuscript.
Though the appearance of the
paper itself immediately stuck out to
Wilding as being odd, once he noticed
the two sets of letters, AS and BMO, he
knew this manuscript was most likely
inauthentic because the watermark
was not typical for the time in which
it would have been written.
“I just realized, because I’m kind
of a book nerd, that it was weird for
(an) early 17th century paper. Usually
you get two sets of letters way later,
like the 18th or 19th century,” Wilding
said.
After comparing the manuscript
to
another
well-known
forgery
with similar watermarks, Wilding
determined the document was indeed
a fake, and most likely created by a
prominent 20th century forger, Tobia
Nicotra.
“As far as I can understand the
motives of Nicotra, it seems like he
was driven by a mixture of money
needs and possibly trying to prove
himself against his failed career as a
musician,” Wilding said.
Alvarez said he was shocked to
learn the manuscript was inauthentic,
and that in the 12 years he had served
as curator, he never considered the
document could be forged.
“This
manuscript
is
already
something that I would say is part
of the history of the University of
Michigan,”
Alvarez
said.
“Very
important scholars on the history of
science included these manuscripts
in articles, so it had been sort of
approved by the scholar community.”
Going
forward,
Alvarez
said
transparency is extremely important
as the University navigates the
aftermath of the discovery and hopes
this situation will be a learning
experience.
“For me, it’s very much emotional,
but I think this is going to be a positive
step for us, not only in addressing
what happened … but people could
learn about paleography, about paper
making, about ink in the 17th century,
and I think that’s a positive thing,”
Alvarez said.
Lech
Wałęsa,
the
former
president of Poland, spoke to
a full auditorium in Rackham
Amphitheatre on Tuesday about
the ongoing crisis in Ukraine
following Russia’s invasion, his role
in leading the Ukrainian Solidarity
Campaign
and
subsequently
leading Poland.
Russia
invaded
Ukraine
in
February,
expecting
a
quick
victory in the war. Wałęsa’s talk at
Rackham follows Ukraine taking
back about 2,300 square miles
of
previously
Russian-occupied
territory on Monday. He drew
parallels between the current war
and his time working in Poland.
Wałęsa
helped
to
institute
democratic elections in Poland
while
leading
the
Solidarity
movement. He was also a Nobel
Peace Prize recipient in 1983 before
becoming the first President of
Poland elected via a democratic
election since 1926. He served as
President from 1990 until 1995.
The event was hosted by the
Weiser Center for Europe and
Eurasia (WCEE) in conjunction
with the Copernicus Center for
Polish Studies, Ford School of
Public
Policy,
Democracy
and
Debate and the Weiser Diplomacy
Center.
Wałęsa said the world is in a state
of transition and that the United
States must rise to lead the world.
“One (era) has fallen down, the
other has not been created yet,”
Wałęsa said.“Somebody has to lead.
I would like to encourage you, to
plead with you, to lead.”
Wałęsa went on to discuss
the
current
war
in
Ukraine.
Wałęsa encouraged attendees to
acknowledge the urgent need for
help for Ukranians, while also
thinking about the root cause of the
war.
“We have to help (Ukrainians)
so they survive,” Wałęsa said. “But
the cause, the causes are really
more important. And what that
is — is the bad political system in
Russia. It’s not just Stalin or Putin,
it’s the political system that makes
it possible for people like them to
show up.”
Wałęsa
critiqued
Russia’s
political
system,
specifically
criticizing two consecutive term
limit laws that allow Putin to hold
onto power until 2036. He said even
if Ukraine were to win the ongoing
war, “Russia will rise again.” He
said there should be a term limit
law limiting Russian leaders to two
five-year terms.
Wałęsa said there are two main
ways to increase power as a state:
through freedom and democracy or
through war.
“So now there is a question,”
Wałęsa said. “Which one of them
(democratic forces or Russia) is
going to win? Which one will we
allow to win?”
Wałęsa concluded his discussion
by emphasizing the need for the
United States to rise back up and be
a world leader, saying the country is
well-positioned to help Ukrainians.
“I am pleading with you to please
realize that you’re responsible for
the whole world,” Wałęsa said.
“That this is your fate. This is your
God-given role: to lead the world.”
Public Policy graduate student
Oieshi Saha told The Michigan
Daily
she
valued
Wałęsa’s
comments about the need for
America to regain its leadership
on the world stage and said the
discussion connected to what she
has studied in class.
“What I took away from this talk
was that leadership and dominance
are not one (and) the same,” Saha
said. “There are ways of leading
that don’t demand dominating and
appropriating like America has
done.”
Music,
Theatre
&
Dance
freshman Tim Kulawiak told The
Daily he felt Wałęsa’s talk was
“personally relevant” since his
father was Polish and took part in
the Solidarity movement Wałęsa
led. He said Wałęsa left him feeling
inspired about what is to come next
in the world.
“What stood out most was this
call to action,” Kulawiak said.
“Very much singling out the U.S.
as the place where there’s the most
potential for change … it’s our
responsibility, our privilege to be
able to be in this position where
there’s a gap of leadership and a
transitional time where there’s
so much potential for positive
change.”
Daily Staff Reporter Julia Forrest
can be reached at juforres@umich.
edu.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
2 — Wednesday, September 21, 2022
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is publishing weekly on Wednesdays for the
Fall 2022 semester by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available
free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office
for $2. If you would like a current copy of the paper mailed to you, please visit store.
pub.umich.edu/michigan-daily-buy-this-edition to place your order.
