Whenever he writes to his wife, it is simple, straight-forward reporting
of day to day occurrences and his impressions, yet the undercurrent of
intimacy carries these letters. There isn't a day in his busy schedule
abroad that he is not yearning for the familiar. "Li" is the soul mate
to confide in, to share with, to protect. After just two years of marriage,
they have a family of three children, the twins age 17 months, the baby
three weeks old.
In the political context of imminent war in Germany, Heisenberg visits the US
and chooses to return home, puzzling others, even today. We can't think
of a more poignant document about his state of mind at the time,
than these letters.
Thursday evening (June 1939)
Dear Li!
Now the first day of this
travel is coming to and end already and I can feel it that on such a day a lot is
happening. Your telegram at first gave me a startle. But afterwards I was
doubly glad about the telephone call.
The trip under a cloudless
sky was really nice; near Goslar we had the whole
north side of the Harz Mountains and the Brocken in front of us for a long time; that awoke many a
memory: of our flight to Frankfurt and of the ski trips with Ernst, and of
earlier excursions. Osnabrück too is still full of
memories for me and I like certain places that are, objectively speaking,
rather ugly. Aunt Grete was quite well. Guste just this morning had been injured in the face by a
rock-throwing pupil, but was already improving.- A
while ago we crossed the border. Now we are traversing a dune-like wooded area,
and one can tell that we are soon approaching the sea. I am looking forward to
it.- But now I have to answer your questions too:
My addresses are: from 6/22
-26 New York, c/o Karl Heisenberg, Wooster Street 69/71. From
6/27-7/1
Purdue University, Physics Dept., La Fayette, (Indiana). From 7/23-8/2 New York.-(*)
Meanwhile we have reached Utrecht. In Hoek or Rotterdam I want to try to post this letter. My very, very best
to you and the little ones! Yours, Werner
Monday noon on board of the ship, Vlissingen
My dear Li!
For an hour I have been
aboard the ship, have just eaten dinner, and am waiting to depart, which,
however, seems to be delayed for some time. Maybe I can still post this letter
on land. The weather is incredibly nice, the fields
here are much greener already than at home. Holland looks so peaceful and calm compared to Germany. Despite the blue sky there is a stiff breeze, which
makes our ship move a little at times even in the harbor. I am so excited about
the trip across the waters; just even the view from here out onto the waves is
magnificent. You and the little ones are missed a lot. I am imagining how they
are being fed, are standing out in the sunshine on the balcony and crying
occasionally. I hope you will rest up, just lie down often in the deck chair
next to the little ones on the balcony and enjoy the release from the many
duties in Leipzig. So, now a quick good-bye, to get the letter on land.
My very, very best! Yours, Werner
Liverpool, June 17, afternoon 39
My dear Elisabeth!
Meanwhile I have already
moved on a little westward. I am sitting in the offices of the Cunard line, not far from the ship and am using the three
hours before departure time to write. Since my arrival in London yesterday morning I have been talking about Physics
almost non-stop, and have learned a great deal. The only interruption to this
scientific activity was a brief meeting with your brother Fritz. He was
particularly appealing this time around: he was very lively, engaged in all
kinds if problems and issues and we got along very well. He seemed, despite all
the difficulties, optimistic and in good spirits. In the evening I
was at the Blacketts' and also
spent the night there. Blackett had been quite ill ( a strep infection), but looked
pretty good again. In his institute I saw many nice and new pictures of cosmic
rays. Here in Liverpool I had some excitement at first, because it appeared
that my suitcase had not arrived. Finally it turned out that, strangely, it has
already been loaded on board, without someone doing it. I have seen the ship
only from the outside thus far, only at 4:30
are we allowed to enter it.
With the many rapid events of
the trip, I have so far not quite been conscious of the fact that I am going
far away. When I was aware once in a while, I would look at the pictures of you
all and imagine that at home probably all is going well. That is my hope
whenever I think of you, and I am tremendously looking forward to your first
news.
All of you stay healthy and
cheerful! I am with you in my thoughts often. Yours, Werner.
"Mauretania", (June 18, 39)
Dear Li!
Yesterday before our
departure I have written you at length one more time. Now I will start a kind
of journal which, however, can be sent off only after our arrival in New York.
The departure in Liverpool was very festive and one could clearly tell how popular the name "Mauretania" is in England. Countless people were standing at the pier and in
the harbor streets, around the ship a multitude of small vessels and at the
moment of departure a deafening tooting and whistling of all the larger boats
rang out.- The weather upon departure was changeable, quite chilly and only
rarely sunshine. In the dusk I walked the deck for a long time with Mr. v.
Wartburg. I like talking with him about serious issues. - Our double cabin is
like a nice modern bedroom, simple but utterly comfortable. This morning we had
a last stop-over in Ireland. I was able to distinctly recognize a large rock
where I had seen a large stranded passenger steamer ten years ago. The sky was
totally clear today and the brownish green rocks of the Irish coast looked
magnificent. Around noon
we departed Cobh, as of about 6pm
one cannot see land anymore. It also appears as if some bad weather might come
in. The sky has clouded over, on deck a stiff breeze blows at you, and swells
originating from far away are lifting and dropping the boat in a steady pitch.
