V O L U M E 9 , D O C U M E N T 2 8 8 a 1 4 7
ning, even though no one had been found for the apartment
yet.[2]
We didn’t actu-
ally pack very much, but we toiled away; that’s how it went until late in the day on
the 29th of Dec. ’19. Then 2 American ladies suddenly came by and had a look at
the apartment. It appealed to them, they took it: for the 1st of Jan. ’20. I tell you;
that was a hurry and scurry, back and forth. Albert upstairs, Albert downstairs; in
short, it was the first time that I was tired to the bone. On the 1st of Jan. ’20, 4
o’clock in the afternoon, the ladies appeared in full train—grandmother, mother,
and child, as the verse
goes,[3]
and, very satisfied and happy, we shoved Mama into
the hotel, Teddi to Unteraegeri to Dr. Bosshard, and me to the Zanggers’, and now
everything’s still the same except that Mama is in Novi
Sad.[4]
Just today I con-
veyed my greetings to Prof.
Amberg.[5]
I hope you forgive me now for the long de-
lay in writing and will soon send news of yourself.
Many greetings from your
Adn
P.S. My pen is “spluttering” [sprutzt][6] horribly. I think you’ll understand the ex-
pression.
Vol. 9, 288a. From Hans Albert Einstein
8 Zürichberg St., Zurich, 28 January 1920
Dear Papa,
I was very happy to hear from you again. So that you don’t have to agonize over
my scribbles again, I thought I’d write with the typewriter. Because you ask what’s
happening with the piano, I’d like to ask you please to send me the Mozart sonatas
for violin & piano; you have them in duplicate, you know.[1] I’d like to play them
with my chum, Häusler, you see. Otherwise I play the Beethoven sonatas, also
Mozart for piano, a little bit of Brahms & Schubert.[2] Häusler & I want to try Han-
del sonatas. I’d be very grateful if you would have the Mozart sonatas sent to me.
In mathematics, with Prof. Amberg,[3] we last solved problems with quadratic
equations. In geometry, i.e., stereometry, we had very little at first, but that little bit
was very interesting & nice, e.g., to prove that the sum of the corners plus the sum
of the surfaces was equal to the sum of the edges plus 2. In trigonometry we’re de-
riving formulas for dear life. I still have to relay greetings from Prof. Amberg, by
the way; so I already relayed yours.
Besides school I’ve been reading plays by Shaw. I like it very much because he
acquaints you with the individual characters very soon and through & through.
E.g., you get to know Bluntschli in Arms and the Man, or Caesar or Napoleon much
better than in history, for example.[4]
In hope of hearing from you again soon, I send you many greetings, yours,
ADN