DOCUMENT 74 JANUARY 1908 89 strakt-begriffliche Art des Semiten") (see Arnold Sommerfeld to H. A. Lorentz, 26 December 1907, NeHR, Archief H. A. Lorentz). [2]Einstein's distinction between constructive theories and theories of principle, which is implied here, was elaborated in Einstein 1919. See Vol. 2, Introduction, pp. xxi-xxvi, for a dis- cussion. [3]See Einstein 1909b (Vol. 2, Doc. 56), §10 for an attempt by Einstein to find a relation between Planck's constant and the elementary charge and for his thoughts on possible modifi- cations of Maxwell's equations. See also Doc. 153 for H. A. Lorentz's objections and Doc. 163 for Einstein's response. [4]Sommerfeld's lecture on signal velocities, delivered to the meeting of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Naturforscher und Ärzte in Dresden in September 1907 (see the preceding docu- ment), only summarized his results. A full and extended publication was planned but only re- alized five years later (Sommerfeld 1912) it was reprinted in abbreviated form in 1914 (Som- merfeld 1914). See also the editorial note, "Einstein on Superluminal Signal Velocities," pp. 56-60, for more on Sommerfeld's work. [5]The preceding document. [6]Peter Paul Koch (1879-1945) was Privatdozent and Assistent in experimental physics at the University of Munich. [7]In a postcard to Einstein, Johannes Stark had communicated his plans to pursue his ex- perimental work on canal rays see Doc. 45 for Einstein's response and Doc. 125, note 5, for more on Stark's work. [8]See the editorial note, "Einstein's 'Maschinchen' for the Measurement of Small Quanti- ties of Electricity," pp. 51-55 for more on the device. [9]Einstein described his work in Einstein 1908a (Vol. 2, Doc. 48). [10]Einstein 1907h (Vol. 2, Doc. 45), in which this argument is further worked out. [11]For more on Einstein's thought on relativistic rigid bodies, see Einstein 1907h (Vol. 2, Doc. 45) and Vol. 3, the editorial note, "Einstein on Length Contraction in the Theory of Rel- ativity," pp. 478-480. [12]See note 3. [13]The 80th meeting of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Naturforscher und Ärzte was held in September in Cologne. 74. From Adolf Gasser [Winterthur, mid-January 1908][1] Meine lieben Einsteiner, Vielen Dank für Ihre freundl. Zeilen, wir wollten Ihnen schon lange schrei- ben, aber eben, Sie wissen ja. Über unsere Familienerlebnisse mag Ihnen meine Frau[2] ausführlich berichten, die treffl. Bemerkungen der Frau Ein- stein haben sie so weit gerührt, daß sie sich nun mal aufraffen will. Sie sind wohl sehr erstaunt, daß ich von meinem Maschinerl so gar nichts verlauten lasse, aber es ist alles so gekommen, wie Sie voraussahen, der Ab- wart hatte während der Ferien gar nichts gemacht u. während des Semesters behauptet er keine Zeit zu haben.[3] Wir stecken halt mitten im Neu u. Umbau drin, sind auf geringen Raum angewiesen, so daß gegenwärtig alles viel müh- samer geht, als sonst. Hoffentlich können wir bis nächsten Herbst die neuen
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