Beschreibung:

EINSTEIN, Albert (1879-1955). Typed letter signed ('A. Einstein') to [Otto Juliusburger], Princeton, 13 September 1943.
EINSTEIN, Albert (1879-1955). Typed letter signed ('A. Einstein') to [Otto Juliusburger], Princeton, 13 September 1943. In German, one page, 277 x 216mm. Envelope. 'God impregnated men with anxiety, envy and craving for recognition'. On a satisfying summer of work, the wretchedness of the human condition, and a self-deprecating reference to his work for the US Navy. Einstein has stayed in Princeton for the whole summer, and has 'nobly sweated like other good citizens, but also done some satisfying work (Ich ... habe ehrlich geschwitzt wie andere brave Bürger, aber auch befriedigend gearbeitet)’. Responding to an observation by Juliusburger about the views of [the prominent neurologist Hermann] Oppenheim, Einstein reflects on the possible far-reaching consequences of nervous crises on the system, observing that one shouldn’t be vexed at the pitiful behaviour of others, including when colleagues are concerned: ‘God himself is actually responsible for this, in that he impregnated them with anxiety, envy and craving for recognition, attributes which may indeed be co-determinant in the choice of profession’. Ich glaube, man soll sich über das jämmerliche Verhalten der Menschen so wenig als möglich ärgern, auch wenn es sich um Kollegen handelt. Gott selbst hat ja die Verantwortung für sie, indem er sie mit Angst, Neid und Geltungsbedürfnis imprägniert hat, welche Eigenschaften wohl sogar zum Teil bei der Berufswahl mitbestimmend sein mögen’. Responding to news of Juliusburger’s son, Einstein mentions that his own son [Hans Albert] has recently, in spite of difficult bureaucratic obstacles, become a US citizen, which prompts him to make a joking reference to his own military service: ‘I myself have a loose connection with the Navy as a theoretical expert, and hope that the war will be over before my activities in this regard have any tangible consequences (Ich selber bin auch in loser Verbindung mit der Marine als theoretischer Sachverständiger und hoffe, dass der Krieg eher vorbei sein wird als meine diesbezügliche Tätigkeit greifbare Konsequenzen hat)’. Activities which involve so many contributing hands are always uncongenial; he concludes with reference to an apposite statement by Goethe.