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your patience at last, after all, and could decide to take a step that would severely
punish German science and your friends for what a despicable mentality has inflict-
ed on
you.[2]
Adequate redress for you on the part of qualified authorities in science
must and will not be
lacking.[3]
In [Bad] Nauheim I hope you will allay my grave
fears. Until then, cordial greetings from yours faithfully,
M. Planck.
134. To Arnold Sommerfeld
[Berlin,] 6 September 1920
Dear Sommerfeld,
I did indeed ascribe too much importance to that undertaking by believing that
a large proportion of our physicists were involved in it. So for two days I actually
did think of “desertion,” as you call
it.[1]
But soon my composure returned along
with the realization that it would be wrong to abandon my circle of true friends.
Perhaps I ought not to have written the
article.[2]
However, I did not want an endur-
ing silence toward the criticisms and accusations, which are repeated systematical-
ly, to be interpreted as acquiescence. It is annoying that every statement of mine is
capitalized on by journalists. I simply must close myself off.
I cannot possibly write the article for the Südd[eutsche] Monatshefte. I would be
happy if I could manage my backlog of correspondence. A statement of that sort in
[Bad] Nauheim may well be advisable for the image abroad, or generally for rea-
sons of
propriety.[3]
For my sake, though, such a thing should not under any condi-
tion happen; for I am already content and at peace and read nothing that is printed
about me besides matters of real fact.
Grebe’s photograms are appearing soon in the Zeitschr. für Physik. They are tru-
ly convincing, that is, they refute the earlier findings about a nonexistence of the
displacement effect. For a final decision on the question of the redshift, much thor-
ough work is still necessary,
though.[4]
I am coming to Nauheim too and think it
will turn out to be very interesting
there.[5]
In thanking you earnestly for your friendly letter, I am, with cordial regards,
yours,
Einstein.