I N T R O D U C T I O N T O V O L U M E 1 2 x l i
I I I
In comparison to the previous year, not only does Einstein’s correspondence with
members of his family during 1921 decrease considerably, but the tone of the letters
exchanged with his sons and former wife appears altered as well, becoming less
strained as the year progressed. Whereas in previous volumes tension, anger, and
disappointment were often manifest, following a vacation with the boys in southern
Germany in fall 1920 (Vol. 10, Doc. 232a, in this volume) Einstein now expressed
much praise for them and delight in their company. He was impressed with Hans
Albert’s development (Doc. 174), and, perhaps musing on his own 42nd birthday,
wrote to his confidant Heinrich Zangger, not without a hint of pride, that laziness
in correspondence, some intellectual abilities, and a certain defiance were the only
assets that had been passed on in his family (Doc. 97).
Early in the year, Hans Albert welcomed the prospect of joining his father on his
trip to Bologna, but he worried that Einstein might be too busy and jokingly
reproached him for his heavy correspondence (Doc. 110). The sporadic nature of
Einstein’s visits with the boys in Zurich remained a persistent source of distress,
especially for eleven-year-old Eduard. Before Einstein’s U.S. trip, he expressed
regret to his father that they would not see each other for a long time, even suggest-
ing that Einstein should have foregone the voyage entirely (Doc. 109). At the end
of the year he bemoaned the fact that Einstein had never celebrated Christmas with
them (Doc. 349).
But in mid-July, the boys did spend a whole month with their father, a summer
holiday long hoped for by Einstein. They vacationed for three weeks in the small
Baltic seaside resort of Wustrow (Doc. 189), followed by a ten-day visit with
Hermann Anschütz-Kaempfe in Kiel. Einstein relished their time together. It was
for him an “indescribable joy” (Doc. 249). He thanked Mileva Maric; for rearing
their sons in a “friendly attitude” toward him. He liked their “lively intelligence,”
their “happy and modest” ways (Doc. 218), and took much interest in Hans Albert’s
plans for his education after completing high school (Doc. 260). The summer also
offered an opportunity for the boys to meet Einstein’s stepdaughters, Ilse and
Margot (see Illustrations 20 and 21), who were vacationing in nearby Ahrenshoop
(Doc. 214). Later in the year, Einstein traveled with Hans Albert to Italy, and
savored time spent there with his sister Maja and her husband Paul Winteler
(Docs. 249 and 296). The closeness with his sons also brought about an ameliora-
tion in his interactions with Mileva. When she implored him to come to Zurich on
his return trip from Italy to Leyden, both for the boys’ sake, and because she was
hoping to discuss in person issues regarding the sons (Doc. 257), he agreed. By the
end of the fall, Einstein felt that as a result of the more frequent meetings, the boys
were now “quite attached” to him (Doc. 296).