'My life is no longer so lively as in the years of the storm surge of relativity': on his scientific activity, his travels and his work for the Zionist cause.

Einstein opens (as often at this period) with apologies for being such a poor correspondent: 'It is a long long time since I last wrote to you, and yet you are along with my boys my only private correspondence, and the one with them is hardly any livelier than with you. For they have inherited from me on this point'.

On his life and work: 'Viewed from the outside, my life is no longer as lively as in the years of the storm surge [Sturmflut] of relativity. But it is full of concentrated work' – and also by Maja's standards very sociable. 'I have again solved a very fine problem – at least the beginning – and am now concentrating on working it all out'.

Einstein's sons are coming to stay with him shortly, and they will go to Kiel, where Hans Albert will gain some experience in the Anschütz factory. His tour of South America was 'a great rush ... I won't do anything of the sort again, too bad for the nervous energy'. But he loved the sea voyage, especially the sight of the Brazilian coast with its 'fairytale forest, the mix of peoples and the burning sun'. As a result of all his travels he now has something like a 'small ethnographical museum' at home, with his favourite pieces coming from Japan – 'a people with a deep, sensitive soul, in contrast with the Argentinians'. He has been working hard for the Zionist cause, which has earned him an incredibly warm welcome from Jews on his travels: 'By contrast, the Germans in Buenos Aires boycotted me. Strange how human things have come to such a head'. He is still working for the League of Nations, and hopeful that it will have a good effect; things in Germany have improved since Hindenburg's election as president.


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