2 8 4 D O C U M E N T S 2 8 4 , 2 8 5 J U L Y 1 9 2 4
284. To Paul Langevin
[Berlin,] 11 July 1924
Dear Langevin,
How happy I was about your letter! I shall depart from here on the 20th and trav-
el directly to Geneva and can hardly wait to see
you.[1]
I immediately spoke with
Scheel[2]
after having previously written him. I encountered an honest willingness
to oblige, but at the same time a difficulty, of which he is wholly blameless.
Scheel’s mother-in-law, who is residing with him, has been deathly ill for months
now and is surely going to die soon. His
wife,[3]
who is completely unaided, is so
exhausted by the months-long nursing that her nerves have suffered serious dam-
age. He cannot leave her now. Scheel’s good will is beyond all doubt, however, and
the Foreign Office, where he also made inquiries, encouraged him to collaborate in
the
matter.[4]
The political atmosphere has improved, thank God, even though a
long-fostered bad mentality still continues to express itself in a large segment of the
population. If it is in any way possible, Scheel will come; if not, then later.
Cordial greetings to you, yours,
A. Einstein.
285. To Paul Ehrenfest
[Berlin,] 12 July 1924
Dear Ehrenfest,
One letter of mine got
lost.[1]
I asked the very likable and fine Dr. Loeb to secure
a raise in the stipend to 600 dollars because poor Grommer, with his unfortunate
stature, cannot make do with
less.[2]
We haven’t found much yet. The more one
chases after quanta, the better they conceal themselves. I don’t want to go to Pasa-
dena in the foreseeable
future.[3]
The best that a person can have from public life is
sei Rua! Unfortunately, I’m going to have to go to South America next June; they’re
practically pulling me by the scruff of my
neck.[4]
You’re right about your trip with
De
Ridder.[5]
I have to go to Geneva (a person can’t escape his destiny) and then
with my boys to Anschütz’s
estate.[6]
In October (beginning) I’ll be coming to visit
all of you again and am looking forward to it very much.
Bohr, Kramers, and someone else abolished “loose”
quanta.[7]
They won’t be
dispensable, though. The Indian, Bose, presented a nice derivation of Planck’s law,