Beschreibung:

EINSTEIN, Albert. Four letters and, comprising: autograph letter signed ('Albert') and typed letter signed ('Albert Einstein'), to his first wife, Mileva, n.p. and Berlin, [c.1932] and 1 February 1924, an autograph postcard signed ('Einstein') to Dr E. Zürcher, Staatsanwalt, [Berlin], 6 January 1920, and typed letter signed ('Albert Einstein') to the firm of Ladenburger, Thalmann & Co. (a retained exemplar), Berlin, 1 February 1924, together 1½ pages, 4to, and 1½ pages, 8vo, in autograph, and 2½ pages, 4to, typescript (browning to autograph letter and postcard); [with] typed letter signed to Mileva from Ladenburger, Thalmann & Co., New York, 28 February 1924, and three letters signed to Mileva by Fritz Haber, Berlin, 16 January - 14 February 1924. INVESTING THE NOBEL PRIZE MONEY. Einstein's typed letter to Mileva encloses a letter to the New York bank of Ladenburger, Thalmann & Co. concerning the investment of his Nobel Prize money, 'in fulfilment of the paragraphs of our [divorce] settlement which lay down that in the event of our divorce and in case I should win the Nobel Prize, the capital would be passed over into your possession'; the agreement is, however, that Mileva will have free use of the interest, but can administer the capital only with Einstein's agreement. The economic situation after the war has persuaded him to alter the provisions in favour of investing the money in North America, rather than in Switzerland. Einstein's postcard to the attorney Zürcher instructs him on the administration of a sum of 5000 marks for the benefit of Mileva and the children. His letter to Mileva, written around the time of his second son Eduard's nervous breakdown in 1932, expresses dismay at Eduard's condition, and makes a forceful statement as to their financial settlement: 'I will explain it to you one more time ... I gave you the Nobel Prize money to secure your future and that of the children. It should have been clear then that this sum, the only money I possessed at the time, should at my death become the inheritance of the children. Only thus would it be possible for me to make adequate provision for the other people close to me ... I have often written, trying to make this point, but have received no satisfactory answer. instead, you have taken every opportunity to claim more money from me ... It is up to you to restore the trust between us by making a legal agreement either that the Nobel Prize will be counted as the children's inheritance, or that you will not contest my will .... The letters from the Einsteins' old friend Fritz Haber to Mileva provide independent assurance that the New York investment scheme is the right one: 'I remember all too well those painful negotiations during your divorce from your husband, and my own role in them, so that I find your claim for my aid fully justified'; he is however 'surprised and saddened that you complain about Albert Einstein's unfriendliness. To me he has always spoken friendly words about you, and he is only concerned that you, who have as little experience in financial matters as he does, might find advisors even less qualified than him'. (6)