1 7 0 V O L U M E 8 , D O C U M E N T 5 6 1 b
[1]Peter Winteler (1886–1963), a second cousin of Paul Winteler, was a primary-school teacher in
Filzbach, canton of Glarus.
[2]Einstein had announced his decision to vacation at the Baltic rather than in Switzerland at the
beginning of the month (see Einstein to Mileva Einstein-Maric; , 4 June 1918 [Vol. 8, Doc. 557]).
[3]Hans Albert Einstein had made the same point in response to Einstein’s cancellation of his trip
(see Vol. 8, Doc. 557b, in the present volume).
[4]Einstein and Hans Albert had visited Eduard at the sanatorium Höchwald in Arosa in mid-July
1917, after which the two journeyed to Lucerne.
[5]Elsa Einstein; Ilse and Margot Einstein.
[6]Einstein planned to go sailing during his vacation by the Baltic Sea (see Einstein to Mileva
Einstein-Maric; , 4 June 1918 [Vol. 8, Doc. 557]).
[7]Einstein signed the divorce contract two days later. Einstein-Maric; signed it three weeks later
(see Divorce Agreement, 12 June 1918 [Vol. 8, Doc. 562]).
[8]Paul Winteler.
[9]Reports of a Spanish influenza epidemic in the German army began circulating in June 1918.
Einstein had presumably inquired about outbreaks in Switzerland as well.
[10]The Wintelers, like Heinrich Zangger (see Einstein to Heinrich Zangger, 22 April 1918 [Vol. 8,
Doc. 514]), were sending monthly food packages from Switzerland.
[11]Before moving to Freiburg im Breisgau, Alice Steinhardt née Koch (1893–1975), Einstein’s
cousin, and her husband, Ogden Steinhardt, were living in Lugano, where he may have had business
dealings (see S. Ogden Steinhardt to Einstein, 17 April 1918 [Vol. 8, Calendar]). The Steinhardts vis-
ited with Einstein in Lucerne the previous August (see Einstein to Alice Steinhardt, 19 August 1917
[Vol. 8, Calendar]).
[12]Two months earlier, Ogden Steinhardt had outlined his plans for obtaining a doctorate in polit-
ical economy either at the University of Bern or of Zurich (see S. Ogden Steinhardt to Einstein,
17 April 1918 [Vol. 8, Calendar]).
[13]Presumably France 1917, a copy of which, with France’s autograph on the flyleaf, is in Ein-
stein’s library.
[14]Pauline Einstein had arrived in Berlin in the last week of April (see Einstein to Auguste Hoch-
berger, before 24 April 1918 [Vol. 8, Doc. 517]).
[15]Rudolf and Fanny Einstein lived at Haberlandstrasse 5, as did their daughter Elsa and grand-
daughters Ilse and Margot.
Vol. 8, 561b. From Paul Winteler
[Lucerne, 10 June
1918][1]
Lieber Albert!
Du hast uns eine ordentliche Enttäuschung bereitet, da Du wähnst, irgendwo an-
ders sei Dein Krankenbett weicher als bei uns u. Du müssest es aus verschiedenen
Gründen am Müggelsee aufschlagen, statt am Silverplaner oder
Oeschinensee.[2]
Sogar auf der Frutt oben, 1800 m. hoch, stand ein ganz annehmbares Seelein zur
Verfügung wo man das Segel ebenfalls nach dem Winde drehn
kann.[3]
Sag Elsa,
ich lasse sie vielmals herzlich
grüssen,[4]
und es gebe in Luzern ausgezeichnete
Konditoreien mit viel schönen süssen Sachen u. ich würde ihr die besten davon aus-
suchen, wenn Ihr kommt. Sogar Butterstullen gibts bei uns noch
manchmal,[5]
ob-
schon der Nidel von der Milch meist von Andern abgeschöpft wird.— Die Zeitun-
gen lass Dich nicht verdriessen, es wird ja allerdings noch ein paar Jährchen gehn