D O C . 3 4 A S S I M I L AT I O N A N D A N T I - S E M I T I S M 2 9 3
1985, p. 198) with nary an attempt “to comprehend Jewish problems other than that of the struggle to
defend” (“andere jüdische Probleme, als das des Abwehrkampfes, zu erkennen”; Jüdische Rund-
schau, 20 June 1922, p. 322). In sharp contrast, the executive of the Zionist Association of Germany
(Zionistische Vereinigung für Deutschland) had rejected all demands for Jewish self-defense in
August 1919 (see Reinharz 1985, p. 267).
In condemning divisiveness in the Jewish community, Einstein was criticizing the CV’s often am-
bivalent attitude toward its Jewish brethren from Eastern Europe. See Einstein 1920h (Doc. 37) for a
more direct accusation leveled against the CV on this score; for Einstein’s sensitivity to the East
European aspect of the Jewish question, see Einstein 1919h (Doc. 29).
[12]Einstein has deleted “dies” and interlineated “Entsprechendes.”
[13]For Einstein’s efforts on behalf of promising East European Jewish students, see the preceding
document, note 6. For his recommendation of two Jewish colleagues from Eastern Europe for work
in Palestine, see Einstein to Paul Epstein, 5 October 1919, CPIT, Paul Epstein collection; Einstein to
Hugo Bergmann, 5 November 1919; and his memorandum on Jakob Grommer, after 31 July 1920
[11 404].
Already during the war, Einstein had tried to assist these very same colleagues. In summer 1917,
he recommended the mathematician Jakob Grommer, born in Brest-Litovsk, for a position in Russia
(see Einstein to Paul Ehrenfest, 22 July 1917 [Vol. 8, Doc. 362]) and that same autumn interceded to
help the physicist Paul Epstein (1883–1966), under police surveillance in Germany as a Russian en-
emy alien, to take up a post in Switzerland (see Einstein to Edgar Meyer, 30 October 1917 [Vol. 8,
Doc. 396], particularly note 2).
[14]The final paragraph, added by the unknown recipient of the enclosing letter, met with Einstein’s
approval (see Einstein to Unknown, 3 April 1920).
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