2 9 2 D O C U M E N T 3 0 4 N O V E M B E R 1 9 2 8 abandons its enterprise, or the rest of the editors distance themselves from it and undertake alone to continue Klein’s tradition in the leadership of the mathematical journal.[8] L.E.J. Brouwer x) (From the editorial obituary for Felix Klein written by Carathéodory) “He (Klein) saw to it that the various trends in mathematics were represented on the ed- itorial staff, and that the members of the board worked on equal terms alongside him.— As always in other aspects of his life, his eye was never fixed on himself, but only the goal to be achieved.”[9] (From a letter written to me by Blumenthal on September 18, 1927) “I believe that you overestimate the importance of the distinction between editors in capital letters and editors in lower case letters. It seems to me that we all have equal rights. In particular we can all now and then speak on behalf of the editors of the Annalen if we have secured the agreement of the other editors who have an interest in the question concerned. - - - - - Nonetheless, I consider the distinction between the two kinds of editors to be more typographical, never actual (except for myself as the manager), I understand very well your wish for a better typographical arrangement. You know that, personally, I warmly support it. But for the time being we can’t change anything regarding the editing so long as Hilbert’s health is as shaky as it is now. So I beg you to put aside your wish. In good time I will gladly take it up again.”[10] 304. On Emanuel Lasker[1] [Berlin?, after 6 November 1928][2] Emanuel Lasker is one of the strongest minds I have encountered in the course of my life. A Renaissance man, gifted with a boundless desire for freedom, averse to any social obligation. Thus he became a chess master probably not so much be- cause of any particular devoted love for the game. What he loves, rather, is philos- ophy, understanding in general. As a true maverick with a mind of his own, he loves deduction, and inductive research is foreign to him. That is not surprising he does not see the object as the judge of his mind’s offspring instead, for him the beauty of the idea is more important than the truth, which derives its claim from the observation of the object. The amor dei intellectualis[3] is his sole god, embodied in mathematics and speculative philosophy. I love his writings independently of their truth content, as the product of a great original and free mind.[4] A. Einstein.
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