VANESSA KIEFER
Joshua Mitnick, 92’, 95’ Managing Editor vkiefer@umich.edu
DOMINIC COLETTI and KRISTINA ZHENG
Managing News Editors news@michigandaily.com
Senior News Editors: Anna Fifelski, George Weykamp, Navya Gupta, Roni Kane,
Shannon Stocking
Investigative Editor: Julian Wray
JULIAN BARNARD and SHUBHUM ‘SHUBS’ GIROTI
Editorial Page Editors tothedaily@michigandaily.com
Deputy Editorial Page Editor: Olivia Mouradian
Senior Opinion Editors: Quin Zapoli, Brandon Cowit, Jess D’Agostino, Alex
Yee, Evan Stern
LILLIAN PEARCE and SABRIYA IMAMI
Managing Arts Editors
arts@michigandaily.com
GRACE BEAL and TESS CROWLEY
Managing Photo Editors photo@michigandaily.com
GRACE TUCKER
Managing Statement Editor statement@michigandaily.com
Deputy Editors: Taylor Schott, Julia Maloney
Associate Editor: Lilly Dickman
CAROLINE ATKINSON and ETHAN PATRICK
Managing Copy Editors copydesk@michigandaily.com
Senior Copy Editors: Abbie Gaies, Lizzie MacAdam, Dana Elobaid, Ali Chesnick,
Emily Wilson, Alex Stamell, Audrey Ruhana, Rena McRoy, Melissa Kurpiers
DORA GUO and ERIC LAU
Managing Online Editors
webteam@michigandaily.com
Data Editor: Zach Breger
Project Managers: Isis Meng, Aasher Akhlaque,
Christina Tan, Salik Aslam, Eli Yazdi
HANNAH ELLIOTT and JULIA RAGUCKAS
Managing Video Editors video@michigandaily.com
Senior Michigan in Color Editors: Yasmine Slimani, Safura Syed, Kat Andrade,
Neil Nakkash, Anchal Malh
Senior Sports Editors: Josh Taubman, Spencer Raines, Lily Israel, Paul Nasar,
Connor Earegood, Abbie Telgenhof
Senior Social Media Editors: Cristina Costin, Joey Goodsir, Cole Martin, Mae
Veidlinger, Martina Zacker, Jillian Sacksner, Christian Juliano, Justin O’Beirne
Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327
www.michigandaily.com
ARTS SECTION
arts@michigandaily.com
SPORTS SECTION
sports@michigandaily.com
NEWS TIPS
tipline@michigandaily.com
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
EDITORIAL PAGE
opinion@michigandaily.com
AARON SANTILLI
Business Manager
business@michigandaily.com
PAIGE HODDER
Editor-in-Chief
eic@michigandaily.com
PHOTOGRAPHY SECTION
photo@michigandaily.com
NEWSROOM
news@michigandaily.com
CORRECTIONS
corrections@michigandaily.com
JARED GREENSPAN and NICK STOLL
Managing Sports Editors sports@michigandaily.com
Senior Arts Editors: Emilia Ferrante, Hannah Carapellotti, Erin Evans, Sarah
Rahman, Fia Kaminski
Arts Beats Editors: Emmy Snyder, Mitchel Green, Laine Brotherton, Matthew
Eggers, Julian Wray, Nora Lewis
ERIN SHI and SOPHIE GRAND
Managing Design Editors
design@michigandaily.com
ELIYA IMTIAZ and JESSICA KWON
Michigan in Color Editors michiganincolor@michigandaily.com
EVAN DELORENZO and ZOE STORER
Managing Social Media Editors socialmedia@michigandaily.com
Editorial Staff
Business Staff
Senior Photo Editors: Anna Fuder, Kate Hua, Jeremy Weine, Julianne Yoon,
Emma Mati
IRENE CHUNG
Creative Director
DOUG MCCLURE and MAX ROSENZWEIG
Managing Podcast Editors podeditors@michigandaily.com
KATIE LYNGKLIP
Sales Manager
ADVERTISING
wmg-contact@umich.edu
AYA SALIM
Digital Managing Editor ayasalim@umich.edu
AKSHARA KOOTTALA
Chair of Culture, Training, and Inclusion accessandinclusion@michigandaily.com
Senior Layout Editors: Lys Goldman, Ellie Orlanski
Erstwhile Polish President Lech Wałęsa talks
global leadership at Ford event
NEWS
Manuscript in UMich collection forged
ISABELLA KASSA
Daily Staff Reporter
KATE WEILAND
Managing Editor kmwblue@umich.edu
JEREMY WEINE/Daily
Shelly Smith (right) and Sarah Nuñez-Bida (left) help festival attendees enter a raffle to win books about psychedelics at Entheofest in the Diag Sunday afternoon.
NEWS
Solidarity movement leader discusses US role in geopolitics
Georgia Tech investigation finds Galileo scroll is fraud
Read more at MichiganDaily.com
Nobel Peace Prize winner and Poland’s first president, Lech Walesa engages with the
campus community, discussing issues pertaining to world politics in Rackham
Amphitheatre Tuesday afternoon.
JENNA HICKEY/Daily
JULIA FORREST
Daily Staff Reporter