Hilbert's eminent position in the world of mathematics after 1900 meant that other institutions would have liked to tempt him to leave Göttingen and, in 1902, the University of Berlin offered Hilbert Fuchs ' chair. Hilbert turned down the Berlin chair, but only after he had used the offer to bargain with Göttingen and persuade them to set up a new chair to bring his friend Minkowski to Göttingen.
Hilbert's mataas na posisyon sa mundo ng matematika matapos ang 1900 sinadya na iba pang institusyon ay may nagustuhan na-udyok sa kanya upang mag-iwan Gottingen at, sa 1902, ang University of Berlin inaalok Hilbert Fuchs' chair. Hilbert nabuksan ang Berlin chair, ngunit lamang matapos ang ginamit na niya ang alok sa linay sa Gottingen at amuki ng mga ito upang i-set up ng isang bagong chair na magdala ng kanyang mga kaibigan Minkowski sa Gottingen.