Volume 10: The Berlin Years: Correspondence, May-December 1920, and Supplementary Correspondence, 1909-1920 (English translation supplement) Page 273 (298 of 399)

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nished rooms with all the conveniences that the heart could desire and has a
splendid view of the Kiel bay. Breakfast is also brought there, so I am surrounded
by a matchless tranquillity and don’t even notice that I am a guest. In addition, Mr.
Anschütz and his
wife[4]
are quiet and content people who haven’t the slightest no-
tion about what it means to hurry and scurry about.
Yesterday evening I also accompanied Mrs. Anschütz to the Missa Solemnis by
Beeth[oven].[5]
Performance quite inadequate, composition magnificent, but not
according to my
ideal.[6]
Mrs. Anschütz is still very young, pretty, more body than
mind: she was very delighted with the presumption of having to mother
me,[7]
be-
cause the parental relationship would fit far better the other way round, although
having such a well-endowed daughter with strawberry blond hair would always
have a suspicious question mark attached. Today I am going to a talk by Becker on
German educational issues and then—alas!—to an official dinner
function.[8]
(Nothing to be done about it!) Tomorrow morning is my
talk.[9]
Spengler’s not
coming.[10]
Altogether, the Kiel week doesn’t seem to me to grow beyond the local
framework. Bourgeois public of civil servants, dull and
simple-minded.[11]
Not a
single seat can be gotten for my sermon, but I think the little crowd will receive
even less for their money than—I myself.
Think of the house and the
sailboat.[12]
We have to create a more human exist-
ence for ourselves as well, for all the rural simplicity. There is something fine about
a life of meditation. This is most impressively set before my eyes now. Berlin is
nerve-racking and deprives me of the possibility of quiet contemplation.
Kisses also to Ilse and
Margot[13]
from your
Albert.
Send my regards also to the grandparents and Anna, as well as to the minnesinger
Moszkowski and
spouse.[14]
Greetings from the Anschützes, who regret you declined. See you on Saturday.
I am probably going to have to leave on Friday.
150. To the Association for Combating Anti-Semitism
Berlin, 14 September 1920
Dear Sir,
Prof. Einstein instructed me to inform you that in his opinion we Jews cannot
contribute toward countering anti-Semitism through a direct
campaign.[1]
Since
your view on this point deviates from that of Prof. Einstein, I respectfully ask you
in his name kindly to refrain from your plan—of electing Mr. Einstein onto your
association’s board.
In great respect,
The Secretary

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D O C U M E N T 1 5 0 S E P T E M B E R 1 9 2 0 2 7 3
nished rooms with all the conveniences that the heart could desire and has a
splendid view of the Kiel bay. Breakfast is also brought there, so I am surrounded
by a matchless tranquillity and don’t even notice that I am a guest. In addition, Mr.
Anschütz and his
wife[4]
are quiet and content people who haven’t the slightest no-
tion about what it means to hurry and scurry about.
Yesterday evening I also accompanied Mrs. Anschütz to the Missa Solemnis by
Beeth[oven].[5]
Performance quite inadequate, composition magnificent, but not
according to my
ideal.[6]
Mrs. Anschütz is still very young, pretty, more body than
mind: she was very delighted with the presumption of having to mother
me,[7]
be-
cause the parental relationship would fit far better the other way round, although
having such a well-endowed daughter with strawberry blond hair would always
have a suspicious question mark attached. Today I am going to a talk by Becker on
German educational issues and then—alas!—to an official dinner
function.[8]
(Nothing to be done about it!) Tomorrow morning is my
talk.[9]
Spengler’s not
coming.[10]
Altogether, the Kiel week doesn’t seem to me to grow beyond the local
framework. Bourgeois public of civil servants, dull and
simple-minded.[11]
Not a
single seat can be gotten for my sermon, but I think the little crowd will receive
even less for their money than—I myself.
Think of the house and the
sailboat.[12]
We have to create a more human exist-
ence for ourselves as well, for all the rural simplicity. There is something fine about
a life of meditation. This is most impressively set before my eyes now. Berlin is
nerve-racking and deprives me of the possibility of quiet contemplation.
Kisses also to Ilse and
Margot[13]
from your
Albert.
Send my regards also to the grandparents and Anna, as well as to the minnesinger
Moszkowski and
spouse.[14]
Greetings from the Anschützes, who regret you declined. See you on Saturday.
I am probably going to have to leave on Friday.
150. To the Association for Combating Anti-Semitism
Berlin, 14 September 1920
Dear Sir,
Prof. Einstein instructed me to inform you that in his opinion we Jews cannot
contribute toward countering anti-Semitism through a direct
campaign.[1]
Since
your view on this point deviates from that of Prof. Einstein, I respectfully ask you
in his name kindly to refrain from your plan—of electing Mr. Einstein onto your
association’s board.
In great respect,
The Secretary

