A pen-portrait of his friend Besso, intended to help him avoid a threatened dismissal from his post at the Swiss Patent Office.

Besso has been threatened with the loss of his position at the Swiss Federal Patent Office, and Einstein writes to their mutual friend, Heinrich Zangger, to provide arguments in Besso's favour. The result is a remarkably affectionate portrait by Einstein of his closest friend's character. 'Besso's strength is an exceptional intelligence and unlimited dedication to his professional and moral duty, his weakness a too slight capacity for decision ... Everyone knows in the Patent Office that you can go and ask Besso's advice in difficult cases; he grasps with uncommon speed the technical and legal aspects of each patent case'; in other words, Besso is invaluable in helping his colleagues deal with their most complicated cases, but his indecision makes him slow at dealing with his own cases. Nevertheless, Besso is one of the most valuable members of the Patent Office, and it would be a 'grave error' to dismiss him. More than that: 'his technical and legal competencies and his perspicacity are so out of the ordinary that one can only regret in the interest of the nation that these capacities do not find a use in a more important situation'.

Einstein had particular reason to know of Besso's professional qualities, as they had worked together at the Patent Office at the time when they elaborated together the theory of special relativity. Whether through Einstein's efforts or for other reasons, the threat of dismissal was lifted, and Besso continued his career at the Swiss Patent Office until his retirement.