An American goes to Europe: three letters from Oswald Veblen to George Birkhoff in 1913/1914

The American mathematician Oswald Veblen spent the academic year 1913–1914 in Europe. Travelling with his wife, Elizabeth, his itinerary, which began in Scandinavia, centred on the mathematical centres of Göttingen, Berlin, and Paris, and included Italy and England. While he was overseas Veblen, an inveterate and accomplished correspondent, wrote to his fellow mathematician and friend, George Birkhoff, describing the people he had met and the places he had visited