D O C U M E N T S 2 7 3 , 2 7 4 O C T O B E R 1 9 2 1 1 7 3
273. To Elsa, Ilse, and Margot Einstein
Bolzano, 16 [October 1921], evening
Dear Else and dear children,
This morning I met [Hans] Albert after an interesting but long journey (17
hours).[1]
Midday today we crossed the Brenner [Pass] in brilliant sunshine. This
evening from 8 to 2, onwards to Verona. Tomorrow noon, departure from Verona.
Arrival 10 o’clock at night in
Bologna.[2]
Tuesday morning, trip to
Florence.[3]
Grab Else by the ear, because she made me bring too little money along; Ilse,
because through her fault I had an unfavorable exchange into lire.
We are enjoying ourselves fully and are seeing very much. But Italy is horren-
dously expensive. So there probably won’t be anything left over. The Italians will
have difficulty recognizing Dante’s tongue in my lectures!
In Bologna I’m staying at Hotel Bologna, after all, in case all of you feel like
sending me a detailed telegram there.
Warm regards from your
Albert.
274. From Arnold Sommerfeld
Munich, 17 October 1921
Dear Einstein,
It is a real shame that you do not want to come, and particularly so for that rea-
son! I am convinced that you are seeing
ghosts.[1]
But how could I assume the
responsibility, under such conditions, of subjecting you even to an imagined dan-
ger?
I shall procure the Schaubühne at the
library.[2]
I have to see what unqualified
pens wrote at length and whether they kept to the truth.
I am terribly depressed about Upper Silesia. I see that the English want to ruin
us and I cannot see how we can prevent them from doing
so![3]
I find it shameless
and insensitive that our mutual publisher Methuen wants to come to Germany pre-
cisely
now.[4]
You are grappling with your ideas about the fundamental problems
of the light
quantum.[5]
Because I do not feel the strength in me to do that, I make
do with pursuing the details of the quantum magic in spectra. What interests me are
the “inner quantum numbers,” although I cannot imagine them as anything. They
solve the composed triplets (and doublets).