8 8 V O L U M E 8 , D O C U M E N T 3 4 6 a
verstanden;wo aber die Gleichungenangefangen haben, da hat’s gehappert. Du
musst mir das dann erklären, wenn wir beisammen sind. Ich binsehr gespannt dar-
auf, zu hören, wie das gemeint ist. Ich habe jetzt wieder Klavierstunden bekom-
men, & zwar an der
Musikschule.[13]Es
ge[fällt] mir jetzt viel besser,als früher,
wahrscheinlich, weil ich jetzt einesehr nette Lehrerin habe.
Hier bei Zanggers ist ein grosser
Garten[14]
& Frau Prof. Zangger & ich besorgen
ihn. Es ist lustig, was man da alles machen muss. Da ist gepflanzt: Salat, Spinat,
Bohnen, Erbsen, Rhabarber, Rübli, u.s.w. Dann hat es Stachelbeeren, Johannisbee-
ren, u.s.w.
Viele Grüsse von Deinem Sauerkrautlateiner
ALBERT.
TLS. [144 008]. The signature is typed.
[1]A week earlier, Einstein informed Ehrenfest that Eduard was being sent to Arosa for a year (see
Einstein to Paul Ehrenfest, 25 May 1917 [Vol. 8, Doc. 344]) to recuperate from a lung inflammation
from which he had been suffering since January (see Einstein to Michele Besso, 9 March 1917
[Vol. 8, Doc. 306]).
[2]Eduard had been hospitalized at the Bethanienheim hospital in Zurich since early April (see
Vol. 8, Doc. 330a, in the present volume, note 3).
[3]Mathilde Zangger-Mayenfisch.
[4]Six days earlier, Einstein had described himself and Hans Albert as “bull-headed fellows like
us” (“Dick-Köpfe wie wir”; see Vol. 8, Doc. 344a, in the present volume), but Hans Albert did not
seem to have received that letter prior to writing this letter.
[5]Hans Albert had described his difficulties with Latin to Einstein six months earlier (see Vol. 8,
Doc. 278a, in the present volume) and Einstein replied that he also had to work hard at learning Latin
at school (see Einstein to Hans Albert Einstein, 26 November 1916 [Vol. 8, Doc. 279]).
[6]Perhaps a later edition of the same geometry text, Spieker 1890, that Einstein had been given in
1891/1892 (see Vol. 1, “Albert Einstein—Beitrag für sein Lebensbild,” p. lxi, note 49).
[7]Otto Scherrer, mathematics instructor (1875–?) at the Kantonsschule in Zurich.
[8]Hans Hartmann, French instructor (1874–1957) at the Kantonsschule.
[9]Swiss German for “eine haarige Glatze.”
[10]Einstein had been suffering from a gallstone problem, originally thought to have been a liver
ailment. Six days earlier, Einstein had told Hans Albert that his health had improved, but their letters
seem to have crossed (see the preceding document, and its note 8).
[11]Summer vacation at the Kantonsschule began on 16 July (see Einstein to Hans Albert Einstein,
after 31 October 1916 [Vol. 8, Doc. 271], note 3).
[12]Einstein 1917a (Vol. 6, Doc. 42). Ten days earlier, Zangger had asked Einstein whether he
should give the book to Hans Albert to read and had commented on its contents, especially on Hans
Albert as part of its intended audience (see Heinrich Zangger to Einstein, 20 May 1917 [Vol. 8,
Doc. 342]). Einstein told Zangger not to show the book to Hans Albert, as he was not yet mature
enough for it (see Vol. 8, Doc. 349a, in the present volume).
[13]Hans Albert’s piano lessons had ceased in the fall of 1916 when his mother had been hospital-
ized. Upon her release from the hospital, he received piano instruction from his mother until she fell
ill again (see Vol. 8, Doc. 319a, in the present volume).
[14]Hans Albert had been living with the Zangger family since the end of April (see Heinrich Zang-
ger to Einstein, 20 May 1917 [Vol. 8, Doc. 342]).