V O L U M E 1 4 , D O C U M E N T 2 9 6 a 2 3 Personal description from the old passport No. 29918[6] Professor Dr. Albert Einstein born 14 March 1879. Residence Berlin / Schöneberg. Haberlandstr. 5. Height 175 centimeters, Hair graying black. Eyebrows black. Forehead high. Eyes brown. Nose normal. Mouth average. Chin round. Face oval. 3 enclosures. 2 photographs. 1 letter. Vol. 14, 296a. To the Swiss Foreign Ministry Geneva, 28 July 1924 Referring to your response dated 25 July,[1] I take the opportunity to present some amended information. 1) It is correct that before obtaining my Swiss citizenship I held German citizen- ship. However, I (i.e. my father[2] in my place) gave up German citizenship before I acquired Swiss citizenship (5 years earlier).[3] It cannot thus be said in any case that I “was and still am in possession of ¢Swiss² German citizenship.” 2) When the Prussian Academy of Sciences appointed me, I stipulated in the oral hearing the condition that I would not obtain Prussian citizenship.[4] Nothing was put in writing, and my appointment to the Academy also determines nothing in this regard. During the war and always thereafter, I was treated as a foreigner by the German authorities, and my proof of identity was always the Swiss passport. 3) When, during an absence from Europe, I received the Nobel Prize,[5] the issue of my citizenship was raised, because it seemed questionable which country should accept the delivery.[6] (The Swedish envoy undertook this mission,[7] so far as I know). Then, the issue was raised in the Academy and, as a result, I was summoned to the Prussian Ministry of Education.[8] There we agreed in the sense that we wanted to let the question rest in order to avoid any public discussions that would necessarily be awkward. That is how the situation stands, and I consider it important to add that I place great importance on my Swiss citizenship, and that I prefer that my political cre- dentials be Swiss. Since, in light of the above, the regulations communicated to me cannot readily be applied to me, I respectfully ask you to reconsider the case in