D O C U M E N T 3 9 M A Y 1 9 1 9 6 3
In der Hoffnung, hochvereherter Herr Professor, daß es Ihnen gelingen möge,
mir eine feste und ersprießliche Stellung zu verschaffen, bin ich mit dem Ausdruck
des herzlichsten Dankes mit vorzüglicher Hochachtung Ihr sehr ergebener
H. Seemann.
bitte wenden!
Der Spektrograph besteht aus vielen einzeln für sich verwendbaren Teilen, z. B.
Stativ, Triebwerk, Kristalle. Es läßt sich immer so einrichten, daß er nur M. 3000
kostet, ohne unvollständig zu sein.
TLS. [44 879].
[1]On 28 April Einstein informed Seemann that the board of directors of the Kaiser Wilhelm Insti-
tute of Physics (KWIP) had proposed to the board of trustees to award him 3,000 marks for procuring
instruments, but had for lack of funds rejected his request for a stipend. On 6 May, Seemann was
informed that in order to spend in excess of 3,000 marks, he would be required to file a new request
(see entries for these dates in Calendar).
The Bavarian government, led by Prime Minister Johannes Hoffmann, tried to reestablish its pow-
er in Munich, the headquarters of the Bavarian Soviet Republic, which had come to power on 13 April
(see Doc. 18). Initially, Hoffmann relied on existing Bavarian military forces, but on 14 April, its
troops, under the influence of their soldiers’ councils, chose rather to negotiate with the Bavarian Red
Army than to fight it. Hoffmann now resorted to the formation of paramilitary groups, and consented
to use the Bayrische Schützenkorps, a radical rightist free corps earlier illegal in Bavaria, led by Franz
Ritter von Epp. Ultimately the government was compelled to call in Reich (mostly Prussian) forces.
After having defeated the Bavarian Soviet, the free corps either dissolved, or were absorbed by the
new army. This last happened with the Bayrische Schützenkorps: it became the nucleus of the Reichs-
wehr Schützenbrigade 21. For a comprehensive account, see Large 1980.
[2]Karl Harms (1876–1946) was Extraordinary Professor of Physics at the University of Würzburg.
The Bürgerwehr was initiated by the first Bavarian revolutionary government at the end of 1918, to
help regular police and military authorities; another initiative was launched in February 1919 that
called for a Volkswehr. Both initiatives were wrecked by the subsequent political battles. The cam-
paign by the central German government to create Zeitfreiwillige (temporary volunteers) all over Ger-
many reached Bavaria after the defeat of the Soviet Republic. Apparently, Seemann calls the local
civil guard Bürgerwehr even though it might have been a unit of the national Zeitfreiwilligen.
[3]Eduard Rüchardt (1888–1962).
[4]According to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, presented on 7 May, Germany was required
to cede most of the provinces of Upper Silesia, Posen, and West Prussia to Poland. Danzig was to
receive extensive free rights under the protection of the League of Nations.
[5]Seemann notified Einstein of his rejection of an offer from the Physikalisch-Technische Reichs-
anstalt on 2 May (see Calendar entry for that date).
[6]On the method, see Doc. 13, note 8.
39. To Pauline Einstein et al.
[Berlin, 14 May
1919][1]
Meine Lieben!
Wir haben gegenwärtig eine offizielle Trauerwoche zu Ehren des projektierten
Friedens.[2]
Aber draussen blüht der Mai prächtig ohne Rücksicht auf Politik und