l x E D I T O R I A L M E T H O D
Archive numbers are provided in all cases in square brackets. The location of an
original or of a photocopy in the Albert Einstein Archives is noted by reel and doc-
ument number in the descriptive note.
An Alphabetical List of Texts is presented in the back matter, while references
to texts in the Writings series are placed chronologically in the Calendar.
The Calendar in the back matter of the Correspondence series includes all letters
written or received by Einstein that are not presented as texts, in chronological or-
der and with provenance. It also contains general chronological information that is
not available in specific documents, as well as significant interviews. All entries
summarize the contents of the document in question (see the introductory para-
graph in the Calendar for a more detailed description).
Where the original or a copy of the original is not available, transcriptions of text
fragments from dealer or auction catalogs are presented, if available, together with
interspersed editorial comments, in the same font size as endnotes. Where coher-
ent, unfragmented excerpts, such as partial facsimiles or extensive transcribed ma-
terial, serve as the source of a text, they are presented in the same font size as the
texts of Einstein’s correspondence. Some texts can only partially be reconstructed
by presenting the transcription of a substantial text fragment or a substantial quo-
tation together with editorial commentary or fragmented excerpts. In these cases
the visual distinctiveness between the font sizes pointed out above is preserved.
In the case of Einstein’s reviews, the original title of the article or book under
review is given.
If an original text of a later supplement to a paper is printed immediately follow-
ing the paper, then this presentation is retained. Both dates are noted in the List of
Texts, on the relevant title page, and in a textual note.
Where a document is enclosed with a letter, and the letter serves only as a cover
letter with no independent character of its own, the two items are presented together
with a common number.
Where repetitious text fragments or unrelated text or equations occur in the orig-
inal of a draft, they are omitted in the presentation of the transcribed text.
An author’s emendation to a text, made at about the time the document was writ-
ten, is silently inserted into the flow of the text unless the insertion is awkward;
where it is useful to call the reader’s attention to the original placement of the
emendation, this is noted; where the emendation serves as a comment on the text
but does not fit seamlessly, it is presented and characterized in an endnote.
Doubly or triply underscored words are presented in the same way as single un-
derscored words, that is, they are italicized. They are annotated only if the multiple
underscoring is particularly significant or if accompanied by other marks of em-
phasis such as exclamation points.