D O C . 4 5 5 T R A V E L D I A R Y 7 0 1 Minister of Justice and Education Antonio Sagarno (1874–1949), Foreign Minister Ángel Gallardo, and senior university officials (see La Prensa, 28 March 1925 La Nación, 28 March 1925 and Gan- gui and Ortiz 2008, p. 440). [36]Einstein’s first scientific lecture took place on 28 March at the University of Buenos Aires’ Fac- ulty of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences, and dealt with the physical experiments performed to test the existence of the ether and the theories of Hendrik A. Lorentz and George FitzGerald to over- come the difficulties encountered in those experiments, Michelson’s work, and Einstein’s own theory on the constancy of the speed of light. Originally, Einstein had planned to deliver twelve lectures at the University of Buenos Aires. However, their number was reduced to eight due to demand for lec- tures by other universities (see La Nacíon, 29 March 1925 Ortiz 1995, pp. 101 and 115 and Gangui and Ortiz 2008, p. 441). For the first lecture in the series, see Appendix F. [37]Alfredo Hirsch (1872–1956) was one of the proprietors of the grain-exporting company Bunge y Born, a philanthropist and patron of the arts. Lisa Hirsch-Gottschalk. Alice Steinhardt-Koch. [38]For the second lecture, see Appendix F. [39]Probably Einstein’s cousin Robert Koch (1879–1952?). Einstein was forty-six years old. [40]Einstein visited the editorial offices of La Prensa accompanied by Bruno Wassermann and Robert Koch. For press coverage of Einstein’s visit, see La Prensa, 31 March 1925. [41]Einstein visited an orphanage for girls, the Asilo Argentino de las Órfãs Israelitas (Tolmasquim 2012, p. 124). [42]Einstein and Berta Wassermann-Bornberg (1878–1932) participated in the second flight of a Junkers hydroplane visiting Buenos Aires that performed maneuvers at a high altitude over the city. The German pilot’s name was Grundtker. The passengers of the first flight were German admiral Paul Behncke and his adjutant (see La Prensa, 2 April). [43]The president of Argentina was Marcelo T. de Alvear (1868–1942). For the third lecture in the series, see Appendix F. Leopoldo Lugones (1874–1938) was a prominent Argentinian writer, amateur scientist, and member of the ICIC. [44]La Plata is located fifty-eight kilometers southeast of Buenos Aires. Einstein was accompanied on his train trip to La Plata by the rector of the University of Buenos Aires, José Arce, the dean of the faculty of humanities and education sciences, Enrique Mouchet, and the physicist Ramón G. Loyarte. A luncheon was hosted by the president of the University of La Plata, Benito Nazar Anchorena, at the city’s Jockey Club. The fall semester of the National University of La Plata was inaugurated by its president. A scientific session in Einstein’s honor was presided over by Richard Gans, director of the university’s physics institute. Einstein also met with members of a delegation of the Ateneo Juventud Israelita (see La Prensa, 3 April 1925, and Ortiz 1995, p. 101). [45]The luncheon, hosted by Rector José Arce on behalf of the University of Buenos Aires, took place at the Elisabeth Hall of the Jockey Club and was attended by Minister Sagarno, Ambassador Gneist, and Carl Egger, the Swiss ambassador (see La Prensa, 4 April 1925). For the fourth in Ein- stein’s lecture series, see Appendix F. [46]Louis Louis-Dreyfus (1867–1940) was a French industrialist and employer of Robert Koch (see Doc. 471). Einstein delivered a brief lecture at the University of Buenos Aires’ Faculty of Philosophy and Let- ters on the relation between geometry and relativity (for his lecture, see Appendix G see also La Na- ción, 5 April 1925, and Ortiz 1995, p. 105). [47]The Wassermanns’ country estancia was located in the town of Llavallol, outside of Buenos Aires. [48]The physiologist was Bernardo A. Houssay (1887–1971), a specialist in endocrinology and director of the Institute of Physiology at the University of Buenos Aires. Eugenio Pablo Fortin (1876– 1947) was a French-born ophthalmologist and research scientist. For the fifth in Einstein’s lecture series, see Appendix F. The celebration of the official opening of the Hebrew University (which had taken place on 1 April on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem) was held at the city’s largest theater, the Teatro Coliseo. The event was organized by the Zionist Federation of Argentina and presided over by its president, Isaac Nis- sensohn. The audience numbered some 4,000 people. Messages were read from the vice president of