- v.Wartburg has already
gone to bed because he was not quite feeling well. I want to walk a little in
the wind, then one has to see how it goes tomorrow.
How about you? The children are probably long since in bed. So: good night for
now!
-Monday night: Now another
day of the seavoyage has gone by. The weather
indicators from last night have changed into rain and fog already during the
night. From midnight on one could hear the low hum of the foghorn every
minute and a half, whose sound surrounds the ship with a somewhat eerie
atmosphere. Fortunately, around noon
it turned a little brighter; the sea is completely calm now. We spent the
afternoon playing in the sun on deck. But now the foghorn is starting up again.- Later in the afternoon they presented a movie on board
which I watched after overcoming some
hesitation. Each time I get annoyed at the smooth and boring faces in which
even the faintest hint of character is carefully avoided. But the piece dealt,
if you stripped it from its external presentation, with the ancient battle of
the devil against God, in which the former in the disguise of telephones and
business telegrams, was practically making a personal appearance; God had, of
course, morphed into the appearance of a 'sweet girl'. A shame that He will
appear to so many of today's people only in this way. - Aside from Mr. v. Wartburg
I have not been able to detect a person whose acquaintance I would wish for.
They may easily exist anyhow, but on a large ship it is not easy to find out
about them. But even if there were no people at all here: the 'dolce far niente' I do savor. I can sit for hours in a chair and
enjoy the clouds and the waves.
Tuesday night.- For some hours now it has been totally clear for the
first time. The sea is still rather turbulent from the bad weather at noon, but the air is calm, in the Northwest a few broad
bands of clouds are at the horizon which are wearing a red fringe from the
sunset. The water playfully reflects these clouds in light blue and yellowish
red colors. - I am now sometimes aware of how far I am already removed from you
and am in danger of becoming a bit homesick. It's a good thing that I have at
least the pictures of the little ones with me. But from Jochen
I do not have such a reminder, and when I return, he will probably look quite
different from what I am imagining.
Wednesday night. Today the weather is most beautiful, the sea quite
dark blue; until a few hours ago it was very warm; by now we have apparently
left the gulf stream and are entering the cold region
of the Newfoundland Banks. If you step out on deck for just minutes, you get
blown through and through by the cold wind. Unfortunately, a glance at the map
which registers our daily position at noon,
tells us that we are still more than two thousand km from New York. An arrival tomorrow is out of the question, even on
Friday it is hardly likely. So we may only get there on Saturday morning. This
will shorten my time at Uncle Karl's considerably, and may make my stay at Princeton impossible. And you will be concerned if I am reporting my arrival so
late; I may send you a telegram from the ship tomorrow morning.
Thursday night. I sent the telegram at noon today. I hope that you were able to get the gist from
the somewhat factual content and did call Mrs. v. Wartburg. The lateness really
is not due to a reasonable factor. It seems that the travel agency in Leipzig simply gave us wrong information; the "Mauretania" never was built as a very fast ship. But I am,
nevertheless, enjoying even the prolonged voyage. With Mr. v.
Wartburg I am often playing for hours up on deck in the sunshine, and the trip
is probably just brief enough for us not to get bored with the games. The sea
today has already been a very light blue for several hours;
But the real American weather
will only start tomorrow.
Friday noon. Today the sky
is almost cloudless and the sea is as quiet as even the Walchensee
can only be in the calmest weather. The first sailboats are appearing, a few
birds are circling the ship, and with each hour one can sense the coast approaching. Maybe very late tonight Long Island will come into sight. Tomorrow morning at 8:30 we are supposed to be in New York. Since the mail will leave the ship before our
arrival, I will herewith end the journal; I am very much looking forward to
everything new over there. And I hope to hear from you soon. All the best to
you four! Yours, Werner.
New York , Sunday night 6/25 (39)
My dear good Li!
Actually I am very tired already,
but my journal from the steamer will only reach you with some delay; so I still
want to write today, before I continue on to Chicago. I had taken the letter from the ship with me on
shore to send it via airmail. Then I heard that airmail had just been collected
and would only go out again in eight days; then I dropped the letter in the
box. But today I heard that airmail to Europe
was going out on Wednesday yet. So I am hurrying at once to write.
The entry into New York Harbor is a very powerful impression each time. The big
buildings of Manhattan were visible for some time only as silhouettes in the
somewhat hazy atmosphere. The whole city then appears like a huge fairy tale
castle. At the pier I soon spotted Uncle Karl and Otto Bauermeister.
I was sincerely happy to see them both again. After taking care of the
practical things, I sent your telegram and went to Otto's place, where I have
been since then. Aunt Helen wasn't well at all, sadly, so I could not stay out
in Larchmont. Yesterday then we went there in the car of some friends to visit
them both. Aunt Helen was not yet very strong, but she was cheerful and
visibly happy about the reunion.
