1 6 0 D O C U M E N T S 1 4 , 1 5 M A Y 1 9 2 0
14. From Mileva Einstein-Maric;
[14 May
1920][1]
Dear Albert,
The bank informed me that a few more securities on deposit here are soon being
paid out, and they would like to know what they should do with the
money.[2]
They
suggest buying mortgage bonds on real estate because everything else is insecure
(if one isn’t precisely familiar with the business). Please write me as soon as pos-
sible what you think of this or make another suggestion. I ask you please to write
me about this and not simply sign the sum over to your name like with the 2,000
marks last
year;[3]
you won’t eventually want to have this present to your children
back again as well, I hope?–
The boys are doing excellently well; Albert is 16 years old today. He’s turned
into a dear and jolly fellow. Tete wrote his first essay today with much diligence
and
enthusiasm.[4]
He feels a little left out that you always write to Albert and not
to him.–
Kind regards,
Miza.
15. From Hans Albert Einstein
[14 May
1920][1]
Dear Papa,
I haven’t written for so long because first it was vacation and then I was in Ticino
with the
school.[2]
We lived a very soldierlike existence and needed very little mon-
ey. It was very nice and we saw quite a lot. It was very funny how we got by with
German and French; it worked out quite well. Then school started, and so there
wasn’t much time because you first have to get used to it again. But that’s over with
and so I’m writing you now. Today happens to be my
birthday.[3] Mama’s[4]
home-
baked cake was excellent; what a pity you couldn’t try it, and potato salad upon
special request. Yum!–
Thank you very much for the photograph and the nice
scores.[5]
I’ve been ac-
companying violin more, recently, and playing 4 hands with Mama, so I had less
opportunity to play 2 hands. But I did have a look at the things.
Then I have another request of you, or better said, of your wastepaper basket! By
this I mean no more and no less than some stamps, especially those that didn’t exist