524
DOCS.
501,
502 APRIL
1918
the
surface
r
=
1/2rR,[5]
would have to be calculated
out-I
do
not
know
whether
it
is
so or
not.
With
cordial
regards, yours,
W. de Sitter.
502. To
Hugo
A.
Kruss
Berlin,
5
Haberland
St.
[before 11
April
1918][1]
Highly
esteemed
Professor,
With
reference to
the
interview
you recently
granted
my
cousin
relating
to
the
request concerning my
terms
of
employment,
I
take
the
liberty
of
presenting
the situation
to
you again
in
writing.[2]
The following
is
involved.
Linked
with
my employment
is
the
right
to
a
widow’s
pension.
I
now
intend
to be divorced in order to
remarry. Through this, my present
wife
would lose her
pension
entitlement
to
the
advantage
of
the
second
wife.
This
situation
would
entail
a
hardship for
my present
wife,
however,
and
is
at
odds
with
my
sense
of
justice, especially
since
my
financial circumstances would not make it
possible
for
me
to
compensate
for
this
loss
sufficiently
otherwise.
My request now
consists
in
having my employment
contract modified
so
that
in the
case
of
my
death
my
current
wife
becomes
the
sole
beneficiary
of
the
pension,
even
though
she be divorced from
me.[3]
I
entreat
you
not
to
look
upon my request
as
presumptuous,
and
I
add
in
its favor
that the
granting
of it would not create
any
troublesome
precedence
case;
for
my engagement
is
of
a thoroughly unique
nature
and does not fall
under
any government-position category.[4]
Furthermore,
this concession would result in
absolutely
no
disadvantage
to
the State
Treasury.
I
would
be
greatly obliged
to
you
for
your
support
in this
matter.
In utmost
respect,
I
am
yours truly,
A.
Einstein.
Previous Page Next Page