4 0 8 D O C U M E N T S 4 1 3 , 4 1 5 J A N U A R Y 1 9 2 5
413. On Political Amnesty
[Einstein 1925d]
[Berlin, 6 January 1925]
Every fair-minded German must desire political amnesty, not to speak of its po-
tential contribution to political pacification and
recovery.[1]
That is so because ev-
eryone senses with shame that justice at the political level has not ¢been aware of²
mustered the requisite objectivity and impartiality. To bring about political amnesty
today means fulfilling an elementary duty of justice.
414. Calculations
[Berlin, ca. 6 January
1925][1]
[Not selected for translation.]
415. To Paul Ehrenfest
[Berlin], Thursday [8
January1925][1]
Dear Ehrenfest,
Tanya continued on her trip yesterday
evening.[2]
From
grandmother[3]
on down,
everyone is in love with her, I naturally as well. So very good, honest, clever, and
yet such simple grace! Man alive! How did you carry such a thing off? I like my
boys,[4]
too, but they can’t stand up to comparison with that. It does her such good
to be peering out into the world on her own. She just radiates and awakens an echo
of it in others. As long as there’s such a thing, one shouldn’t mope—but especially
not, if you’re her father. For heaven’s sake, what an insecure fellow you are. It goes
without saying that you may, with full justification, envy any cab horse its peace of
mind. No person besides yourself is discontent with you. It’s a loose screw. If the
only thing you had to show for yourself was your unique critical and teaching tal-
ent, you could very well blow your little goodbye kiss to the faculty. Enough of that
for now. Send your low spirits packing, wipe your + spectacles clean, and be re-
born.
So I’m coming to the university
celebration.[5]
I really do have a
medal,[6]
but
never wear it. I can’t impress donors, etc., with my person anyway, because too