Details
ALBERT EINSTEIN (1879-1955); MAJA EINSTEIN
A one-page autograph letter of 13 lines, in German, on unheaded airmail paper, in original envelope franked "Princeton Dec 13 5 PM 1940" (postage stamp removed) and addressed to César Koch at 44 Chaussée provinciale, Court-St. Etienne, Belgique, also with sender's address given as: Exp. M. Winteler, 112 Mercer Street, Princeton, N.J., the letter itself recorded by the recipient as "reçu 24-1-41" on verso.
Einstein, addressing his uncle as "Meine Lieben," says what a pleasure and reassurance his letters have been, even though communication has only been indirect and not recent. He doesn't know what to say. One experiences a great deal of noise and fright, and, if one survives, discovers everything just as it was. Maja [his sister] has been with them for two years. They are very much enjoying her exile, and he believes she is too to a certain extent. He believes she will stick it longer than friend "M" whom she sent to them, and continues: "Wir lesen viel zusammen in unserer beneidenswert stiller Klause, aber is gibt keinen Winkel, in der die Spannung und der Schmurz nicht hineinkriechen" ("We read a lot together in our enviably silent backwater, but there is no corner into which tension and pain will not creep"). He wishes his uncle all the best from the bottom of his heart. They hold him more dear than their meagre correspondence can express. Einstein signs the letter, which is in green ink: "Euer A."
Together with a 2-page letter from Maja in French, dated 112 Mercer St. 11-12-40, to Uncle César, with a short post-script by Margot [Albert's step-daughter] in German; and a second letter from Maja, 4 pages in French, dated Princeton N.J. 28 juin 1941, with a post-script by Margot, this time in French, in original envelope. In the latter, Margot states that Albert has come to spend some time with them, and has accompanied her and her nephew on a trip as far as Washington -- they are soon to spend three months by a lake in the mountains, they did the same the year before, Albert with his sail boat, and the others in the water all day. "C'est son sport préféré et unique" (it is his favourite and his only sport). (3)
A one-page autograph letter of 13 lines, in German, on unheaded airmail paper, in original envelope franked "Princeton Dec 13 5 PM 1940" (postage stamp removed) and addressed to César Koch at 44 Chaussée provinciale, Court-St. Etienne, Belgique, also with sender's address given as: Exp. M. Winteler, 112 Mercer Street, Princeton, N.J., the letter itself recorded by the recipient as "reçu 24-1-41" on verso.
Einstein, addressing his uncle as "Meine Lieben," says what a pleasure and reassurance his letters have been, even though communication has only been indirect and not recent. He doesn't know what to say. One experiences a great deal of noise and fright, and, if one survives, discovers everything just as it was. Maja [his sister] has been with them for two years. They are very much enjoying her exile, and he believes she is too to a certain extent. He believes she will stick it longer than friend "M" whom she sent to them, and continues: "Wir lesen viel zusammen in unserer beneidenswert stiller Klause, aber is gibt keinen Winkel, in der die Spannung und der Schmurz nicht hineinkriechen" ("We read a lot together in our enviably silent backwater, but there is no corner into which tension and pain will not creep"). He wishes his uncle all the best from the bottom of his heart. They hold him more dear than their meagre correspondence can express. Einstein signs the letter, which is in green ink: "Euer A."
Together with a 2-page letter from Maja in French, dated 112 Mercer St. 11-12-40, to Uncle César, with a short post-script by Margot [Albert's step-daughter] in German; and a second letter from Maja, 4 pages in French, dated Princeton N.J. 28 juin 1941, with a post-script by Margot, this time in French, in original envelope. In the latter, Margot states that Albert has come to spend some time with them, and has accompanied her and her nephew on a trip as far as Washington -- they are soon to spend three months by a lake in the mountains, they did the same the year before, Albert with his sail boat, and the others in the water all day. "C'est son sport préféré et unique" (it is his favourite and his only sport). (3)