1 3 2 D O C U M E N T S 1 3 4 , 1 3 5 O C T O B E R 1 9 2 3
name and write letters, converse here with people, but otherwise my self-preserva-
tion as a ponderer demands that I stand back and work in tranquility. I am ready to
enter the J.
A.[2]
with this constraint. That is why I cannot travel to Holland now for
a meeting, either.
It has not escaped me that people make a lot of trouble for you in your already
difficult profession. It must not be easy for you to be the chosen one of the chosen
people! Palestine really was the great experience for me that you had
prophesied.[3]
I took back with me the firm conviction that something will come out of this enter-
prise, even if it does cost much sweat and sacrifice and bring much disappointment.
These problems yield the benefit that a good selection of our people is being as-
sembled there.
Cordial greetings to you as well as your family from your
A. Einstein.
134. Aphorism on Germany
[29 October] 1923
Germany had the misfortune of being poisoned first by wealth, then by want.
Albert Einstein 1923.
135. To Betty Neumann
[Berlin,] 30 October 1923
Dear Betty,
Uncle
Hans[1]
gave me your dear little letter with the comment about the graph-
ological expertise; I received the one sent to Leyden punctually, too, and was very
pleased with both. But especially about your arrival back. That is not due to the
work of the
Ozurb,[2]
though, but to other obliging social forces. But now the situ-
ation is such that I mustn’t immediately run after my Betty, as I otherwise would
have done; instead I must rein in somewhat my wish to see her. But don’t philoso-
phize about this, rather think that Einstein already knows what should happen and
that he certainly does notice. I’m already looking forward to you appearing before
my eyes again for real, in the flesh, and showing me the jokes by your graphologist.
But if he said anything nasty about you and your dear Uncle Hans, then he under-