Albert Einstein ALS - December 20, 1900...

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Albert Einstein ALS - December 20, 1900 Autograph letter signed ("Albert"), 1 page (5.38 x 8.5 in.; 137 x 216 mm.), in German, written at the end of a 3-page letter penned by his first wife, Mileva Mari?, Zurich, Switzerland, 20 December 1900, written to Mileva's best friend Helene Savik. Minor separation at folds with slight chipping. In the early days of their rocky relationship, Einstein and future wife, Mileva Mari?, each write a letter to Mileva's best friend - Albert writes a poem about their impending separation. Einstein writes in full: Dear Mrs. Sawik (+ 1/9½, hopefully)! I will not release my resentment against you, now in my powerlessness that I am not getting to read daughter's letter to you; instead I want to join you in your happiness for your blessings of youth. It's really delightful when you see both of them on the photograph and that's how we did it. Your sister did send them to us with a nice letter...but when do we get to see the originals again? I hope pretty soon, in Zurich. But what do you say to our separation? The girl started crying so the boy had to squeeze her and then he thought I don't want to tease her! So, we are staying together for the time being, at least until Easter, and after that also I wish for you lots of luck, for your sister a speedy recovery after her surgery and for us that we'll receive another friendly letter from you real soon. Regards to you and your old man, cordially Your Albert" Mileva Einstein writes in full: My dearest Helenchen! I can hardly tell you how soothing your dear letter was for me. Disheartened as I was at the time, thinking that there was nothing for me in this evil world, and then came your lines, which expressed so clearly that I have a girlfriend who loves me, even if I'm not well. How much I love you, you dear, good one.- As you will see at the end of the letter, Albert is still here and will stay until his doctoral thesis is completed, which may take until Easter; only then will he become a grass widower. The fact that we have to separate is very difficult for me, but if it takes its natural course I will endure it bravely. But what really brought me down was the fact that our separation was to happen so unnaturally, due to slander and intrigues, and all these kinds of things. You know, even if I would write all day, could I not tell you how much I suffered in those days, and Albert as well. But now, thank God, everything is back on track. Albert's parents were behind it to a small degree, so you can imagine how hard it was for me to be attacked from that side. But now I don't want to waste one more word over this, and about the vast disgusting world. I am happy that he loves me, and what else do I need? He is going home for Christmas, which scares me quite a bit, but there is no way around it. A few days ago I received a photograph of you and your husband from your sister Alma. Thank you so much, I was looking forward to this for quite a while. We think both of you look fantastic, and I am particularly pleased that your lovely eyes gaze so happily and content into this world. Albert has written a Physics paper, which will most likely be published soon in the Annalen der Physik. Can you imagine how proud I am of my darling? It is not an ordinary paper either, but something very important from the theory of liquids. We have also privately submitted it to Boltzmann and would like to know what he is thinking; hopefully he will write to us. Are you spending your first Christmas together at home or are you going to Vienna? Wherever you will be, I am wishing you very, very joyous and happy holidays! Write to me about all the nice things you're doing, I am interested in hearing more about it, and I know and am happy that a lot of nice, blessed things are coming. Since Albert wants to write a little bit himself I have to close for today. A heartfelt embrace from your Miza And regards to your husband. Mileva Mari? (1875-1948) was born into a wealthy family in Titel (modern day Serbia). As a student, her highest grades were in mathematics and physics. In the autumn of 1896, Mileva attended Zurich Polytechnic, enrolled for the diploma course to teach physics and mathematics in secondary schools at the same time as Albert Einstein. She was the only woman in her group of six students and she and Einstein became close friends quite soon. The present letter, written December 1900, indicates Einstein and Mileva's plans to separate, however, this did not turn out to be the case. In 1901 Mileva's academic career was disrupted when she became pregnant by Einstein. After having failed her final examination in 1900, she retested but failed a second time without improving her grade. Around January 1902 her daughter Lieserl was born. The girl's fate is unknown; she may have died late summer 1903, or was given up for adoption. In 1903 Einstein and Mileva were married in Bern, Switzerland, where Einstein had found a job at the Federal Office for Intellectual Property. In 1904 their first son Hans Albert was born. The Einsteins lived in Bern until 1909, when Einstein got a teaching position at the University of Zurich. In 1910 their second son Eduard was born. By 1912 their marriage had become strained and Einstein became reacquainted with his cousin Elsa Löwenthal. Moving to Berlin in 1913 caused Mileva stress and in 1914 she took the boys back to Zurich - a separation that would become permanent. After five years of separation, the couple divorced in 1919; in June of that year Einstein married Elsa and returned to Zurich.