2 2 0 D O C U M E N T S 2 7 9 , 2 8 1 J U L Y 1 9 2 2 279. To Max Planck Berlin, 12 July 1922 Dear Colleague, Your letter, which I found upon my return, pleased me exceedingly, especially since I could justifiably have expected reproaches.[1] To my great joy Laue has already accepted, so no problems are arising from my belated retraction.[2] The English expedition of 1919 is ultimately to blame for this whole misery, by which the great crowd seized possession of me.[3] Ever since, I have become a kind of flag that various sorts of interests parade about. So it is no wonder if one is sometimes overcome by an illusory yearning for a “quiet nook”! I addressed a petition to the Academy to temporarily cease paying out my salary from October 1st on, because I am leaving on an extended trip.[4] I also asked Laue, conditional on the approval by the directorate of the K. -W. -Institute of Physics, to assume the director’s post provisionally. I am not going to attend any more meetings because I am officially out of town and then really am going to travel at the end of this week to see my boys in Zurich, in order to spend the period of their summer vacation together with them. Heartily wishing you a nice vacation, regards from your P. S. I have now retroactively declined the representation on the League of Nations committee for the organization of intellectual endeavors after all for the reason[5] that under the prevailing conditions I am not the suitable person for this func[tion].[6] 280. To the Prussian Academy of Sciences Berlin, den 12 July 1922 [Not selected for translation.] 281. To Pierre Comert[1] [Berlin, between 12 and 19 July 1922][2] Mr. Struck sent me a copy of the letter to you concerning my retraction.[3] In spirit, his letter agrees with our discussion.[4] But he did unconsciously exaggerate