ction ▁of ▁Lor ent z ▁and ▁the ▁kin ematic ▁contra ction ▁of ▁Ein stein . ▁However , ▁it ▁was ▁rather ▁a ▁dispute ▁over ▁words ▁because , ▁as ▁Ein stein ▁said , ▁the ▁kin ematic ▁length ▁contra ction ▁is ▁" app ar ent " ▁for ▁a ▁co - mov ing ▁observer , ▁but ▁for ▁an ▁observer ▁at ▁rest ▁it ▁is ▁" real " ▁and ▁the ▁consequences ▁are ▁meas urable . ▁ ▁Accept ance ▁of ▁special ▁relativ ity ▁Plan ck , ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁compared ▁the ▁imp lications ▁of ▁the ▁modern ▁relativ ity ▁principle   — ▁he ▁particularly ▁referred ▁to ▁the ▁relativ ity ▁of ▁time   – ▁with ▁the ▁revolution ▁by ▁the ▁Cop ern ican ▁system . ▁An ▁important ▁factor ▁in ▁the ▁ad option ▁of ▁special ▁relativ ity ▁by ▁phys ic ists ▁was ▁its ▁development ▁by ▁M ink owski ▁into ▁a ▁spac etime ▁theory . ▁Con sequently , ▁by ▁about ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁most ▁theoretical ▁phys ic ists ▁accepted ▁special ▁relativ ity . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁Wilhelm ▁Wien ▁recommended ▁both ▁Lor ent z ▁( for ▁the ▁mathematical ▁framework ) ▁and ▁Ein stein ▁( for ▁reducing ▁it ▁to ▁a ▁simple ▁principle ) ▁for ▁the ▁Nobel ▁Prize ▁in ▁Physics   – ▁although ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁by ▁the ▁Nobel ▁committee ▁not ▁to ▁award ▁the ▁prize ▁for ▁special ▁relativ ity . ▁Only ▁a ▁minor ity ▁of ▁theoretical ▁phys ic ists ▁such ▁as ▁Abraham , ▁Lor ent z , ▁Po inc ar é , ▁or ▁L ange vin ▁still ▁believed