Letter from Albert Einstein about 'My Well-Defined Privacy Line'

Letter from Albert Einstein about 'My Well-Defined Privacy Line'

Important letter signed by Albert Einstein to Dr. Siegfried Lehmann, founder of the Ben Shemen Youth Village, Princeton 27/1/1952. Aerogram, German.

After he was invited to participate in a public event at the Ben Shemen Youth Village, he informs Dr. Siegfried, the village manager, that he does not intend to attend. because of his rule over the years to refrain from accepting invitations to participate in events, even if very important, in order to preserve what Einstein calls  "My well-defined privacy protection line". Einstein continues to apologize that this does not stem from selfishness, G-d forbid, or from controversy, and expects Dr. Siegfried to understand his refusal, which stems from a more comprehensive view of the world.On the margins of the letter Einstein adds words of congratulations and wishes for success in the continuation of his fruitful work.

At the beginning of 1923, Einstein visited Palestine for the only time in his life, a visit intended to help Chaim Weizmann advance the establishment of the Hebrew University. In the only home available to the university on Mount Scopus, Einstein gave a lecture on relativity. Since he did not know English at the time, he pronounced it in French, after reading a few polite words in Hebrew that he had written in Latin letters. As a rule, Einstein refrained from attending public events unless they had long-term value for him. "There is no public event that gives me more pleasure than the initiative to establish a Hebrew University in Jerusalem, in the light of the Jewish tradition of learning and expansion that has been preserved for generations and under difficult conditions," he said. Since then he has not returned to the Land of Israel even though he was invited several times by various parties. Recipient of the letter Dr. Siegfried Lehmann [1892-1958] The founder of the Ben Shemen Youth Village was a close friend of Einstein long since he lived in Berlin.  In 1926 he founded the youth village. Einstein assisted him greatly in fundraising and managed an exchange of letters over the years.

When Einstein noticed that the fact that he was invited to various events aimed at glorifying the event due to its publication without any significant long-term benefit he was prevented of participatedue to the fear of wasting his years in countless events.

[1] Leaf, aerogram. Printed, German, on the margins of the letter is Einstein's hand signature. condition: very fine.