128
DOCS.
118,
119
SEPTEMBER
1915
general
confidence in
victory
and
an
equally prevalent
annexation
greed.
It
is
peculiar
how,
for
his
heavy sacrifices,
the
man
on
the
street
can
feel
recompensed
by
stolen
territory,
from which he
certainly
benefits
little
personally.-I
hope
it
does
not
come
to
that!
A
decisive
victory
for
Germany
would be
a
misfortune
to
the
whole
of
Europe,
but
especially
to
this
country
itself.[7]
One of
the
most
disheartening
phenomena
of
this terrible time
is
that
in
many
cases
intellectuals have
completely
lost
their
composure.
I
regret
to
have to
say
that the unfortunate
and ridiculous
war
of
words
has
already
started
among
Berlin
writers.
You
have
certainly
wondered
that
so
many men,
who in times of
peace
had
justifiably
been
regarded as
sensible,
had
signed
the
notorious “Manifesto
to
the
Civilized
World.”[8]
Condemnation
of
this
step
is
now
quite
universal in
Berlin
as
well.
Incidentally,
the best
names
had in fact lent
their
signatures
by
telephone,
without
having
read
the
appeal![9]
Recently
there
was a
great
furor
at
the
Academy,
because
someone
had
responded
to
Violle’s
Academy speech
by
submitting
a
petition to
sever
ties with
the
French Academies. A curious
thing
happened
then: almost all
the
historians, philologists, etc.,
supported
the
petition,
while almost all
the
scientists and
mathematicians
worked
avidly
to
maintain the international
ties.
Thank
God,
the latter
won,
if
only by
a
small
majority;
Planck
(a physicist)
and Fischer
(a chemist)
deserve
particular
merit
for
their
great
resolve and
firmness.[10]
I
wish
you good
success
in
your philanthropic
endeavors and send
you my
cordial
greetings, your
truly
devoted
servant,
A.
Einstein.
Document
description:
“Confidential.”
119.
To Heinrich Mousson
Zurich,
17 September 1915
Highly
esteemed
Education
Director,
The
question
you
raised[1]
has been
going
through
my
mind
very
much still.
I have
the
impression
that
I
was
not clear
enough
in
one respect.[2]
Under
the
prevailing
circumstances
the
view
suggests
itself
that
ceteris
paribus, selecting
a
Swiss
would be
preferable,
and
I must
confess
that
I
became
fully aware
of
the
importance of
this
motive
only on speaking
with
men
of
high regard.
In consideration of
this,
I
take
the
liberty of repeating
to
you
that
in
my
opinion,
Mr.
Piccard
should be
regarded
as
thoroughly on a par
with
Mr.
Meyer,