Today I spent the Sunday with
Otto in Flushing. We used the afternoon for a visit to the World
Exhibition. How many incredibly different people there are here! Whites,
Blacks, all kinds of mixes, ugly mugs and also wonderfully strong, fresh faces
- everybody running around here. That this mixture can amount to a nation seems
like a miracle, when you think of what we denote with the word "Volk".
The World Exhibition itself is interesting, but
actually not in a way that would make one glad. Everywhere just technology and
propaganda. The best yet is in an area where technology is at the frontier of
its capabilities: at the newest train
locomotives, automobiles, etc. Italy and Russia too have erected two big buildings; Germany is not represented. Italy is showing much artisan craft work, technology too
(airplanes, etc). At the Russians the best was: the large sculptures. The
interior of the building partially filled with the cheapest and most mindless
propaganda. But interesting what the different nations are taking pride in: At
the Russians, e.g. the statue of a woman accustomed to driving a tractor; a
miner; pictures of famous pilots. A nation like America, by contrast, describes itself as: "The World's Most
Famous Playgrounds", "The Happiest City"- etc. Overall though, the exhibition
is showing a completely devoid of meaning, if externally glittery world.-
This morning I spoke on the
phone with Theo v. Laue. It is still doubtful that I
can see him. He lives with friends now in a mountainous part some 300 km away.
Perhaps I can get there with Uncle Karl's car. But only after
my return from Purdue.
I find it awful that I have
not heard from you and everybody in such a long time. Of course, it is not
possible, but I miss it very much. I am having so many new experiences and no
one really with whom to process it properly. The people here are just thinking quite
differently than where we come from; particularly the young ones. An 18 year
old cousin of Mary's is living here at the house too, and is often visited by a
rather nice boy-friend as well. The totally automatic assumption is that life
is about "Having a good time". If they were to realize that for me this looks a
little differently, they would think I am crazy, or not telling the truth. But
of course I am not letting them notice. One thing is very nice here: everything
works, so to speak, out of its own accord, without effort.-
By the way, so far I have not encountered anti-German sentiments; all the
Americans have treated me very nicely.- I hope to hear from you very soon! To
you and the little ones all my best! Yours, Werner.
P.S. (6/26) Monday night. In
half an hour my train will leave for Chicago. In case my next letter is not going to be on time, I
am already sending you many happy birthday wishes; but I will write you a
proper letter to go out on Saturday from here. My very, very best! Yours, Werner.
Chicago , Tuesday morning (6/27/39)
My dear Li!
Above all else, I want to
send you many good wishes for your birthday. I find it awful that I cannot set
up your birthday table myself; I hope you have your mother visit and celebrate
with you and the three little ones. How might you all be doing, I wonder? I
have not heard a thing from you all, but that is also hardly possible; yet it
creates a feeling of uncertainty when you are without any news for a fortnight.
I hope you are getting regular mail from here. I will send all letters via
airmail which seems to go out Wednesdays and Saturdays (from New York). Can you find out when airmail is going out where
you are? I am collecting in each of my
letters a diary of the three days.
The trip from New York to here was lovely. For the first few hours you drive
along the Hudson River, in many ways reminiscent of the Rhine.
It is wider, but also confined on both sides by small mountain chains. The
shores are settled very thinly, once in a while there is a hamlet of wooden
houses up high. On the river itself there are steamboats and paddleboats, and
the shores are often occupied by naked folk who want to escape to the waters
from the heat. During the night we once came through a forest glittering with
millions of fireflies, it looked like in a fairy tale.-
This morning I first got lost driving in Chicago, but then eventually got to where I wanted to go.
Unfortunately, my suitcase is not yet here, so I cannot yet change clothes.
Although it is indescribably hot; the sky is overcast and the air all humid; I
hope there will be rain this afternoon.
Wednesday night (6/28). In the meantime I have received your letter;
many, many thanks. How much has happened to you all in these few days! I hope
that Jochen is all better now; it is not really
unusual that he has a hernia, that will likely soon pass, but one has to be
very careful. Now you are all alone in Leipzig with the little fellow. The "big
ones" in Berlin will hopefully not stir up too much trouble. That
they will be coming back to you on July 4th, is nice. I hope you are
getting a good helper. It was so good to hear from you all; maybe soon there
will be more mail.- The day was rather strenuous, I have done nothing all day
but listen to and engage in physics.- My big suitcase seems to really be lost;
a big nuisance. I have not yet had the time to look into it. Tomorrow morning I
have to drop all physics and first investigate this. In a foreign country where
you are not familiar with organizational arrangements, it becomes an unpleasant
task. I would therefore prefer to write more tomorrow, because on account of
this matter I am not quite in the mood for writing.
Thursday night (6/29) Now it looks like I will be getting my suitcase
after all. It is supposedly already in Chicago and will soon get here. I hope that is true. I have
already bought two new shirts to look at least half way decent. - The day again
was completely taken up with physics (and suitcase searches). (Just now the
suitcase is brought in to the room - hooray!!)
