276
DOCS. 375-377
MARCH
1912
375. To
Wilhelm
Wien
Prague,
20 March
[1912]
Highly
esteemed
Colleague:
I
am
sending
you
herewith
for
the
Annalen
the
continuation of
the
investigations
on
the static
gravitational
field.[1] I
struggled frightfully
hard
with this
thing,
but
I
believe
that
I have
now
gotten
the
crux
of
the matter
right.
I have
not
yet
finished the
case
of
the
dynamic
problem. I
shall
deal
with it
only
if this
can
be
done
with
a
minimum
of
arbitrariness.
With
best
regards,
I
remain
yours very truly,
A. Einstein
376. To
Marian
von
Smoluchowski
Prague
24 March
[1912][1]
Highly
esteemed
Colleague:
I
am
very sorry
that
you
are suffering so
much
under
the
burden of
literary
obligations.
I
can
empathize
with
you,
even
though-as I
see
from
what
you
are
telling
me-I
surpass
you by
far
in
irresponsibility
in such matters.
It
is
a
great
pity
that
you
cannot
come
during
the
vacation,[2]
because
this
is
when
one
can
take one's
sweet time.
But
you
will also be
very
welcome in
May.
I
beg
of
you
once
again
to
stay
at
my
house
then,
so
that
we can
enjoy
the time
that
is
given
to
us
in
ease
and comfort.
I have
now
worked
out
a
theory
of the statics
of
gravitation,
which
departs
from
the
schema
of the
theory
of
relativity
in
that
it
violates the
principle
of the
constancy
of the
velocity
of
light.[3]
I
think
it
is
rather certain that the
principle is
valid
only
insofar
as
the
gravitational potential
can
be
regarded
as a
constant.
But
I have
not
yet
succeeded
in
discovering
the
dynamical
laws
of
the
gravitational
field.
The
simple
schema of the
4
equivalent[4]
dimensions
is
not valid
here
in
the
same way as
with Minkowski.
[5]
Cordial
greetings
from
your very
devoted
A.
Einstein
377. To
Michele
Besso
Prague,
26 March
[1912][1]
Dear
Michele,
Lately
I have been
working
like
mad
on
the
gravitation problem.
Now I have
gotten
to
the
stage
where
I
am
finished with the
statics.[2]
I do not know
anything yet
about the
dynamic field,
that
will
come
only
now.
I'll
tell
you
a
thing
or
two regarding
the
results.