On Coulomb’s inverse square law

The famous inverse square law in electrostatics, first published in 1785 by C. A. Coulomb, was strongly contested during the next 40 years, especially in Germany. Therefore, at the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg a replication of the apparatus described by Coulomb was made, and the reasons were investigated why none of his contemporaries succeeded in reproducing his results. In addition the respective theoretical concepts of Coulomb, his supporters, and his opponents were analyzed.