EINSTEIN, Albert (1879-1955). Autograph letter signed ('A.E.') to his friend Paul Habicht, Old Lyme, Connecticut, 5 August 1935, in German, two pages, 8vo, envelope; together with four diagrams of electrical circuits and switching systems, possibly in Einstein's hand, on two fragments, 120 x 100mm and 50 x 120mm.
'BROODING ON SCIENTIFIC EGGS': Einstein has heard that 'the devil ... is keeping you busy. He will be obliged to leave you alone again, as has happened to me twice already in the long time of our separation'; he goes on to reminisce about their youth together, 'working on the nice little electrostatic machines', when they discussed the political course of Germany, which Habicht defended during the Great War, 'while I had already got to know extremely well the dangers involved in it. I did at least weigh anchor in time'; he is now well settled in the USA and brooding on his scientific eggs ('ich ... brüte als altes Huhn immer noch auf den wissenschaftlichen Eiern, wenn auch die Körperwärme, die man zum Brüten braucht, durch die Jahrchen abgenommen hat'). What he likes about the US is that people are given more space, and he can settle by a quiet bay and sail his little boat. He asks for news of Habicht and of his brother, of whom he has fond memories from their youthful conversations in the 'Olympia Academy'; he gives news of Maurice Solovine, also of the 'Academy', whom he has since seen in Paris, still 'der alte Zigeuner, ein richtiges altes Original'.
Einstein founded the 'Olympia Academy', a reading group on physics and philosophy, in 1902 in his days as a patents clerk in Bern, with Conrad Habicht and Maurice Solovine; Conrad's brother Paul (1884-1948) was also an occasional contributor. Although the Academy lasted only two or three years, Einstein was to credit it with a lasting effect on his scientific thought. (3)