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Says Einstein Belongs First to Jews, then to World

December 24, 1930
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To the Editor of the Jewish Daily Bulletin:

An editorial published in the New York Times of December 11, entitled “Einstein’s Arrival” extending greetings to Einstein upon his arrival in this country, stated in closing, “Professor Einstein belongs of course first to Germany and then to the World.”

No praise is sufficient to measure up with the achievements of this scientist. It is not these great men, however, who seek praise, but it is the people they spring from who rejoice in their greatness.

It is strange to see that even newspapers of liberal thought are reluctant to give credit to the Jewish people for having produced men as famous as Einstein. Recent development of anti-Semitic agitation in Germany under the Hitlerites as well as recent statements in the German press insulting Einstein on his leaving Germany for the United States surely do not entitle Germany to the credit that this man belongs to her first.

Einstein has never denied his origin and affiliations with Jewish thought and Jewish national ideals. In fairness, therefore, to the man and to the Jewish community here, the sentence, “Einstein belongs of course first to Germany and then to the World” should read, “Einstein belongs of course first to the Jewish people and then to the World.”

Very sincerely yours,

Bercu Fischer.

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