I am happy to see so many old acquaintances again. It is strange in a
way, to return after ten years to a distant place on earth with which at one
time one was very familiar. Much has not changed, the
people have all aged a little - I myself probably as well. But they are all very
nice to me. The day before yesterday I
was invited to the house in which I had lived for half a year. The piano stood
in the same place and I had to, of course, play it. - I
also met Bonhoeffer today. He is soon going back
home and will bring you greetings and catch you up. -
The heat is still indescribable. At night you sleep on the bed "without
anything". - Last night suddenly in front of my window several shots were
fired, which reminded me of the 'good old times - of Chicago', otherwise was
pretty disruptive. It seemed to just be some kind of prank. So, I am soon off
again; besides, I do not want to start a new sheet of paper to save postage
(hence also the tight writing). Now once more my very, very best! And have a
good time celebrating with the little ones! Yours, Werner.
Friday night. (Chicago-Lafayette, 6/30/39)
Dear, good Li!
Now the conference here is
over; I have given my talk today too and now I am exhausted from all the many
discussions. Overall, I have learned many new things and am very happy that I
have participated. But tonight it would be nice if I could sit comfortably with
you and tell you everything. Instead, I am alone in a rather boring hotel room,
am so tired that I can barely think anymore, and would probably not be able to
go to sleep anyhow on account of the heat. I seek solace in pictures from Leipzig, partly in my head, partly from my pocket. I hope I
get some mail from you again soon. What is new about the house on the Walchen Lake, I wonder? And how much is Jochen
now weighing? What are the "big ones" up
to?- They must still be in Berlin
and are, one hopes, behaving themselves properly.- Tomorrow I want to leave
here at noon-an acquaintance will give me a ride in the car- first to a country
house on Lake Michigan, to swim, then later to Purdue.
Sunday
morning; Lafayette (7/2). Yesterday we only arrived here at midnight. In the morning I still took care of a few little
things in Chicago, visited the German Consul and the party representative, at
2:30 pm three of us went to Michigan City by car(...) from there about ten km
further to a little bathing spot called Grand Beach. There we met up right away
with the acquaintances, a family with two very nice children (boy of about 6
years a. girl, about 4 years). Ten minutes after our arrival we were already
off swimming in the lake, wonderfully refreshing after the heat of the past days. Then we
engaged in all kinds of games, took walks in the dunes and on the beach,
eventually went into the water again for quite some time and only when it got
dark did we put our clothes on again. After dinner and a gemütlich
time together we left there shortly before ten o'clock. It had cooled down a little, for a change, under the most magnificent
full moon the almost empty road took us south. It was so bright that one also
could have driven without headlights. The landscape is a little reminiscent of Westphalia, many fields of grain and meadows, in between deciduous forests. I am
staying here in the guest house of the university, the whole area of the
'campus' looks a little like the Kaiser-Wilhelm- Institutes in Berlin and the Harnack house. On a little stroll (once again in awful
heat) I found out that already in about half an hour one totally leaves the
city behind. Already on the other side of campus begin the cow fields; next to
a large farm building the university cows are grazing, behind
it is the airport and then further down the woods. I think I will find
it very pleasant here these next three weeks.
Evening: Meanwhile there was a party at the 'head of
department', who plays the violin and viola quite well. Naturally: Kegelstatt Trio and Vivaldi. He
lives on a hill on the other side of the river; the river is called Wabash,
is a bit more than the Saale and goes right through town. The town itself is
barely the size of Göttingen; there are, of course,
no old houses, just modern stone buildings in the English style, and then many
mostly wooden homes. One has the impression of a certain wealth,
the university in particular seems to be very well off.
Monday night (7/3) Now I can just add a
few lines in a hurry, since I am expected upstairs, and the letter has to be
posted to get there on time. Just now your second letter arrived and one from
Mama. Thank you very, very much. I am glad that you all are doing more or less
fine. That you have some peace and quiet now, is nice; you can really use it.- Once Jochen
gets some mountain air, he will become less
fussy, I think. I am already now often looking forward to the Walchen Lake.
At 7:30 am is my first, somewhat official lecture, so I have to
quickly close now. To the four of you my very,very best, I am thinking of you so much and maybe
you can sense that a little too. Yours, Werner.
La Fayette 7/4/39
My dear "Birthday Girl"!
Today you have to celebrate
without me; but the little ones will be coming with your mother to congratulate
you, - they could be called a kind of greeting from me,-then you are getting a
few little things of which I don't
know quite if you will like them, and finally I sent a telegram just now. That
will not get to you, though, until rather late. For our time differs from yours
by 6 hours, so that now you are already into early evening. In a corner of my
heart I thought of telephoning you. But for one it is uncannily expensive and
then from this little locale so many intermediate connectors need to be made
that I doubt the thing would work out. So I console myself with my returning in
a month already.
