D O C . 2 1 7 D E C E M B E R 1 9 1 9 1 8 5 Please pardon that I am not writing you in English if goodwill alone sufficed for that, I would have done so. With amicable greetings, yours, A. Einstein. 217. To Heinrich Zangger [Berlin,] Monday. [15 or 22 December 1919][1] Dear friend Zangger, My mother is still not here yet, because it is so immensely difficult for us to make room.[2] She is coming this month, though. Her illness seems to be quite ad- vanced already. Whether Debye is going to Zurich still does not appear to be cer- tain he would be an exceedingly valuable acquisition for the Poly[technic].[3] The confirmation by the English expeditions of the bending of light is a complete one. The factor 2 that you have in mind related to another problem that is long since solved.[4] The English acted exceptionally well in this affair.[5] The affairs of my Zurich family cause me much worry. You ought not insist so much upon their staying in Zurich. One mark is now barely 10 centimes, and it is irresponsible to use up that little bit of capital in Swiss currency.[6] For whether the other currency will recover again is very uncertain. When my wife returns to Switz- erland in the spring, we really must seriously consider a move.[7] A half-cousin of mine, an excellent man, is high-school director in Durlach near Karlsruhe.[8] There I would try to obtain a flat, and the whole calamity would be avoided. In Baden, conditions are similar to those in Switzerland and, moreover, currently—less reactionary.[9] In Switzerland fear of the Bolshevists seems to have grown into a virtual phobia. All who have been there make fun of it.[10] Another comical thing is that I myself count everywhere as a Bolshevist, God knows why perhaps be- cause I do not take all of that slop in the Berliner Tageblatt as milk and honey.[11] Please write me when Albert will visit you. I am very happy that he is being so well taken care of.[12] Then I’ll contribute the albeit inadequate sum for Swiss cir- cumstances of 100 francs per month. How is payment of Tete’s lodgings being arranged?[13] Through the catastrophic currency exchange, my Zurich family’s cir- cumstances, which seemed so well settled by the divorce contract,[14] are now gone completely awry again. Only if all three come to Germany can everything be settled again entirely firmly. Earning in Germany and spending in Switzerland is an im- possible combination. I had thought that I could let the family stay in Switzerland