424
DOCS.
416-418 DECEMBER
1917
acquainted
with
my conception
of certain
problems you
have touched
upon.[6]
I
agree
with
your
views
on
matter.[7] Cordial
regards, yours,
A. Einstein.
On
page
555,
the
field
equations
are
quoted incorrectly.
There
is
a
term
missing.[8]
417. To Hans Albert Einstein
[Berlin,
24
December
1917]
My
dear
Albert,
Your
postcard
about the
merry
ski
trip
thrilled
me.
Today
is
Christmas
(Eve).
I
am staying
in bed for 4-6
weeks
because of
my
stomach
ulcer;[1]
but
I feel
all
right. My
books have
arrived,
I
hope;
I
sent them
to
you
all in time
for
the
Christmas
celebration.[2]
I
hope
that
Tete
joins you again
at
New
Years.[3]
If
not,
then
send
the
1001
Nights
stories
up
to him. Write
me
whether Tete
is
returning
home.
Greetings
to
you,
Mama, Tete,
and
Aunt,
yours,
Papa.
418.
From Walther
Nernst
Berlin, 25
December 1917
Dear
Einstein,
I
am
just
in
receipt
of
the draft
contract
from
Haber[1]
and
receive
your
kind
postcard at
the
same
time.
I
am
naturally
in
agreement
with
everything,
only,
I
would advocate
striking
§2.
Despite
not
really being
able
to
forbid Mr.
Freundlich from
publishing,
we
do
simultaneously
assume a
certain
responsibility
by examining
his results and
approving publication,
which
is
scarcely our
intent.[2]
I would like to
see
the
last
sentence
in
§7:
“In
the
case
....”
struck,
because
surely we
cannot
possibly
be
permitted to
bind
ourselves,
even
to
the
slightest
degree,
in
any way
for
longer
than three
years.[3]
With best
regards, yours,
W.
Nernst.
[3]Einstein’s
emendation: “retracted
by
Nernst
by
telephone.”
Struck
passage
in
draft
contract:
“In
the
case
that the
provisions
of
this
contract
prove
appropriate,
the
Board
of
Directors of
the
K. W.
Institute
will consider
extending
it
by
an
additional
two
years.”