Albert Einstein (1879-1955) two letters, signed 1938.
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Two typed letters, partly on the subject of spiral nebulae, each signed ”A. Einstein” in ink, dated New York July 1, 1938 (one page, 17 lines + signature) and August 8, 1938 (two pages on one leaf, 28 lines + signature). In German, written in response to ”Herrn Erik Larsen” in New York.
(A transcript with
translation is available upon request)
Folded three times.
Provenance
Carl-Gustav Danver (1908-1994), Ph. D., astronomer and lecturer active at Lund University. He studied for Knut Lundmark, professor of Astronomy 1929-55.
Literature
Larsen’s introductory letter dated June 27, 1938, and other letters and
calculations which he sent to Einstein are in The Einstein Archives at
at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
More information
Together with copies of two typewritten letters in German and an
explanatory document in English, sent by Larsen to Einstein in
June-August of 1938. The Dane Erik Larsen, apparently a young
astronomer, contacted Einstein during a visit to America, seeking advice
for his studies of spiral nebulae. His final letter is sent from New
York but also gives an address in Copenhagen, Denmark. In his
explanatory document, Larsen states that ”My intention is to determine
the field of force of the spiral nebulae and their evolution from a
rotation ellipsoid to a double-branched spiral.”
Einstein struggles to see the validity of Larsen’s idea, and his first
response opens ”I do not realize what goal you want to achieve through
your investigation” (Es ist mir nicht klar geworden, welches Ziel Sie
durch Ihre Untersuchung erreichen wollen). Even if Einstein repeats his
doubts in the longer, second letter, his response is kind and helpful,
discussing the problem at some length and offering advice and relevant
examples.