Historic 1939 Letter by Einstein Advocating for Jews to Be Auctioned

A remarkable piece of history will soon be available to the highest bidder in Los Angeles—a 1939 letter penned by Nobel Prize-winning scientist Albert Einstein. This letter, which champions the rescue of Jews from the impending horrors in Europe, is set to start at a bid of $20,000.

Einstein's heartfelt message, written on his personal Princeton stationery, was addressed to Miss Sadye Klein of New York’s Department of Welfare Veteran Relief Division. He eloquently emphasizes the enduring strength of Jewish solidarity and mutual aid:

"The power of resistance which has enabled the Jewish people to survive for thousands of years has been to a large extent on traditions of mutual helpfulness. In these years of affliction, our readiness to help one another is being put to an especially severe test. May we stand this test as well as did our fathers before us."

He continues, "We have no other means of self-defense than our solidarity, and the knowledge that the cause for which we are suffering is a momentous and sacred one."

Einstein concludes with a note of gratitude for Klein’s efforts: "It must be a source of deep gratification to you to be making so important a contribution toward rescuing our persecuted fellow-Jews from their calamitous peril and leading them toward a better future."

This is not an isolated instance of Einstein’s advocacy. He wrote similar letters to influential American Jews, including Hollywood talent agent William Morris and department store owner Arnold Constable and Co. Additionally, Einstein expressed his views at the Jewish-Palestine pavilion at the World’s Fair, underscoring his commitment to the cause.

The letter will be auctioned by Nate D. Sanders Auctions, with a starting bid of $20,000. Notably, a similar letter was auctioned five years ago, fetching an impressive $135,000.

Albert Einstein, a German-Jewish physicist, emigrated to the United States in 1933. Famous for his theory of relativity, he was a faculty member at Princeton University during a time when anti-Jewish quotas severely limited the presence of Jewish faculty and students.

Einstein’s writings have consistently drawn significant interest. His notes, including his famed “happiness theory,” were auctioned in Jerusalem for $1.3 million. These notes contained simple yet profound wisdom: “A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success, which is combined with constant restlessness” and “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Einstein’s 1939 letter stands as a poignant reminder of the power of solidarity and the enduring spirit of mutual aid that has helped the Jewish people through countless adversities.

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