D O C U M E N T 2 1 9 S E P T E M B E R 1 9 2 1 1 4 9
he mixed a little with strangers, although he is truly not lacking an inner sense of
independence. I point out again, though, that I’m only setting all this before you for
consideration, without wanting to exert any kind of pressure on you. For you
proved that you know your business.– I now have a guest cottage in Spandau by the
water, in which I can always accommodate the boys during the warmer season
without anyone among the family here coming
along.[7]
In this regard I would like
to comment that the younger daughter is a very good, modest
girl,[8]
who should
not be held responsible for the deeds of her
elders.[9]
In October I am coming to Zurich and would very much like to live in your small
room upstairs for a couple of days. Then I would go with Albert for about 10 days
to Italy
(Bologna).[10]
I noticed that he’s keen on coming along, you see. I would
very much like to have two pictures of the boys. One of them was requested by our
maid, who kept house for us in Wustrow and loves the boys
dearly.[11]
She’s leaving
us on the 1st of September.
Warm regards to all three of you from your
Papa or Albert, esp.
I shall try to send the Naturwissenschaften and a book with Berlin humor for Tete.
But it’s a difficult matter getting the export
permit.[12]
I already started the experi-
ment I told Albert about at the Bureau of Standards
[Reichsanstalt].[13]
219. To Paul Ehrenfest
[Berlin,] 1 September 1921
Dear Ehrenfest,
I’m not going to Jena because German physicists harassed me so coarsely last
year in [Bad]
Nauheim.[1]
I’d prefer to come to Leyden only on the 6th of Novem-
ber because I have very urgent things to do here now (experiment at the Bureau of
Standards[2]
and technical things
(refrigerator)).[3]
I must also finally finish writing
out my Princeton lectures, which I have barely
started.[4]
Do come and see me after
Jena, if you are free. I had a magnificent time with my two boys by the
Baltic.[5]
They have developed excellently and we are of one heart and one mind.
Cordial greetings to all from your
Einstein.
We want to test whether the problem could be settled on the basis of existing data
of whether the presence or absence of zero-point energy in helium was
critical.[6]
In July the scores for
Jenneke[7]
were bought and the export permit applied for.
The latter arrived only about a fortnight ago. But you should have finally received
the scores by now. Have you?