D O C U M E N T 2 7 5 J U L Y 1 9 2 2 2 1 7 pleasantly sitting together, we sometimes also spoke about political affairs. The fine thing about it was that I did not perceive any hatred or flush of victory, instead far more sorrow and trepidation. As regards assessing the causal dependence of the World War and the current political situation, in France (just as in Germany) a uni- form view exists, characteristic, so to speak, of the country, that is taken with cer- tainty and honesty as the only one possible. The discrepancy between the dominant views in the different countries relates less to a statement of the specific facts than to their evaluation. I expect little moral recovery in the two countries from this immersion into that sad past and the discussions about it. Collaboration between the two countries to restore the areas of destruction appears to me to be much more important. Fruitful collaboration presumes trust and trust only flourishes from a fostering of personal relations. From this point of view my being invited by the faculty of the Collège de France signifies one first courageous step that will hopefully be fol- lowed by others on both sides. I greatly regretted not having made your personal acquaintance. Your picture hangs near my desk beside that of my dear mother.[3] With cordial regards, yours. 275. To Marie Curie-Sk odowska Berlin, 11 July 1922 Dear Mme. Curie, I can understand why you do not agree with my decision, indeed that you find it incomprehensible.[1] But you do not know the situation here sufficiently. There is indescribable anti-Semitism among intellectuals here that is particularly intensified in that, first, Jews generally play a disproportionately large role in public life com- pared to their numbers, and second, many of them (such as, e.g., I) are pursuing international goals. That is why, from a purely objective point of view, a Jew is unsuited to serve as a connecting link between the German and international intel- ligentsia. A man who has close and untarnished relations with the German intelli- gentsia should be chosen, who is regarded as a “real German.” (I am thinking of men like Harnack or Planck,[2] naturally, without wanting to presume to make any suggestions in this regard.) I draw from the above-described opinion sine ira et studio[3] the full conse- quences in that I decided to resign my position at the Academy as noiselessly as