A previously unknown letter, dated August 1922, handwritten and signed by physicist and Nobel Prize winner Albert Einstein was just discovered and will be put up for public auction next week at Kedem Auction House in Jerusalem with an opening price of $ 12,000.
Einstein mailed the letter to his sister Maja following his escape from Berlin after being warned by the police that his life was in danger. The warning was received after the assassination of Einstein’s longtime friend German-Jewish statesman and Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau by three right-wing German extremists.
A previously unknown letter, dated August 1922, handwritten and signed by physicist and Nobel Prize winner Albert Einstein was just discovered and will be put up for public auction next week at Kedem Auction House in Jerusalem with an opening price of $ 12,000. Photo Credit: Kedem Auction House, Jerusalem
In the letter, which bears no return address or clue as to where it was written, Einstein informs his sister that he is living in hiding. “Out here, nobody knows where I am, and I’m believed to be missing.” He addresses the political and economic upheaval in Germany. “Here are brewing economically and politically dark times, so I’m happy to be able to get away from everything for half a year.” It is presumed that the letter was written while in Kiel before Einstein embarked on a series of speaking engagements across Asia.
While Einstein prophesies a dark future for Germany more than a decade before the rise of the Nazi party to power in 1933, his writings still reveal his famous sense of humor and a tinge of optimism.
He writes, “I’m doing pretty well, despite all the anti-Semites among the German colleagues. I’m very reclusive here, without noise and without unpleasant feelings, and am earning my money mainly independent of the state, so that I’m really a free man. A university tenure abroad I won’t accept any more. However I had to join a League of Nations Commission, which naturally upset the people here. There was nothing I could do about it, if I didn’t want to be unfaithful to my ideals. Here are brewing economically and politically dark times, so I’m happy to be able to get away from everything for half a year.”
Later in the letter, Einstein describes his escape plans to his sister. “You see, I am about to become some kind of itinerant preacher. That is, firstly, pleasant and secondly—necessary.” Addressing her concerns, he writes, “Don’t worry about me, I myself don’t worry either, even if it’s not quite kosher, people are very upset. In Italy, it seems to be at least as bad…”
In the letter, which bears no return address or clue as to where it was written, Einstein informs his sister that he is living in hiding. “Out here, nobody knows where I am, and I’m believed to be missing.” He addresses the political and economic upheaval in Germany. “Here are brewing economically and politically dark times, so I’m happy to be able to get away from everything for half a year.” It is presumed that the letter was written while in Kiel before Einstein embarked on a series of speaking engagements across Asia. Photo Credit: Kedem Auction House, Jerusalem
Einstein also mentions his planned trip to Japan later that year where he was invited to relay a series of lectures. Shortly after departing on an extended tour across Asia, he discovered that he had won the Nobel Prize in Physics. With the rise of the Nazis party to power in Germany in 1933, discriminatory laws were passed barring any Jews from public positions, including teaching in colleges or universities.
The Nazis bloodthirstily pursued Jewish physicists. Among their many crimes against Jewish professionals, they negated Einstein’s Law of Relativity, calling it ‘Jewish Physics.’ When Hitler was appointed Chancellor, Einstein was on an international tour, and in light of the perilous political scene, he determined to yield his German citizenship. He spent several months in exile, but eventually settled in the United States, where he was hired by the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, and remained there until his passing on April 18, 1955.
Meron Eren, co-owner of Kedem Auction House in Jerusalem, one of the largest auction houses dealing in Judaica and Jewish-Israeli cultural artifacts, shares: “This letter reveals to us the thoughts that were running through Einstein’s mind and heart at a very preliminary stage of Nazi terror. The relationship between Albert and Maya was very special and close, which adds another dimension to Einstein the man and greater authenticity to his writings. We are delighted that this letter made its way to our auction house, and even more delighted with the opportunity to share its contents with the world.”
Edited by: JV Staff
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