206
DOCS.
207,
208
MARCH-APRIL
1916
an
invincible
phlegm.[3]
I
also refrained from
writing
to
Herglotz.[4]
However,
I
shall still
try
to
change
Struve’s
mind,
bit
by
bit, through
gentle persuasion.[5]
Unfortunately
the latter
comes only rarely
to
the
Academy meetings,
the
only
opportunities
to
get
hold of him if
you
do
not
dare
to
venture
into his
pompous
den.
Who knows whether his hardened
heart
cannot
be softened into
submission?
The
error
you
found in
my paper
of
1914
has
now
become
completely
clear to
me.[6]
If
I
perform
an
infinitesimal
transformation
which converts
the
guv
terms into guv
+
Aguv
and
the
guv
terms into
guvo
+
Aguvo,
then the relation
A
c
-
¿A^
is
not valid.
That
is
why
there
is
no
variation,
in
the
sense
of
variational
calculus,
corresponding
to
the
change A.[7]
I
came
upon
this because
I
caught myself
making
the
same error
in another
problem.
Cordial
greetings, yours very truly,
A.
Einstein.
*Literally
translated,
the
surname
Freundlich
means “friendly.”
208. To Mileva Einstein-Maric
[Berlin,] 1
April
1916
D[ear] M[ileva],
I
have
prodded
myself
into action
now
and,
with
your
consent
in
principle,
have
discussed
the
matter of
the
divorce[1]
with
a
lawyer.
The court
proceedings
are
to be held in Berlin and should
neither
cause
you
inconvenience
nor
incur
you
any
costs.
Your
rights
will
be
protected in
the broadest
sense. Now,
be
so
kind
and write
to
the
lawyer assigned
to
you,
Dr.
Albert
Pinner,[2]
46
Tauben
St., Berlin,
that
you
are
inclined in
principle
to instituting
divorce
proceedings
against
me
and
hiring
him
as
your lawyer.
In
addition,
outline to him
what
terms
you are
setting-upon
agreement
with
me.
That
you
will
not allow
the
boys
over
here
even
later
on
is
an
unjustified chicanery, despite my promise
not
to
bring
them
into contact
with
anyone
in the
family.[3]
Nevertheless,
I’m not
going
to
insist
on
this
demand,
so
that
you see
that
I will
oblige you
in
every way possible.