ALS in German, signed “A. Einstein,” one page, 8.5 x 11, no date but circa June 1937. Handwritten letter to Ruth Norden, who was responsible for translating a number of Einstein’s writings into English, including his 1938 article 'Why do they hate the Jews?'—Einstein's only public discussion of Hitler’s campaign against the Jews. In part (translated): "I want to thank you very much for the two translations. They were so good that they were able to be used without the least bit of change. The intervention because of the doctor for the Stuttgart consular, by the way, did not help in the least, so that now I do not know at all what I could do in this scandalous matter that has little prospect of success.
It would please me very much if you could visit us, especially since I now have a small sailboat, which we call 'Tinef' [meaning 'junk' or 'worthless' in colloquial German] because of its impressive characteristics. It is unfortunately difficult to get to our house, because it is rather far from the Huntington train station.
In the Spanish matter, the English and the French are acting energetically, but one can hardly take them seriously anymore. When one thinks of Europe, one appreciates America!" In fine condition.
In this engaging 1937 letter, Einstein expresses both personal warmth and pointed political commentary during a critical moment in prewar Europe. Writing to Ruth Norden—his trusted translator—he praises the exceptional quality of her work, noting that her recent translations require no revisions. The letter further offers a delightful glimpse into Einstein’s private life, with a charming reference to his modest sailboat, humorously nicknamed 'Tinef.' Most notably, Einstein reflects on the Spanish Civil War and voices his deepening disillusionment with Europe’s political leadership, culminating in the striking remark: “When one thinks of Europe, one appreciates America!” Einstein applied for citizenship in the United States and received it in 1940, saying then that 'America is today the hope of all honorable men who respect the rights of their fellow men and who believe in the principle of freedom and justice.'
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