EINSTEIN, Albert (1879-1955). Typed letter signed ("A. Einstein") to Joseph H. Schaffner, Princeton, 19 June 1950.

One page, 280 x 215mm on his blind-embossed stationery. [With:] file of related correspondence, 17 March 1947 – 19 June 1950. Nine pages, most 280 x 215mm.

Citing pro-German bias, Einstein rejects a scholarship program at the New School in his name, writing that what "the New School of today represents (pro-German und [sic] reactionary) is so different from my own convictions that the idea to be connected in many way with this institute is unbearable to me. I felt that I had to tell you this as your name was mentioned in Dr. Simons' letter." The lot also includes a unsigned copy of Einstein's letter to Hans Simons, president of the New School, in German together with an English translation, in which Einstein writes that the "attitude of the New School as regards the nation of murderers makes it impossible for me to be connected with that institution in any way. For this reason I kindly request that you drop the projected plan," to establish a scholarship in his name.

Apparently, Einstein's refusal did not come as a complete surprise. A pair of letters to Schaffner from Alvin Johnson, one of the New School's founders, hint at trouble brewing. On 21 March, 1949, he wrote that "I am a devoted admirer of Einstein. Somebody has told me that Einstein was off me, either because I was for Dewey for Governor of New York against some dunce F.D.R. approved out of regularity, or for some reason even more dumb. On 31 March, he answers a letter from Schaffner (of which the content is currently unknown), conceding, "All right: maybe Einstein isn't off me. I'm certainly not off Einstein." Then on 20 July 1949, Edward C. Carter, the New School's provost, wrote to Schaffner wishing to have a meeting "about the Einstein fund," adding "in strict confidence, I may say that Einstein has had some misgivings about the New School, but I do not know what the nature of this is. Rather than have him, on perhaps inadequate information, react negatively to your generous gift, I have thought that you and I should go to Einstein and tell him what is in our minds so that he could talk with us frankly and thus avoid an inhibited response to a letter written from the New School." And when Hans Simons wrote to Einstein on 16 June 1950 advising that Schaffner "donated some money to the new School, with the plan to make it the nucleus of a fund for an Albert Einstein Scholarship to be established here," he observed that at the time, Einstein "did not look with favor upon the project."

[With:] Two typed letters signed ("A. Einstein"), Princeton, 11 Janaury 1934 and 8 July 1946. In German. One page each, 280 x 215mm. The 1934 letter, he informs Dr. Jacob Klatzkin, in Switzerland that he cannot fulfill his request add that he had "given your cousin in New York a very warm general recommendation concerning you, but I cannot address specific individuals; for this would amount to exerting moral pressure, which I do not feel entitled to do … What you write to me about the misery of the refugees is all the more regrettable, as a large part of these people could perform valuable work in various places if only job placement were better organized. The information about the Zurich publisher shows in stark light how disastrous the German poison works outwardly. Our only weak consolation remains that hostility against us Jews is usually linked to moral and intellectual decline. It seems that only mass emigration to still sparsely populated areas can bring lasting improvement of the situation." The 1946 letter, to Walter Gratz, Einstein writes that while he routinely ignores letters from Germany, "If you are pursuing your immigration to America, I am also willing to provide favorable information. Direct assistance, however, I must limit to help for German Jews, who find themselves in far more difficult living conditions."