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151. From Minna Cauer[1]
Berlin W. 62, 5 Wormser St., 19 September 1920
Highly esteemed Professor,
You probably don’t remember me. During the raging war years, I met you a few
times at conferences of the New Fatherland League. The impression you made on
me is unforgettable.
Now the whole world is talking about you; naturally, the envious and the bick-
erers are also putting in their
word.[2]
That is human, all too human of those base
elements who are dominating more than ever before. I was away for a long time
and heard only now that there are men in Germany who do not bow in grateful ac-
knowledgment of the work and knowledge of researchers and
genius.[3]
I perceive
it as a humiliation affecting the whole nation.
You, highly esteemed Professor, are not touched by it. But we suffer painfully
that even these most severe and difficult times we are living through do not have
enough effect to suppress such base mentalities at all.
It will be a matter of indifference to you, highly esteemed Professor, that a wom-
an, who marvels at the abundance of your knowledge, is writing you. Nevertheless,
I cannot but thank you for having brought such a victory of science to mankind.
In expression of my special admiration,
Minna Cauer.
152. From Stefan Zweig
Salzburg, 22 September 1920
Highly esteemed Professor,
I think I did not go against your inner convictions by publishing the enclosed
statement (in a Viennese paper). I had signed this telegram from Salzburg only with
the explicit proviso that it be directed to you personally and not be published,
which, however, evidently did happen before it reached you
personally.[1]
Undoubtedly, you will perceive such a public display of genuine sympathy as em-
barrassing as I do, and regard this explanation merely as clarification of the circum-
stances—onlookers could well have thought that the publication originated from
you—.
I can imagine how much you must be suffering from the current importunity, as
well as hostile malice: may calm, in which you are able to continue to develop your
work, soon be restored to you. I welcome this opportunity to express to you my
humble but very sincere respect. Most faithfully,
Stefan Zweig

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be perceived as a lost battle. It will be damnably difficult for me to summon the
requisite hardness of heart, even when it does become necessary. I also think that,
in an emergency, they will always drum up the necessary money. The tragedy of
my situation is that I cannot muster even the tiniest fraction of self-esteem to play
my role, which was allotted to me through no fault of my own, with “dignity.”
I am deeply pleased that your wife is completely healthy and happy
again[10]
and
that, generally, everything is going according to your wishes. It pleases me just as
much that our boys are classmates, like we
were.[11]
Let’s hope we can soon see
each other again. This year I am having my boys come (in October) to Germany,
because a trip to Switzerland is too costly for
me.[12]
Cordial regards, yours,
Einstein.
For the
Archives.[13]
In the past few years Mr. E. Guillaume has repeatedly stated his position about
the theory of relativity in this journal and, specifically, attempted to introduce a new
concept (universal time) into this theory. At the repeated prompting of the author
himself as well as of other colleagues in the field, I consider it necessary to declare
the following:
Despite taking the [greatest] trouble, I have not been able to attach any kind of
clear sense to Guillaume’s explications. Even by a lengthy exchange of correspon-
dence conducted with utmost patience, I could come no closer to this goal. In par-
ticular, it has remained completely unclear to me what the author means by
“universal time.” My ability to understand does not even go far enough to be capa-
ble of a substantive rebuttal. I can only state my conviction that no clear chain of
reasoning underlies Guillaume’s explications.
—————
Dear Grossmann, please ask the Archives to send the proofs to
Guillaume.[14]
The statement is hard, but I can find no other way; this nonsense has gone too far!
149. To Elsa Einstein
Kiel, Tuesday. [14 September
1920][1]
Dear Else,
Arrived after a successful, comfortable trip, was awaited by Mr. Anschütz at the
platform.[2]
I’ve rarely had it so nice—I say so not to magnify the tribulations of
your trip but only to let you enjoy it with me in your
imagination.[3]
So we puttered
away from the train station in Anschütz’s motorboat up to a pier that belongs to the
Anschützes’ villa. It is set right near the water on a small knoll in the middle of a
splendid garden. I was then led up to the attic of the villa, where there is an attrac-
tive little apartment to lodge visitors; it consists of two small, most tastefully fur-

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