ALS in German, signed “A. E.,” one page, 5.5 x 8.5, no date. Handwritten letter to Mr. Reiche, possibly the German physicist Fritz Reiche, with a reference to his research assistant Peter Bergmann. In full (translated): "Bergmann, whom I have asked to speak with you about future positions, informs me that you are having second thoughts about taking over a practicum. This causes me some consternation, because by and large only 'jacks of all trades,' willing to do anything, are needed in this time of scarcity in the teaching profession. There is the danger that your future in this country could be jeopardized by this mistake. I am very uneasy about the appearance of wanting to talk you into something. But, on the other hand, I have the distinct impression that you are missing that self-confidence which the species minorum gentium usually has too much of. I hope that you will overcome this shyness when you analyze yourself in relation to this situation. If this should become the case, tell Mr. Bergmann right away so that this obstacle [to success] can be pushed aside, before the favorable situation fades away." In fine condition.



Fritz Reiche was a German physicist who made important contributions to the early development of quantum mechanics as a student of Max Planck and a colleague of Albert Einstein. With Einstein's help, he emigrated with his family to the United States in 1941. He would go on to on to work with NASA and the United States Navy on projects related to supersonic flow.



Einstein's research assistant at the Institute for Advanced Study, Peter Bergmann, had also escaped from war-torn Europe and emigrated to the United States. He would go on to establish a center for research in general relativity at Syracuse University, which proved central to the development of general relativity in the 1950s.