D O C U M E N T 1 8 1 O C T O B E R 1 9 2 0 2 9 5
All my husband’s suggestions were to no avail, he was ready to sacrifice any-
thing. He even wanted to relinquish everything for himself, but the publishers ab-
solutely do not want to give up the large profits that they are anticipating.
What else am I to say to you? I am exhausted from the excitement of the last few
days.
In the foreword of the work it will be added that you did not read the book and
that my husband is solely responsible for the
authorship.[2]
And now I imagine that today, after having spent such a nice time with your
friend and the boys, you are a bit more removed from all those unjustified notions.
Who or what can hurt you? How few of your friends and counselors are completely
free from envy? Don’t they all want something from you? Don’t they all use your
name to their advantage? And that my Alex in particular should be denied this?
Would it silence your enviers? Great men are a good target, easy to hit, but the ar-
rows must bounce off you.
I hope and think that, with your sense of justice, you will not allow a shadow to
fall on our friendship. My husband is innocent, and time will tell how much he was
prepared to give up.
You would cheer us up if you sent us a word of reassurance, if only through Else.
How happy my husband was at first that the book was to appear. Now he has
been deprived of his joy by this unfortunate incident, and he, as I and Richard, will
be able to be happy again only when we know for certain that your friend Born’s
persuasiveness does not withstand the facts.
Born’s biography of you is certainly enthusiastic and could never hurt
you.[3]
X rays penetrate through everything and thus it is also with you and your fame;
you and your enviers must come to terms with that.
In respect and most sincere friendship, yours,
Bertha Moszkowski
181. From Edgar Wöhlisch[1]
Kiel, Med. Univ. Clinic, 25 October 1920
Esteemed Professor,
Occupied by a paper on the connection between the molecular volume and ener-
gy content (heat of combustion) of liquid organic
compounds,[2]
I take the liberty of
applying most respectfully to you for your advice on a question in theoret. physics.
In the literature I have perused so far, the generally held view is that, given var-
ious isomeric compounds, those with larger combustion heats must also have larger
(true) molecular volumes. Yet, the rough survey I have made of the available ma-
terial does not always seem to confirm this view, and I would therefore very much
Previous Page Next Page