370
DOCS. 493-495 DECEMBER
1913
high
distinction intended
for
me
with
a
certain
trepidation.
But
what
encouraged
me
to
accept
the election
was
the
thought
that
all
that
can
be
expected
of
a
person
is
that
he
devote
himself
with all his
might
to
a
good cause;
and I do feel
capable
of
that.[4]
You
kindly
left it
up
to
me
to choose
the date of
my
moving
to
Berlin. With
respect
to that, I advise
you
herewith that
I wish to
take
up my new
duties
during
the
first
days
of
April 1914.[5]
Respectfully,
A.
Einstein. Zurich.
494.
From Robert
Gnehm
Zurich, 15
December
1913
To Professor Dr.
A.
Einstein,
Zurich
Highly
esteemed
Sir:
We
are
honored
to
inform
you
that
at its
session
of
11
December
1913
the
Swiss
Federal
Council
approved,
upon
our
request, your requested
release
from
your
professorship
at
Federal
Polytechnical
Institute,
with
expressions
of thanks for the
services rendered.[1]
On
behalf of the
Swiss School
Council,
with
great respect,
President
Dr. R Gnehm
Secretary
Jul Müller
495. To
Ernst Mach
[Zurich,
second
half
of
December
1913][1]
Highly
esteemed
Colleague,
Your
friendly
interest
in
the
new
theory
makes
me
very
happy.[2]
Unfortunately,
the
mathematical
difficulties which
one
encounters in
pursuing
these
ideas
are enormous
for
me
as
well.
I
am
tremendously pleased
that the
development
of
the
theory
brings
to
fore
the
depth
and
importance
of
your investigations
on
the foundation of
classical
mechanics.[3]
To
this
day,
I still cannot understand
how
Planck,
whom I have
otherwise
learned
to
prize
like
no one else,
could show
so
little
understanding
for
your
endeavors.[4]
Incidentally,
he
also
disapproves
of
my
new theory.[5]
I cannot
blame
him
for that.