4 1 0 D O C . 5 3 D E V E L O P M E N T O F R E L AT I V I T Y
Published in Nature 106 (1920–21): 782–784. Published 17 February 1921. Significant variations be-
tween the German-language text and the English-language text are noted. Einstein’s German-lan-
guage manuscript is published as Doc. 50.
[1]For the history of the publication of the present document, see Doc. 50, note 2. In his introduc-
tion, the editor gave the following reason for publishing a special issue of Nature devoted to the theory
of relativity: “The [relativity] principle has . . . points of contact with many fields of scientific activity,
and it is on this account that the present issue of Nature is devoted to it.” The papers, written by
Charles E. St. John, James H. Jeans, Hendrik Antoon Lorentz, Arthur S. Eddington, Hermann Weyl,
and others, cover many contemporary results and problems of the theory. Einstein’s paper was pub-
lished as the first in the issue. The translation was prepared by Robert W. Lawson.
[2]“The great value” should be “the great methodological advance.”
[3]“to all appearances” should be “intuitively.”