Caltech News: Albert Einstein at 50
The Einstein Papers Project at Caltech has released the 16th volume of its massive scholarly collection of Albert Einstein's scientific and nonscientific writings and correspondence. The volume covers the period from June 1927 to May 1929 and contains 1,600 letters by and to Einstein, many more than contained in previous volumes. This is due in part to the fact that Einstein turned 50 on March 14, 1929 and received a flood of congratulatory wishes. Some of the documents in the new volume pertain to a birthday present Einstein cherished the most: a single-cabin sailboat, named Tümmler, which means porpoise in German.
For his 50th birthday, Einstein had only one wish, according to Diana Kormos-Buchwald, Caltech's Robert M. Abbey Professor of History and director of the Einstein Papers Project: "He wanted to avoid the press, the visitors, the fanfare, and the tributes. He escaped Berlin for the countryside," she says.
The new volume also includes scientific papers, poems, speeches, obituaries, and book reviews. In his writings on political and social issues, Einstein advocates for domestic legislative reform, gay and minority rights, European rapprochement, and conscientious objection to military service. During the time covered by this volume, he hired Helen Dukas as his assistant; she worked with Einstein until the end of his life and was instrumental in the preservation of his written legacy. Continue reading article on Caltech News.