D O C U M E N T 1 2 7 S E P T E M B E R 1 9 2 0 4 0 3
[2]Elsa Einstein; Hedwig Häfliger-Stamminger. Karl Maria von Weber (1786–1826), a composer
of the early Romantic era. On the role of music in the lives of Maja and her brother, see Rogger 2005,
pp. 85–89, and Vol. 1, “Albert Einstein—Beitrag für sein Lebensbild,” pp. lvii–lviii. Maja’s husband,
Paul Winteler, complained about Frau Dr. Häfliger in December 1919 (see Vol. 9, Doc. 206b, in the
present volume).
[3]On the events at the Berlin Philharmonic Hall on 24 August 1920 and press coverage in the
immediate aftermath, see Doc. 111, note 1.
[4]On the worries of Einstein’s Berlin colleagues a year earlier that Einstein might leave Berlin for
a position elsewhere, such as in Zurich, and for Einstein’s reassurances to them that, barring extreme
changes in Germany, he would stay, see Max Planck to Einstein, 20 July 1919 (Vol. 9, Doc. 73), and
Fritz Haber to Einstein, after 3 August 1919 (Vol. 9, Doc. 84).
[5]According to Swiss law, a married woman could not hold a permanent, full-time teaching posi-
tion. Maja, who completed a doctorate in Romance languages in 1908, held temporary positions and
taught privately (see Rogger 2005, pp. 39–45, 58).
[6]In 1845, seven Roman Catholic cantons, among them canton Lucerne, united in a so-called
Sonderbund. The flagship of the movement was the Ultramontane Party with headquarters in Luc-
erne, fighting for the readmission of Jesuits into Lucerne and restoration of eight monasteries in the
canton of Aargau.
[7]Schweizerische Auer-Aktien-Gesellschaft, of which Einstein was a shareholder. Dividends were
paid around October–November (see Paul Winteler to Einstein, 5 November 1919, in Calendar).
[8]Paul Winteler.
[9]On Maja and Paul Winteler’s decision to leave Germany at the end of 1920 and move to Italy,
see Rogger 2005, pp. 64–71.
[10]In July, Einstein had made plans to meet his sons in Benzingen in early October (see Doc. 70,
note 5, and Doc. 81, notes 3 and 7). When they met, Elsa Einstein was staying in Hechingen, also in
Baden-Württemberg (see Doc. 164).
[11]Ilse and Margot Einstein may have gone to the seashore, as they did for three weeks in August
of the previous year (see Einstein to Pauline Einstein, 16 August 1919 [Vol. 9, Doc. 88], and Einstein
to Ilse and Margot Einstein, 17 August 1919 [Vol. 9, Doc. 90]).
[12]Maja commented in June 1918 that Margot was anticipating having surgery (see Vol. 8,
Doc. 561a, in the present volume). Einstein mentioned in July 1919 that Margot would be spending
some time in a sanatorium (see Vol. 9, Doc. 74e, in the present volume).
[13]Presumably Georg Einbeck (1870–1951).
[14]Possibly Jakob Nussbaum, whom Einstein met in Frankfurt in July 1917 (see Vol. 8, Doc. 359b,
note 3, in the present volume).
[15]Ilse and Margot Einstein and Rudolf and Fanny Einstein.
127. From Paul Ehrenfest
[Leiden] 2 IX 1920
Lieber, lieber Einstein!
Es ist mir endlich gelungen das Berliner Tageblatt mit „Meine Antwort“ zu
erhalten.[1]
Meine Frau und ich haben 4, 5 mal den ganzen Text gelesen.
Verzeih mir—es ist das erste mal, dass ich mir ungefragt erlaube mich in Deine
Angelegenheiten zu mengen ich thu’s mit großer Besorgnis aber ich halte mich für
verpflichtet es zu thun weil wir Dich innig lieben.— Wenn Dich im Folgenden ir-
gendeine meiner Äußerungen ärgern sollte oder etwa gar beleidigen so denke bitte
anschaulich an mich, van
Aardenne[2]
und überhaupt die ganze Atmosphäre
Previous Page Next Page