D O C U M E N T 1 6 8 J U L Y 1 9 2 1 1 2 1
167. From Maja Winteler-Einstein[1]
Fiesole, Casa Giov. Manuelli, via G. verdi, 3 July 1921
[Not selected for translation.]
168. From Arnold Sommerfeld
Munich, 4 July 1921
Dear Einstein,
I have two big requests. You already know one of them: that you come here in
November to deliver a lecture for us. Audience: colloquium and a few science
clubs, Engineers Association, the Association of Medical Doctors, Bav[arian] mid-
dle-school teachers, hence not an absolutely lay public. Honorarium as agreed
(2,000
marks).[1]
If you are inclined to deliver a guest lecture to a more general stu-
dent audience, therefore without any mathematics, I would initiate that, as well; it
would be gratefully received. The main thing for me is that we can make the
talk[2]
for the colloquium, planned already for this June, a reality. Anschütz would also be
very pleased if his grant could prove itself beneficial
here.[3]
You, please, determine
the time. If November cannot be, then let it be another winter month.
Another request: I enclose a small newspaper article that I had written and
signed.[4]
It would naturally gratify me if it were reprinted in an English periodical.
I shall see that it appears in Sweden, Switzerland, and Holland. I happened to read
the complimentary review in the Athenäum about your
talk.[5]
I think the Athenäum
cannot refuse if you wrote to the editors that at the prompting of a German friend
you are requesting a reprint. This is not a matter of political opinion, you know, but
of pinning down facts. And there are enough people in England who are sick and
tired of Northcliffe’s distortion of the
truth,[6]
especially now after it has attained
its purpose and the English have reaped in their enormous profits. Our American
colleague is Prof. J. Kunz from Urbana
(Illinois).[7]
Herzfeld’s experiment on your magnetic effect had a negative result. Although
we had a definite radiation of roughly = 1400 m, within the expected order of
magnitude, it ultimately turned out to be the amplifier’s
eigenfrequency.[8]
I repeated my relativity talk, which I had to offer in a lecture cycle this summer,
and both times had c. 1,200 auditors. It is also being
printed.[9]
The philosopher
Geiger cooperated with me; he will be sending you his brochure one of these
days.[10]
You are not likely to agree with his tailoring of Kant’s apriorism to your
system.