DOCS.
506,
507
JANUARY
1914 377
persons
involved
behaved
so
decently.
In
particular,
I cannot
praise
Planck
enough.[3]
I have
considered the
theory
from
every angle,
and
cannot
but
say
that
I have
every
confidence in
the
thing.
True
enough,
on
the
face
of
it,
Nordström's scalar
theory
of
gravitation[4]
with its
rectilinear
propagation
of
light rays
is
much
more
natural. But
it too
is
built
on
the
aprioristic
Euclidean four-dimensional
space,[5]
the
belief
in
which,
I
feel,
is
akin to
superstition.
Very
recently
Mie
penned
quite
a
heated
polemic against
my
theory,[6]
which for the
first time
makes
me see
the
inadequacies
of the
previous
standpoint
really
clearly.[7]
I
am
glad
that
our
colleagues
have
actually
taken
an
interest
in the
theory,
even
if
only,
for the time
being,
with
the intention of
killing
it.[8]
I
am coming
to
Berlin
at
the
beginning
of
April,
and
am
very
eager
to follow
the
thing
from close
up.
Then,
once
things
have
become calmer
again, we
will also set
up
the
planned string quartet.
We
already
have
an
apartment,
very
close to
Haber's
institute,[9]
and thus
also not
so
far
from
you.
With
cordial
greetings, your
Einstein
507.
To
Heinrich
Zangger
[Zurich, ca.
20
January
1914][1]
Dear
friend,
Your letter made
me
inordinately
happy.
It
emanates
serenity
and
contentment.[2]
I
write
only
now
because
I
was
horribly
busy
all
the
time.
I wrote
an
article
on
gravitation
for
Scientia
in
response
to
an
article
by
Abraham,[3]
and, in
the
last few
days,
an answer
to
an
essay by
Mie,[4]
which
was
supposed
to
deal
a
deathblow
to
my
theory
of
gravitation.
I
am
glad
the
thing
has at
least been taken
up
with
the
requisite
vigor.
I
enjoy
controversies. In
the
manner
of
Figaro:
"Would
my
noble Lord
venture
a
little
dance? He should
tell me! I will strike
up
the
tune for him."
[5]
The
monies for the
solar-eclipse
undertaking
have
already
been
put together
in
Berlin.[6]
Planck behaved
very decently
in this matter
even
though
he
does
not believe
in the
theory,
and
the
whole
thing
must
surely go against
his
grain
because of the
Mach
polemic.[7]
Hats
off!
We have
a
perpetual
gray fog
here,
but
I believe
that
even so
Roth has
seen enough
to
make
things
hot for the
Office
of
Public
Works.[8]
The
only thing
I
heard about
this
matter
was
from
Heller,[9]
who
regularly
attends
my
class.
He
is
favorably
impressed
by
Roth's
thoroughness.
In
1914
Heller
will
take
his
Maturitätsexamen.[10]
He
seems
to
be
working
hard.
No
successor
to
my
position
will be
chosen
for
the
time
being;[11]
I
think that
they
want to
proceed
without
me
because
I
supported
the much
feared
Abraham.[12]
In
fact
I
am
glad
that
I do
not
have to
concern myself
with this ticklish
question.