DOCS.
241,
242
JULY
1916 237
241. To Hans Albert Einstein
[Berlin,]
Tuesday.
[25
July
1916][1]
My
dear
Albert,
From
Zangger
and Besso
I
hear
that
Mama
is
quite
ill[2]
and
that
now
you’re
home alone
with the
maid.
I
myself
had decided
that
Mama should
go
to
a
sanatorium[3]
so
that
she
is
taken
very good
care
of and does not have to
get
upset
about
anything.
I
am
constantly thinking
of
you
both
and
about
how
you
may
be
doing.
But
I
cannot
get
away
right
now,
because
I
have
a
lot
of
work to
do.[4]
See
my
dear friend Besso often when he
is
back
again.
He will
gladly
do
things
with
you,
and he
is
so
clever and
so
good.
Do
write
me
again!
It
is
sad
when
one
has such
a
big son
and hears
nothing
from him.
I’ll
always
be
happy
to
answer
immediately. Everything you occupy yourself
with interests
me.
What
are
they
teaching you
at school? How is
Tete?
Is
he
always
healthy?
Now
you
must
look
after
him
well,
especially
that
he
always
eats well. Do
you
also read
books
yet?
Are
you
still
taking
woodworking?
Do
you
like
doing
Latin?
When
you
write
me,
take this
little letter
in
hand
and
answer
all of
my
ques-
tions. And Tete
should also scribble
something
underneath.
Kisses to
you
both
from
your
Papa.
Perhaps
Aunt
Zora
will
be
coming
to visit
you.[5]
My
address
is
always
13
Wittelsbacher St.
242. To
Heinrich
Zangger
[Berlin,]
25
July 1916
Dear friend
Zangger,
Besso’s
last
letter[1]
removes
all
doubt about the
seriousness of
the situation.
Although
it doesn’t
seem
to be clear what
my
wife is
suffering from,
a
very
grave
illness
is
involved from which she
is
unlikely
to
be able
to
recover
rapidly.
Now
the
difficult
problem
arises
of
how I
can
provide
moral
support
for
the
children in
case
of
a
long period
of illness. I
am ready
to
come
to
Zurich
without
hesitation,
to
keep
the
boys company
throughout
the
day
when
they
return from
holiday[2]
so
that
they
do not
get
the
feeling
of
being
alone.
I
am
very afraid,
though,
that
my
wife will
express
the
wish
that
I
visit her. Under
the
current
grievious
circumstances
I
would have
to
satisfy
this
wish.
On this occasion I could be forced
to
make
promises regarding
the
children
that
result
in the
boys being
taken
away