I was so very happy about
your letter. I can imagine the garden so well and miss it that there are no
roses here. Your conversation with Jacobi also is very clear to me; he is quite right that one
cannot have everything. But if we don't want the things we do to stay stuck in
superficiality, then it will always be the case that we will have to arrange
our whole life such that we renounce most options voluntarily. I do not view
this as a calamity. I am also firmly convinced that once the times become more
favorable towards an intellectual life, we will much more than so far
participate in it. How much these possibilities are dependent on the whole
atmosphere around us impresses itself strongly on me
here. There are many very alive people here; the young ones, in particular, are
engaged in intellectually challenging ways more than where we are.
Wednesday night (7/5). Today I
received another letter from you. I hope you have been very cautious since
then, I was so sorry to hear that you were sick. But wonderful, that you wrote
me. Will I even recognize little Jochen when I come
home again?- What is happening with the Lake Walchen house? Will it be ready before we move? (...) And do
play a lot of music while I am gone. Maybe then you will find it easier, even
when I am home. I too am quite busy here. Except the piano is poor and the
rooms are too hot (...); but I try to study for an hour every day.-
The day yesterday, your birthday, had a very nice
ending for us here. We drove towards evening out into a
hilly landscape extending from here towards
the south, covered with woods. There we stayed, outside, at a
strange waterfall amid rocks, until almost midnight. A little fire was lit,
and slowly
memories came back from a time long ago; it happened automatically that I was
in charge of the fire by myself, and I placed almost without thinking piece after
piece of wood into the fire, following the old rules, till it was all
symmetrical and round and burning perfectly even. Above the fire a magnificent
clear starry sky was stretched out, looking only slightly different from ours
at home. Later on the moon came up and changed the whole picture again; in the
moonlight the woods looked homey and familiar; as I was sort of gazing there,
and then on top of it could sense the fire's smoke in my clothes, it felt as if
a very deep chord had been struck which had not sounded in a long time.
Thursday evening (7/6). The letter must go, and in five minutes I am
expected at the institute. Today I gave my lecture, played tennis, had many discussions. I have the feeling that I am becoming
younger here and more physically active. Even the newspaper only rarely gets
read. America has strange effects, on me too. But I am still happy
that I will soon come home. In four weeks I will be leaving again. So, in a
hurry, a thousand heartfelt greetings! Yours, Werner.
La Fayette, Friday 7/7 evening (39)
My dear Li!
Today another letter from you
arrived and this one even took only one week from Leipzig to here. How nice that you are all doing well! But
tell me: is it smart that you want to do all the work in July by yourself?
Couldn't you get help at least on the 15th? Of course, you must know
best, but you must not get overworked, and it might be a good idea if the
successor to Miss Örtl is a little experienced by the
time we go to Bavaria. But you do what fits you best.-
It is almost midnight, and I am terribly tired; today was a somewhat boring
day - except for your letter. Besides even now the temperature outside is
(according to the thermometer) above 30 degrees, that oppresses the mood a
little.
Saturday afternoon (7/8). I do not quite manage yet in these incredibly
high degrees of temperature. I am
wilted and not motivated for any kind of work.
I am wearing as little as is possible and decent; however, five minutes of
piano practice are enough to make you sweat like two hours' worth of basic
training in the military. It really is very good that in a month I will arrive
back with you all. What the little ones will look like? I always look at their
pictures and am aware that they may have changed completely in the meantime.
I wonder if the two big ones
are already talking some? I am terribly curious.
Sunday night (7/9) Last night we ended up making music. Leclair,
Handel, Brahms (Horn Trio). Same thing tonight: I am accompanying the wife of
an American colleague who really sings very well. Old Italian Lieder, Rossini,
Mozart, Debussy. Also a few violin sonatas were played. But all the pianos here
are bad - probably
due to the hot humid climate. Music here is only half as much fun. On these
uneven pianos I am playing even more inexactly than at home.-
Otherwise the weather here was terrific: a completely clear blue sky and dry
air. The heat then is felt very little, and now towards evening it has cooled
down much more than usual. For lunch I was invited at the president's house,
afterwards we took a trip by car to a pretty valley nearby. Tomorrow too is
kind of a holiday, so we want to drive to a lake, some 40km from here and go
swimming. Unfortunately, I am a little handicapped on one foot: a mosquito bite
at the heel must have gotten infected and the foot has swelled up totally; I am
limping about miserably. I hope it improves by tomorrow.
Monday noon (7/10) Although the foot is
not very different, the bathing can only help it. In fifteen minutes I will be picked
up by car. I had a letter from Mama today who seems to
be doing quite well. Has Mama been to the house on Lake Walchen yet? By the way, what is supposed to happen with the
one odd room that needs to be changed completely? Should we start the remodeling
only once we are there? Then we cannot use that room for quite some time, of
course. But maybe that isn't all that bad.
I am so curious about how you
are faring in Leipzig now. Mama wrote me she had found you a very suitable
helper, but you had declined. Don't you want to take her now anyhow? But, of
course, I cannot judge from here how sensible that would be. New mail from you
can get here at the earliest tomorrow or the day after. Especially now that I
am not quite feeling well, I have a great longing for news from you all.
