Beschreibung:

Einstein, Albert and Elsa Einstein. REMARKABLE COLLECTION OF AUTOGRAPH LETTERS SIGNED, TYPED LETTERS SIGNED AND PHOTOGRAPHS comprising by Einstein: eight autograph letters signed ("Albert"; A. Einstein"; "Albert Einstein"), one autograph postscript, two autograph documents signed, including his instructions concerning his assets in the event of his death, dated 20 March 1923, and one autograph envelope, the letters addressed to his Zürich friends Lux and Albert Karr; and by Elsa Einstein: four autograph letters signed ("Elsa"; "Elsa Einstein"), four typed letters signed and one autograph envelope; also containing: three photographs of Einstein alone, including a small cabinet-style photograph by Langhans of Prague, stamped 1912 and apparently inscribed by Einstein on the reverse ("(Cabinetbild)"), and one of which showing Einstein in his sitting-room on the "Belgenland", inscribed by Elsa Einstein; and two photographic portraits of Einstein together with Elsa Einstein, inscribed by Elsa and dated 26 November [19]22 and 5 February [19]31; together with five other photographs including three of Albert Karr, two copies in later hands of two entries by Albert and Elsa Einstein in the guestbooks of Albert and Lux Karr and Lux Karr-Krüsi, dated 'X 22' and 5 April [or August?] 1928, over 30 items in all, various sizes, the photographs various sizes, the cabinet-style photograph of Einstein 10.8 x 6.7cm (overall size), one of Einstein's letters comprising two lines signed on the back of a Red Star Line envelope postmarked Victoria Docks 25 October 1933, one of Elsa's on embossed stationery of the White House, Washinton, newspaper cutting concerning Hanns Karr, the Einsteins' letters Caputh, Berlin, Princeton and elsewhere, 1919-1934, where indicated In his letters Einstein describes the uncertainties of life in Berlin, the fatalistic mood of its citizens, discusses financial matters, namely the deposits he has made with Albert Karr and the money awarded with his Nobel Prize, 40,000 Swiss francs of which is to serve as a first instalment on a future house purchase, reflects on his friendship with Lux Karr, gives Hanns Karr amusing advice on his marriage, offers Lux Karr profound and comforting words on her loss, discusses the health of his son Hans Albert, refers to his seemingly exaggerated nervousness brought on by the corrupt atmosphere of the times (December 1932), noting the traps which lurk everywhere for a person who is, as it were, public property and who has many enemies eager to knock him down ...Dir lieber Hanns aber sag ich, dass in dieser Sache das Sprichwort "Aller Anfang ist schwer" nicht am Platz ist. Denn hier ist der Anfang leicht, aber die Fortsetzung verlangt den Meister. Du wirst es aber schon gut machen, weil du ja ein Geiger bist, und wenn man dieses weibliche Wesen fein zu behandeln weiss, so wird es auch bei dem zweibeinigen gelingen...Heute aber, wo alles von Fallstricken wimmelt ist es anders, besonders für einen Menschen, der sozusagen ein Stück Öffentlichkeit ist und viele Feinde hat, die nichts mehr wünschen als ihm eins auswischen zu können. Du kannst Dich vielleicht in die hiesige verderbenschwangere Atmosphäre gar nicht hineindenken, und ich scheine Dir übertrieben nervös... A fascinating and complementary picture of Einstein is provided by the letters of Elsa in which she describes his condition following his breakdown on 1928 (noting that he finds a life without responsibility delightful), relates a difficult meeting of Albert and his second son Eduard, comments on the antipathy between Albert and his wife, which was so strong as to prevent him from visiting her and the children, discusses the Brown Book affair, the confiscation by the German authorities of the couple's savings of 60,000 Marks, Albert's selfless behaviour, his talk in the Albert Hall for the benefit of exiled German intellectuals, the French treatment of Einstein at Le Coq, describes the threat of deportation, the activities of her ch