The Solvay Councils, called since 1911 by Belgian industrialist Ernest Solvay have had a major impact on the birth and development of modern physics, especially quantum and nuclear physics. This text tells the story of the Councils through the presentation of reports and debates.

Part 1 Background to the Solvay councils: preface - when physicists held a "witches' sabbath", I. Stengers
Ernest Solvay -the system, the law and the council, D. Devriese and G. Wallenborn
Rutherford, the Cavendish laboratory and the Solvay congresses, J. Hughes
Paul Langevin and the French scientists at the Solvay conferences, B. Bensaude-Vincent
the Solvay councils and the Nobel institution, E. Crawford
the organization of science in the 19th century, G. Vanpaemel
physics prior to the first council, P. Marage and G. Wallenborn. Part 2 The birth of modern physics: the first Solvay council
1913-1921 - from the second to the third council
1927 - the fifth council
the debate between Einstein and Bohr, or how to interpret quantum mechanics
1933 - the seventh council
a new era.