Einstein, Albert. Two autograph letters signed ("A. Einstein") with mathematical equations (29 August 1938 & 13 September 1938...

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Einstein, Albert. Two autograph letters signed ("A. Einstein") with mathematical equations (29 August 1938 & 13 September 1938). Einstein, Albert. Two autograph letters signed ("A. Einstein") with mathematical equations (29 August 1938 & 13 September 1938) involving his unified theory of Distant Parallelism, both written to Herbert E. Salzer. Having achieved worldwide acclaim for a plethora of landmark scientific discoveries, 20th-century genius Albert Einstein is best known for formulating the Theory of Relativity. A prolific writer, Einstein published over 300 papers during many phases of research. Despite prolonged efforts to develop a unified field theory concerning gravitation and electromagnetic fields, Einstein completely abandoned all work on this venture around 1931. With the discovery of a mathematic discrepancy in a previously published paper by Einstein, progress was to originate from an unlikely source: a 23 year-old graduate student named Herbert E. Salzer. After first defending his work, Albert Einstein humbly responds to a young physics student who correctly points out an inaccuracy in Einstein's work on a unified theory of Distant Parallelism. The transformation required is exactly that of a tensor in the Theory of Relativity. Therefore, your transformation equation is correct, mine wrong. I don't have my earlier work available. But it sure seems that I have made the same mistake there. This will make my assertions about the shape of the first Approximation inaccurate. Studying at Columbia University, the young Salzer was completing his Master's thesis entitled "Analytic, Geometric and Physical Aspects of Distant Parallelism" when he chose to write to Einstein in early August 1938. Summering on Peconic Bay on Long Island, New York, it did not take long for Einstein to reply to Salzer's letter, where Einstein rather assuredly stated the mathematical reasons behind the continued defense of his stalled work. Two weeks after replying to Salzer, Einstein wrote to the young student again, but this time he changed his tune. Stating, "your transformation equation is right, mine is wrong", Einstein enthusiastically and humbly admitted to locating the miscalculation only after having corresponded with Salzer. Had Herbert E. Salzer not had a curious mind and the courage to write the leading genius of his day, Einstein might not have revisited his previously abandoned search for an acceptable set of field equations to justify his approach for a unified theory on Distant Parallelism. A successful scholar in his own right, Herbert Salzer (1915 - 2006) received his Master's and Ph.D from Columbia University in Math and Applied Science. Aside from a professorship at his alma mater as well as Brooklyn College, he was a noteworthy mathematical theorist and scientific researcher with 100-plus published papers, and was a more than fifty-year member of the American Mathematical Society. Amongst his many affiliations, Dr. Salzer was a Mathematician in the Computation Laboratory for the National Bureau of Standards in New York and Washington, D.C. As a scholar, Salzer maintained a large personal library, but the two handwritten letters from Albert Einstein remained amongst his most prized possessions. Having quite successfully interpreted gravitation in his theory of General Relativity, Einstein once struggled with a unified theory of Distant Parallelism as it related to both gravity and electromagnetic fields. He faced obstacles stemming from the fact that equations for both gravity and electromagnetic fields fall under different metrics and practical theories, but the introduction of a tetrad field made the end result possible. The unification of the gravitational and electromagnetic fields after the advent of general relativity arose as an intricate interplay between aspects of a mathematical representation and its physical interpretation. In its most basic form, Einstein's Distant Parallelism Field Theory was meant to serve as a means to more accurately project general space-time relationships. Although Herbert E. Salzer only wrote to Albert Einstein once (photocopy of his letter is included), Einstein replied with two letters to the young scholar dated little more than two weeks apart... The first letter: Albert Einstein autograph letter signed ("A. Einstein") with mathematical equations, 2 pages (8.5 x 11 in.; 216 x 279 mm.), Peconic Bay, Long Island, 29 August 1938, in German, to Herbert E. Salzer. With original transmittal envelope with typed return address: Morton's Cottage, Nassau Point, Peconic L.I.N.Y. Mild soiling with bright ink text. Einstein writes in full: Dear Sir! I am now firmly convinced today that Distant Parallelism does not lead to useful representation of the physical field. Of the reasons I will mention two: 1) You do not come to a tensor-like representation of the electromagnetic field. 2) The theory leaves too much freedom for the choice of the field equations. Of the more physical reasons I will not get into for the sake of brevity. However, everything is in the works mentioned in a formal relationship in order. I will now show that equation is really, really not the equation you specified. Since [equation] is the v- component of a counter vector (ie, the s-th leg) it, as is generally [this and the following equations are represented in the attached images]. Now we set [equation]. It follows [equation] or [equation] (1). On the other hand, it's generally defined as aaber [equation] or infinitesimally [equation] or [equation] (2). But from (2) and (1) follows the equation in question. These have probably been wrong so that your h.. results in the transformation of an ordinary tensor. Yours respectfully, A. Einstein. This letter shows Einstein explaining to Salzer that he (Einstein) is convinced there could be no physical representation of the corresponding mathematics suggested by Salzer, and Einstein goes on to illustrate that what was suggested is not possible. The second letter: Albert Einstein autograph letter signed ("A. Einstein") with mathematical equations, 2 pages (5 x 8 in.; 127 x 203 mm.), no place, 13 September 1938, in German, to Herbert E. Salzer. With original transmittal envelope addressed in Einstein's hand. Mild soiling with bright ink text. Einstein writes in full: Dear Mr. Salzer! Shortly after I wrote you, I noticed that the error was on my side. I am writing this today because I was out-of-town and could not get your address sooner. I had overlooked that one must move to a new four - leg, so that when the rotation transformation is [equation] in [equation] it passes over. The transformation required is exactly that of a tensor in the Theory of Relativity. Therefore, your transformation equation is correct, mine wrong. I don't have my earlier work available. But it sure seems that I have made the same mistake there. This will make my assertions about the shape of the first Approximation inaccurate. The very interesting formal theory of Distant Parallelism in any way to represent that of the electromagnetic field. It took a long time to appreciate this for sure because I was so fascinated by formal naturalness of the theory! These and Weyl's Theory on Spatial Structure seem to be just the most natural extensions to the Riemannian structure. I have a lot of time to try and interpret this physically. But today I am convinced that neither of these two ways can further us in the physical realm. With the highest esteem, A. Einstein. Fascinating commentary from Einstein, arguably the 20th century's greatest mind, who humbly admits that the equation of a twenty-three-year-old student was correct, after all, and that his equation was wrong. This historic pairing of Einstein letters come in a standard envelope inscribed by Dr. Salzer, himself, and reads, "Two letters from Albert Einstein to Herbert E. Salzer." In addition, Salzer included a copy of his journal article entitled "Two Letters from Einstein Concerning his Distant Parallelism Field Theory" from 1974 where Salzer wrote at the top, "for Jackie and Larry, with compliments and love from Uncle Herbert E. Salzer."