2 9 0 D O C U M E N T S 1 7 4 , 1 7 5 O C T O B E R 1 9 2 0
been answering letters for you all afternoon until now, so I’m almost fed up to the
teeth with that
job.[2]
These godforsaken people are really out of their minds to
write you so much. Each time a mail delivery is dropped off, I let out a powerful
curse, but that doesn’t stop them at all from their senseless business.
I am sending you as enclosures a few things that you might perhaps answer, con-
sidering all the time you have in that cozy nest of
yours.[3]
I am glad that you are
having such a nice time with your boys. The weather is, of course, splendid, too.
In my free moments I am constantly singing “Beautiful Spain, far off to the
south” in preparation for our
trip.[4]
Many affect. greetings from your today particularly crazy [meschuggene],
Ilse.
174. To Max Born
[Benzingen,] 11 October 1920
Dear Born,
Your wife wrote me an incensed
letter[1]
about the book by Mr.
M[oszkowksi].[2]
Objectively, she is right, although not in her severe judgment of M. I have informed
the latter in a registered letter that his magnificent opus is not allowed to be printed.
With warm greetings to both of you, yours,
Einstein.
My hearty thanks to your wife.
175. From Max Born
Frankfurt-am-M[ain,] 13 October 1920
Dear Einstein,
The accompanying sheet from the booksellers’ periodical Buchhändler-Börsen-
blatt reached me from various
quarters.[1]
Commentary superfluous. It seems that
you are less upset about it than your
friends.[2]
My wife already wrote you what I
think of the
matter.[3]
(She does already regret, though, having otherwise also want-
ed to turn your name into gold by sending me to
America;[4]
poor women must bear
the brunt of existence and grasp at any relief.) You must shake off Moszkowski,
otherwise Weyland will have won the whole way, Lenard and Gehrcke will be
triumphant.[5]
According to the experts consulted, the best course is this: You write emphati-
cally to Moszkowski that, after having been accused of seeking
“publicity,”[6]
you
cannot authorize publication of the Conversations, especially since the advertise-