8 4 D O C . 1 0 1 S E P T E M B E R 1 9 1 9 In connection with other circumstances, the desire to get you over here in Ley- den has become very intense now. If you could only make up your mind to say yes, we would very certainly succeed in organizing all that is necessary in a short time [Not only people like me, but also ones very experienced with the practical side, are convinced that it would succeed, just as soon as you say yes].[2] They are in- clined to accommodate your wishes in every respect: 1. Income, as much as you deem necessary for you, the children, etc. (Our max- imum of circa 7500 guilders would thereby be treated as your salary minimum.)[3] 2. No lecturing requirements. 3. Full freedom to spend time during the year in Switzerland to give lectures, for ex., to satisfy the moral oblig[ations] you feel toward Switzerland. And more of the like.—All that would really be requested is that “generally’ you be in Leyden or in the outskirts of Leyden. And that it could be said: at Leyden there’s Einstein, Ein- stein is at Leyden! Consider what a human-scientific milieu you would have here. [Lorentz,[4] de Sitter, Onnes (he is very specially keen on this plan!!), Kuenen, I and my wife, Droste, de Haas and his wife, Burgers, Zeeman and continually, excellent young people like, for ex., Burgers and Kramers.][5] And consider that you would be en- tirely free from any schoolmasterly duties, yet will have all those young men at your beck and call.– N.B. You won’t need more Dutch than for the tram and the maid. All the others won’t ever expect anything else from you than German, since you clearly are no Prussian!– If you have the need to live in some seclusion, instead of residing in Leyden, you can live in the vicinity of Leyden (e.g., by the sea). Oh, but altogether just picture it: here there is nothing but people who are fond of you, and not just of your cerebral cortex. Maybe you will hesitate to say “yes” too rashly, because even with such a hypo- thetical “yes” you impose moral obligations upon yourself. But that’s not so: for if you now very provisionally say “yes” and then later [albeit to our dismay!][6] have to say “no,” you would have been of positive service to our university. Forces would have been mobilized to the benefit of our university, and that would be sure to bear fruit somehow! Couldn’t you come and visit us for two weeks? That would be a grand celebra- tion for us!!!—Yours, Ehrenfest. What’s your address?
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