4 0 V O L U M E 8 , D O C U M E N T 2 8 7 b
are impossible to procure here. In total one would need roughly
10 pounds rice
5 semolina
5 macaroni
as well as the most substantial quantity possible of zwieback. The cure is supposed
to take 4–6 weeks. The relevant supplies of my
relatives[4]
are already virtually de-
pleted. If you believe that through your influence you could obtain the permit to
export these things, I ask you sincerely to please do so. For I do not see how else I
could get out of this misery. You will receive a medical attestation as soon as pos-
sible. Otherwise I am being excellently looked after; my cousin cooks everything
herself with almost no salt and without anything else that excites the wrath of the
evil spirits.–
You have, I hope, finally received the money for my
family.[5]
If there are bills
for doctor, medications, etc., please always send them to me as soon as possible,
because the bank has difficulties with money transfers to
Switzerland,[6]
so there is
always a delay. Let’s hope there will be no difficulties to my trip to Switzerland in
the spring. Words cannot say how much I am looking forward to seeing my chil-
dren, you, and Besso
again.[7]
The prospect of peace appears to have shrunk again
very much, so this year bodes little good. The saying that humans can even get used
to hangings is holding true, alas.
I have been regularly receiving very welcome messages from my
Albert.[8]
The
boy is acting very well toward me under these difficult conditions. Scientifically
there is nothing worthy of note. With age one becomes, bit by bit, stationary and
short of ideas, as is fitting. For that there are young ones whose tracks in the brain
are not yet so worn.
I occasionally think of Ratnowsky. Has nothing happened yet to make his posi-
tion somewhat stable? If you hear anything about that, please do let me
know.[9]
Do
you sometimes go to the physics colloquium? It must be very interesting (Meyer,
Weyl,
Abraham)[10]
. Over here much is laying waste because of the long
war.[11]
The younger people are perishing on this evil treadmill. This year Sommerfeld
found very fine things about spectra (in quantum theory). It is by far the most im-
portant thing that has appeared in our science these last few
years.[12]
But we have
come no closer to an understanding of quanta.
In spring I shall be staying near Zurich, not in Zurich itself, in order not to arouse
unpleasant feelings in my wife and the children, like last year, by not going to the
apartment.[13]
Cordial greetings, yours,
Einstein.