224
DOCS. 308-310
NOVEMBER
1911
Accept
once again my
sincerest thanks for
having
thrown
yourself
into such
delicate
operations
in
my
behalf.
Cordial
greetings
from
your
Einstein
Friendly greetings
from
my family
to
yours.
309. To Heinrich
Zangger
[Prague,
20 November
1911]
Said
yes
to
Grossmann[1]
going
to
Paris
all
the
same,[2] cordially
Einstein
310.
From
Willem Julius
[Utrecht]
20
November
1911
Highly
esteemed
Colleague:
I hardly
need
to tell
you
that
we
all
very
much
regret
your
decision,
the
more so
because
you
had reached
it
even
before the
offer from
Zurich
came.[1]
For
your scruples
regarding
Lorentz's attitude
toward the
problem
were
due
to
a
misunderstanding[2]-as
must have become clear
to
you by
now
from
a
letter
from
Lorentz. And the other three
reasons
you
gave were
of
temporary
nature.
Of
course,
"time"
is
a
relative
concept:
the
observer
at
rest
and
the
one
passing by
at
high
speed judge periods
of time
differently.
Be
that
as
it
may,
the
appointment to
Zurich settled
the matter,
and
I
unselfishly
share
in
your
happiness
about
this outcome.
For
me personally,
this whole matter
was a
blessing
in
that
it led to
a
friendly
relationship
with
you;
I
can
only
hope
that
this
relationship
will continue.
I will write
a
confidential letter
toDebye soon;[3]
an
official
letter of
inquiry
will not
come
about
very
soon,
because
the
Catholics
are
exerting
strong pressure
on
behalf of
Keesom.[4]
Of
course,
the
fact
that Keesom
is
a
devoted Catholic
must not
prevent
us
from
proposing
him
as
the
top
candidate
if he
were
to be
so
considered
from
a
scientific
point
of
view,
but
it must
not
be
taken
into
account
as a
reason
for
recommending
him
either.
I would
therefore
be
very
grateful
to
you
if
you
were
to
give me your
written
opinion
on
Debye's
accomplishments
and
abilities, comparing
them
as
impartially
as possible
with
what
you
know
about
Keesom.
The well-founded
opinions
of
recognized
representatives
of mathematical
physics
and mechanics will be
very
valuable
documents for
our
faculty.
Knowledge,
teaching
ability, originality, productivity-all
of these
must
be taken
into
account.