1 4 8 D O C U M E N T 9 9 S E P T E M B E R 1 9 1 9
ALS. [29 363]. The envelope is addressed “Frau Pauline Einstein Sanatorium Rosenau Luzern
(Schweiz),” with return address “Abs. A. Einstein Haberlandstr. 5 Berlin,” and postmarked “Berlin W
15 5.9.19. 8–9N[achmittags].”
[1]Pauline lay ill with terminal cancer.
[2]At the Einsteins’ apartment in Berlin (see Doc. 17, note 4).
[3]Due to a coal shortage (see Doc. 87, note 5).
[4]The cost of a loaf of bread was 26 pfennig, only slightly higher than in 1918. In June 1919, the
price of a pound of frozen meat, however, was 11 marks, almost six times higher than the year before
(see “Die Lebensmittel für die Pfingstwoche,” Berliner Tageblatt, 8 June 1919, Morning Edition; for
examples of reports on the difficult conditions, see “Haushaltungssorgen in Deutschland” in Neue
Zürcher Zeitung, 7 October 1919, 2d Morning Edition and “Westdeutsche Reise. Valutanöte” in Neue
Zürcher Zeitung, 23 October 1919, 2d Morning Edition). The high prices of foreign grocery products
led to the proposal by German minister for nutrition, Robert Schmidt (1864–1943), to introduce
“social staggering” (“soziale Staffelung”) of the prices of imported foodstuffs (see “Die Staffelung
der Lebensmittelpreise,” Berliner Tageblatt, 8 June 1919, Morning Edition).
[5]Moritz Katzenstein (1872–1932) was Professor of Surgery at the University of Berlin. In his
obituary of Katzenstein published in Seelig 1956 (pp. 46–48), Einstein recalled that he and Katzen-
stein had sailed for ten years during the summer months, usually on Katzenstein’s “graceful sailboat”
(“graziösem Segelschiff”).
[6]Alexander Moszkowski’s version of the conversations he conducted with Einstein during this
period were edited between the summer of 1919 and the fall of 1920 (Moszkowski 1921, p. 240).
[7]Auguste Hochberger, Pauline’s friend, whom Einstein encouraged to visit his mother (see
Doc. 79); for previous mention of Einstein’s difficulties to provide Hochberger with Swiss currency,
see Doc. 94.
The exchange rate had changed from 3.6 marks to 1 Swiss franc on 20 August 1919 (see Doc. 94,
note 6) to 3.8 marks to 1 Swiss franc on 5 September 1919 (see Vossische Zeitung, 5 September 1919,
Evening Edition).
[8]Paul Winteler, like Einstein, was a shareholder in the Swiss branch of the Auergesellschaft (see
the draft contract with Paul Winteler, entry of 20 January 1919 in Calendar). Wilhelm Meinhardt
(1872–1955), a lawyer, a member of the board of directors since 1914, and chairman of the board of
the newly created Osram GmbH since 1919, wrote to Einstein in mid-September that occasional pay-
ments were being disbursed, but that dividends could only be paid to him and Winteler once the com-
pany’s balance report is approved at the shareholders’ meeting the following month (see entry of
12 September 1919 in Calendar). On the merger of the lightbulb departments of the Auergesellschaft
and Siemens-Werke into Osram, see Meinhardt 1932.
[9]S. Ogden Steinhardt and his wife, Alice Koch, Einstein’s cousin, who had visited him in Zurich
in early August (see Doc. 86).
[10]Pauline Einstein’s brother, Caesar Koch (1854–1941), who lived in Brussels.
[11]Ilse and Margot Einstein returned from a three-week stay at the seashore (see Doc. 88).
[12]See, e.g., Einstein to Eduard Hartmann (entry of 3 September 1919 in Calendar).
[13]Hans Meyer was Einstein’s nephew. Einstein wrote to the principal of Hans’s school, asking
that his stuttering be taken into consideration when he sat for his Matura examination (see Einstein
to Oskar Lüdeke, entry of September 1919 in Calendar).
[14]Presumably a reference to the members of the so-called Weimar coalition, the center-left coa-
lition government consisting of representatives of the Social Democratic Party, the Catholic Center
Party, and the liberal German Democratic Party.
[15]In winter semester 1918/19, Einstein offered a course on relativity at the University of Berlin
between 30 September 1918 and 1 February 1919 (see Berlin Verzeichnis 1918w, p. 44). He also
offered a course on relativity during the intermediate semester for war veterans at the University of
Berlin (see Philosophische Fakultät 1919). He also taught relativity theory at the University of Berlin
between 28 April and 15 August (see Berlin Verzeichnis 1919s; see also Vol. 7, Doc. 19, where notes
begin on May 5). Einstein was in Switzerland from early January until late February and from late
June until mid-August where he also was lecturing (see Calendar).
[16]This in spite of the fact that in early May, Edgar Meyer obtained the approval from the Philo-
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