D O C U M E N T 1 1 9 2 0 – 1 9 2 1 7
come down to selling our furnishings. We’d only get very little for them, and then
we’d probably never be in a position to be able to buy them back again. That’s also
a reason for us to consider this matter carefully. It’s naturally also no fun, of course,
to live somewhere where you don’t know a soul. In any case, we want to look
around to see if we can find some other income and want to write you about it then.
Prof. von Gonzenbach’s wife, with whom we used to play music
together,[10]
requested I ask you whether it wouldn’t be an impossible thing for her sister, the
former Miss Frenkel, who has studied at the Polytechnic and was in America the
last few years, to become your
assistant.[11]
We thank you very much for the two books you had arranged to be sent to us for
Christmas; we like them and they give us much pleasure.
This little picture is a woodcut that I drew from life; the print is unfortunately so
bad because I wasn’t able to round up proper printer’s black ink, but I’ll have a bet-
ter one sent to
you.[12]
Lots of love from
Adn.
1. From Hans Albert Einstein
[between 26 December 1920 and 14 March
1921][1]
Dear Papa,
We received the 7,500 francs (seven thousand five hundred francs) from
Lucerne[2]
and I’m very surprised that you ask about it, since I already told you so
in the last letter. Neither did you reply to me regarding Mrs.
Gonzenbach.[3]
Did
only half my letter reach you in the end? There isn’t any censorship anymore. Still,
I would like to ask you kindly to reply to Mrs. Gonzenbach’s question, since she
would like to have an answer. We did agree about the moving matter and I think
it’ll be best that you let us decide for ourselves at our own
risk.[4]
In any case our
friends here aren’t guilty of anything, as you had been
thinking.[5]
I’m very glad that you liked my bird and I just want to say that it was made dur-
ing a German lesson when we were close to dozing off; that is, I carved it
here.[6]
The sketch came from drawing class.
But I’ve begun to abuse another art as well. Piano isn’t enough anymore, so I
chose a monster instrument: the double-bass; I had already been a bass player in
one of our concerts. It was a good opportunity: I got the instrument from the student
orchestra and I’ve been taking lessons for about a quarter of a year.
Lots of love from
Adn and
Tete,[7]
who’s already in bed right now and is asleep.