1 8 0 D O C U M E N T S 2 1 8 , 2 1 9 J U N E 1 9 2 2 217. From Aurel Stodola[1] Zurich, 5 June 1922 [Not selected for translation.] 218. To Hellmut von Gerlach[1] Berlin, 6 June 1922 Esteemed Mr. von Gerlach, I gather that on our visit to France[2] neither Painlevé nor any other prominent representative of French scholarship will be present.[3] As my speech on Sunday is supposed to be one by a nonpolitician devoted especially to welcoming scholars, I am not going to rise to speak at the meeting on Sunday. This omission will be less awkward as I will take every opportunity to attend to our guests. I am particularly looking forward to the opportunity of spending a few hours in your home on Sunday. With amicable regards. 219. To Hermann Weyl [Berlin,] 6 June 1922 Dear Mr. Weyl, Tell the students that I, as an old Zurich boy, was very pleased about their invitation, and heartily so.[1] But I surely need a little tranquillity and whatever sci- ence I could relate—with all due respect—all the sparrows are noisily chattering from the rooftops, so I’m reluctant to open my mouth as well. Please don’t misun- derstand me if I fail to answer their friendly summons and don’t say: “To Paris he went, but not to us.” Declining the Parisian invitation would have been a betrayal of the internationalist ideal that needs attention now more than ever.[2] But for my fellow countrymen it is not a matter of “reparations.” They always preserve their temper, equanimity, and tolerance. I am glad that Langevin was there to see you. I can’t tell you what he means to me and how much I like him. Right now I’m trying to understand your work on the mathematically preferen- tial position of the quadratic form.[3] I’m not getting any further on the physics. I don’t believe in your link between the electric field and the path’s curvature.