I am reading in the papers
that at least for the next weeks there is no danger of war. That is a great
relief to me because of my travel home. It is now pretty much half- time since
my departure from Leipzig. So one can already start counting the days some.
Just take good care of yourself and the little ones. Greetings
to them all, especially our youngest, whom I don't quite know how to picture
now. Every good wish!
Yours, Werner
Lafayette, Tuesday 7/11/39
Dear Li!
Since last Saturday I have
not heard from you again, but that is hardly possible any other way, since the
last one got here so unusually fast. I hope you are regularly receiving my
letters. When I get back to New York, I can more easily time the airmail pick- ups. I am
now just counting on it leaving New York every Wednesday and Saturday.
The excursion to the lake I
mentioned to you yesterday was very enjoyable. A wonderful cool - compared to
normal conditions here - day with a cloudless clear sky. In the air you could
almost get chilled in your swimming trunks. However, the water had become soupy
warm over the past week (I would say at least 28c), one could swim for hours
without getting cold.
So we swam across the lake to the other shore and back. The lake was created
artificially through dams; it is almost 25km long, but quite narrow in some
places. The landscape surrounding the lake is flat, deciduous forest and grain
fields. My foot is doing a little better today,; but it is still quite swollen,
just less painful than these previous days.- My lectures are
going along quite nicely and people are paying very close attention. I am
enjoying lecturing here. In Leipzig
one would meet in the same class only a tenth of people who really understand
the material.
Wednesday evening (7/12). Gradually here too the number of obligations
is increasing to a degree that I have too little time just like in Leipzig. In addition, I am now progressing from the material
in my lectures that I have already given in Leipzig to the one I still have to work out. I need more time
for this than people here are allowing me. I do not like declining so much.
Thus I am expected tomorrow at the Chair of the
Board of Trustees, after
lunch to rehearse music with the wife of a colleague who sings well, and who
will give a concert with me at a party, at 3:30 I have my lecture, then I want to play tennis for an
hour, at 7:30 tonight I have another lecture. You can see, no
sooner has one become known a little in a town, than the same old business is
starting up too, which does not leave you time really to think. I am once again
consoling myself as I do often, with Lake Walchen. Sometimes I worry a little that in the beginning it
will have to be terribly uncomfortable, because, of course,
everything has to be done over. But it might be also quite nice to work as a
gardener and handyman for a change. What is the state of affairs now with the
house, how far has the work on the terrace progressed? I would love to once or
twice from here be able to check on things, but now I have to leave everything
to you. By the way, one can do the math: today half of the separation time is
over, isn't that nice? I hope tomorrow will bring mail from you again.
Thursday noon (7/13) No mail yet - too bad, maybe in the afternoon.
I am waiting for the musician fight now, and am using the spare time.
This morning I again had a long talk with
the Head of the Department who would like to invite me here more often. Also, I
have been asked by others a few times, under what conditions I would
permanently come here. The two aspects, light and shadow, are so immensely
clear.
I am treated fabulously in every way. I would have ten
times a many bright students as where we are. It would probably also affect the
results in my work positively. But we just are not at home here. The children
would speak English and grow up in an atmosphere that is foreign to us. That
would not be nice at all and so we are just staying put.-
We finished with the music
now, all Italian, French, modern Dutch music, that is fully unknown to me. The
French lieder are incredibly effective, intriguing in their harmonics, but also
'slightly suspect'.( Mean people might say: champagne
with whipped cream).
Thursday night. Now I can't reply to a letter of yours after all,
maybe tomorrow I'll receive mail. But this letter here must go out, in order to
make the airmail day after tomorrow in New York. Greetings to the three little ones who are, I hope,
acting their best and not giving you reason to worry and you yourself farewell.
In my thoughts I am so much with you all. Take care! Yours,
Werner.
Friday, 7/14/39 (Lafayette)
My dear, little Li!
It is almost midnight and I am calculating that the sun is already up where
you are, that little Jochen is maybe hungry already
and disrupting your sleep. It is in some sense strange that day and night are
different where you are from here. In a poem from the youth movement booklet
which you know there is the verse: "The luster of the day that gave us joy
circles the world silently and brightly".
That must be right on; I hope
everything is well with you all. We are having some wonderful weather here today;
after just the day before yesterday the thermometer climbed to 37 Celsius in
the shade, the air is cool today and outside there is this real fresh summer
night. We have played music for a long time with acquaintances, this time some
really good music and then listened to records of Mozart and Beethoven. The
violin concerto by Beethoven has made me come alive again, just incredible
music. In the winter we must listen to a lot of music and play it too. Now I am
looking forward to tomorrow; there ought to be a letter from you, because I
have not heard from you for a whole week. So good night for now!
