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Einstein Refuses Attractive Offer to Take Up Permanent Post at Pasadena University in America: Will

May 2, 1931
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The University of Pasadena, in California, where Professor Albert Einstein was recently doing research work at Meunt Wilson Observatory, made him a very attractive offer to stay there permanently, the J.T.A. learns exclusively, not only in regard to salary and special facilities for research work at the Observatory, which is the largest and best equipped in the world, but in addition not requiring him to deliver any lectures and permitting him to stay in Berlin for six months every year during the summer.

Professor Einstein refused the offer, however, being disinclined to uproot himself and go to settle in a new country. He feels also that Berlin has met him as far as possible, and notwithstanding the Hitlerist atmosphere now existing in Berlin, he has decided not to change his permanent place of residence. He would, however, be prepared to accept an offer to go to Pasadena for the winter months, without becoming a permanent member of the staff of the Pasadena University.

When Professor Einstein was in America last December suggestions were made in well-informed quarters in close touch with him that if the wave of Hitlerism in Germany did not subside he might decide not to go back there to meet attack and vilification.

Questioned on this point before he sailed from New York for Pasadena, Professor Einstein said: One should not speak publicly about conditions which I hope will not come to pass, still less should one make decisions in advance. He did not, however, deny the suggestion, and people in close touch with him assured the J.T.A. that he was very much disturbed about the situation in Germany and had been contemplating that if there was no improvement he would prefer to make his home elsewhere, so that he could continue his scientific work in quiet.

When Professor Einstein left Germany for America, the Hitlerist chief organ, the “Voelkischer Beobachter” wrote: All we have to say about it is that we hope that he will never come back to Germany.

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