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179a. To Elsa Einstein
[Leyden], Friday. [22 October 1920]
Dear Else!
Yesterday 12 o’clock after happy night trip (thanks to Ilse) arrived safely in
Utrecht. There I stayed (with Julius, who suffers of heart ailments, as does his wife)
until the evening and then traveled to Leyden, where I surprised the Ehrenfests. It
was a hearty reunion. Since the two Russians, who were also in Berlin, are with
him, colleague Onnes has invited me and I am indeed staying with him, in a very
beautiful room. He and his wife are very kind. I am now coming on the 7th of No-
vember to Berlin, because Ehrenfest and Kam[erlingh] Onnes have convinced me
through a letter they sent to Benzingen that I move the talk in Hannover to the 6th
of November.
Warm greetings to all of you, your
Albert.
[…]
180. From Bertha Moszkowski
22 October 1920
Dear, esteemed Professor,
Although you will already have learned from your wife, Elsa, what I am writing
you about here, I really cannot help repeating it.
On that terrible Friday when your letter arrived, Alex immediately dropped every-
thing to fulfill your
wish.[1]
At 10 o’clock the publisher was over here with us and,
as he saw the state my husband was in and heard his earnest pleas, he initially grant-
ed him his request and telegraphed right away to Leipzig to stop the printing of the
book, which is almost finished. He also promised, since he is much indebted to my
husband, to assume the costs arising out of it and to convince his co-publisher—a
new publishing house was founded for the book: Fontane, Hoffmann & Co.—to
take the same position.
That was on Friday.
On Saturday and Sunday we heard nothing. On Monday, however, at a meeting
both publishers declared that it was impossible for them to keep their word, the
business could not be prevented anymore, they could not expose themselves to this
disgrace before the many booksellers who have already placed their orders, it
would place them in disrepute and they would never again receive a response to
their sales offers. It is already evident now that the sacrifice would be too great.