Saturday night (7/15) Something must have
gone wrong with your letters in the mail. Today I received
a letter from Euler sent a week after
your last letter, but nothing from you yet. If anything were in disarray with
you, you would have telegraphed me, so I will wait until the day after tomorrow
(no mail likely tomorrow, it being Sunday). If I still do not hear anything
then, I will telegraph you. - Nothing special happened today; I prepared my
lecture, played a little piano, wrote to Aunt Helen.
Sunday night (7/16). Today I slowed my pace in the most agreeable fashion : slept in, read the paper, wrote letters in the
morning. At noon I was invited by the Nordheimers,
afterwards we drove around the area a little. Then we listened to the "Magic
Flute" on records, in the evening the whole institute was invited at the
Master mechanic's.
He owns a charming house, has an excellent library, piano and record player, and
considers himself an
equal of the professors, which he actually is with all that. The evening went
splendidly: People played ping-pong, made music (violin and piano), listened to
gramophone records (Handel, Mozart, Liszt). The fact that such a thing is possible, makes for America's real strength. Class distinctions at least in this
place do not exist. And whoever is proud of his work is not going to be tempted
to envy others.
Monday noon (7/17) Finally today there
came news from you; you must have overlooked that the ships of the Hapag (Deutschland, Hansa, Hamburg, etc.) all are very slow (ca.9-10 days) and so the
letter you handed to the Deutschland took so long. Many, many thanks that you
wrote at such length; it is so nice to hear from you all.
(...)
That little Jochen has such trouble with his hernia, is making me real
worried. He is obviously much worse off than Wolfgang was. But you are taking
care of him the best way possible; so it is bound to improve soon on its own.
He turned 2 months just yesterday; now he will become stronger too and in the
worst case scenario he would make it through an operation quite well.
About him and the two big
ones I am very curious. I doubt actually whether the big ones will still
recognize me. I am now happily looking forward to being with you in just over
three weeks; that is really not very long anymore. On Friday or Saturday I am
leaving here by car to Ann
Arbor in the
state of Michigan, to see the Fermis. There I
will stay over Sunday and start on Monday, eight days from today, my engagement
in New York. (...) Now have a very good time during those three
weeks you all! The letter must go out today to make the airmail. Many, many
greetings! Yours, Werner.
La Fayette, Friday 7/18 (39)
My dear Li!
Sometimes the mail is
incredibly fast: Today I got your letter from last Tuesday, it took less than a
week. Many thanks for everything you tell me about! I had the feeling that you
are a little overworked and that the whole job with the children is making you
too tired after all. I hope you have good help now, that
is I hope the new helpful soul you hired is coming through for you. I am so
curious about everything new when I return.- Today was
avery nice day: Miss Sponer
with whom I studied in Göttingen came for a visit. We had an easy rapport and "chatted" a long time about the past.
Thursday morning. Last night I was invited by a group of younger people
in the institute and came home only at 12:45 am. Then I was really too tired to still write. I am preparing for my
departure already. Tomorrow my suitcase is off to New York. The day after I am giving my last lecture, then the Nordheims are driving me to Ann Arbor. Till then I still have lots of work. Today I am to
give two lectures, both of which I have not yet prepared. All together I still
have to give four more talks in the remaining days.- The weather since the
beginning of the week is exemplary, never too warm, mostly glorious sunshine
and only once, two days ago, a huge thunderstorm with immense quantities of
rain; but even that did not last long. So far, I have never worn my coat here
in Lafayette, or generally in America. A good thing I did not bring a hat; it would have
been the most useless object in the world.
By the way, I think I have
not yet told you about our musical evening on Monday: the "boss" had found a
cellist, so that we could play quartet with him and a violinist he knew. We
went over the Beethoven and the two Mozarts; that was
a very great delight. In spite of the bad piano (on some keys the ivory was
missing, in the higher ranges the tone was reminiscent of a stone ax) I believe
I played quite decently. It definitely was fun in the absence of a Jacobi to properly direct such a quartet myself. Probably
we will play again today or tomorrow; since the cellist is unavailable, trios
will be tried, where the viola substitutes the cello. We have found out the
other day that with Schubert that works out quite decently.
When you get this letter, you
will be most likely full force in the preparations for the trip to Lake Walchen. How come that the transport
is so incredibly costly? Also it's
regrettable that the vulcanization of the tires will not be possible. I am
surprised that for this there are now such long waits. But it is good that you
managed to scout for new tires, and in general it is enormous how competently
you are accomplishing the whole organization of the trip in addition to the
work with the children. When I get to Leipzig, I must see to a few practical things: I have to go
to the bank, must take care of the mail in the institute, talk with the people
there and finally buy a few things. If the sea voyage goes smoothly, we should
be in Bremerhaven early Tuesday. So I would arrive in Leipzig Tuesday night. But one can obviously not know in
advance if the trip will be delayed by fog or such things. -
Evening: Now the letter must go out to reach the air mail. Greetings to the
little ones, also especially the youngest, even if he does not want to comply.
All the best to you, from your Werner.
Monday, 7/24/39, New York
My dear Li!
