Almost as soon as the S. S. Belgenland left Antwerp yesterday, its most distinguished passenger, Professor Albert Einstein, who is on his way to the United States, went to the main deck to get a view of the fast receding port of Antwerp. As the ship pulled out Professor Einstein said to the correspondent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, “now let’s go on deck. I must watch the steamer pulling out.”
Shortly before he went to his cabin, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s correspondent asked Professor Einstein whether he would debark at New York. Smilingly but emphatically the scientist said, “no.” But Frau Einstein intervened and said, “of course we would not attend any dinners there, but we do want to see New York.”
After ten minutes on the main deck Professor Einstein returned to his flower-filled three-room cabin. There was scarcely room to move as flowers, gifts and bon voyage cables cluttered every available spot. Poking around among the gifts that had been sent him from almost every part of the world, Professor Einstein came upon one object that appeared to impress him greatly. It was an oyster shell engraved in Hebrew with the Shield of David. He appeared to be more pleased with this gift, which was from an anonymous admirer, than with all the others put together.
But the great scientist did not waste much time with gifts or farewell messages. After a few moments he turned to his research assistant, Dr. Walter Mayer, and said “now to work.” In a few minutes both were deeply immersed in their mathematical routine from which they fondly hope they will not be disturbed until the Belgenland reaches New York.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