This time you get a somewhat shorter
letter than usual; on the days of traveling here, I did not manage
to write at all. Friday passed with packing,
giving my lecture, and a good-bye party, we sat together till almost 1 o'clock at the house of acquaintances. Saturday I lectured
again from ten to eleven and then quickly got in the car, and we drove the
400km to Ann Arbor almost without a break. We got there at seven o'clock. We traveled through a hilly, partially wooded
terrain with many fields of grain, in between there was a region with many
lakes, similar to Mecklenburg. In Ann Arbor I met up with the Fermis
right away at a party, and they told me much about their experiences during the
recent months. Also I met their children; they already spoke English rather
well. To see a few old acquaintances again, gave me great joy. Much has changed
there, but the friendly calm of this town, entirely consisting of gardens, has
remained the same. I did not pass by my
apartment from earlier times, regrettably. Till Sunday night I stayed there, in
the afternoon with the entire Italian colony: Fermi, Amaldi,
Fano, and others. Last night then I got in the
sleeping compartment and woke up early to a cloudless sky as we were just
traveling along the Hudson.
During the night we had also
crossed a very wide river, but I have not yet found out where that was.
Probably it was the Niagara, but in the dark I could not see the Falls. Here the
first enjoyable event was finding your letter; many thanks for that! How nice
that you are all doing so well. I am also happy that you are pleased with the helper;
let's hope it stays that way.
Tuesday afternoon. In an hour I give my lecture and then I have to
hurry to catch the train to Larchmont. So I have to quickly finish this letter.
A week from today I am already boarding the ship. Thus I have the feeling as if
I am already leaving again, the time doesn't seem very long anymore. In
fourteen days I will arrive in Leipzig, if the steamship goes accordingly. Till then I will have
a very nice time here at Uncle Karl's to be sure, I'll be living there in the
country, from every window one looks out at high trees and in the morning one
is awakened by singing birds. Also, the resemblance of Uncle Karl's with my
father, though slight, makes me feel right at home.-
So, give the little ones my
love and when you get this letter it will only be about ten days till my
return. Take care, Yours, Werner.
New York, Friday noon, 7/28/39
My dear Li!
Here in New York it is not easy to make time for writing. Due to the
great distance between the house and the University I am wasting so much time,
and in the evenings I am sitting till late into the night with Uncle Karl and
Aunt Helen. To boot, there is an awful humid heat here that robs you of all
initiative to undertake anything. I am now really glad that I am going East in
a few days again; I am so curious about Leipzig-how you are all doing and how much the children have
grown. Since your letter from the 11th I have not heard anything;
mail just is slow. With your plan of travel I am in agreement, I only think it
is too bad that you will not be in the car too; but maybe that is how it works
best (...). Till we meet again! Yours, Werner.
New York, Sunday night, 7/30/39
My dear Li!
In the meantime I have
received a long letter from you and you won't be able to write me again before
I leave, but perhaps I get news again in Cherbourg. I am so happy that everything is going so well with
you all, that little Jochen is thriving and that you
are looking forward to my return. I am now more excited day by day about seeing
you all, it is now only a few days until then and when you get this letter I am
probably just a thousand km off the British coast. The ship I am going home on
is already in the harbor, tomorrow morning I will pack my suitcase, the day
after it's off on board. Although I am getting very spoiled here at Uncle Karl's
the time is stretching awfully long now. Mama wrote me already from Lake Walchen; there seems to be a lot of work and furnishings will
cost a bundle yet. But in return, I think, all of us will often have a very
good time. -
Tuesday morning (8/1) In the meantime I have strolled in the city
once more all by myself, and looked at the sights I still wanted to see: after
I took care of all my papers at the customs office, I went up to the highest
building (400m) and looked at everything from above in clear weather. Then I
ate lunch up on the 86th floor - it is considerably more airy there
than on the Europahaus- and when I stepped out onto the open terrace my
briefcase almost was ripped from my hands by the wind. I like these high towers
that stand in the city like huge rocks more than everything else. Compared to
them all our high buildings are just toys. If you want to get an approximate
impression of the buildings here, you should think of the rocks in the Dolomite Mountains - the little Zinne or the Brenta. And by night they are all unbelievable fairy tale
castles with a thousand lights. So -
tonight I am saying good-bye to this world of man-made rocks to return to the
friendlier mountains formed by nature. But one thing I still have to tell you
so that you can get a better impression and can understand why I am referring
to "rocks": yesterday I was walking through the streets and looked up at one of
these buildings. There was -like often in the mountains- a cloud clinging to
the top portion of such a tower which obscured the summit totally for some
time, and only when the wind picked up, did the top portion reappear,
glittering in the sunlight from the moisture. From up above I have also spotted
the ship in the harbor which brings me to Germany. Tonight I go on board and after midnight we will depart. I am looking forward to the sea
voyage, and of course so much more to seeing you all again.-Uncle Karl and Aunt
Helen also are sending their best to you all. So, in one week I will be with
you again. To a happy reunion, Li! Yours, Werner.
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