Letter handwritten and personally signed by Albert Einstein, and letters handwritten and personally signed by his second wife, Elsa. Addressed to their friend, the Danish journalist, Karen Stampe Bendix. German.
1. Letter from Albert and Elsa Einstein. Written on the shore of Cristóbal, Panama, and sent from on board the steamer "Oakland" operated by HAPAG (Hamburg-Amerika Linie). Written on HAPAG stationery. December 31, 1932. German.
There are two parts to this letter, the first handwritten by Elsa Einstein, and the second handwritten by Albert Einstein (hand-signed "A. Einstein").
In this letter, Elsa Einstein expresses her gratitude to Stampe Bendix for the fruit basket she sent to the couple, and writes of how the voyage on board the ship has been good for her husband, who has never appeared as calm and collected. In his note, Albert adds his own warm thanks to Stampe Bendix, adding that "I often feel ashamed when I am showered with unearned kindness and sympathy." In the first half of December, 1932, Albert Einstein and his second wife Elsa embarked on a sea voyage to America on board the steamship "Oakland"; Albert was en route to a series of lectures in addition to meetings regarding his professional and academic future, but he had no idea at the time that he and his wife would never return to Germany.
While Einstein was visiting the United States, on January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. The rise of the Nazis to power opened a new chapter in German history. Albert and Elsa returned one more time to Europe, but refused to set foot in Germany. In Belgium, Albert Einstein renounced his German citizenship (for the second time), publicly denounced the barbarism of the Nazi regime, and resigned his membership in the Prussian Academy of Sciences. Many of his former friends and colleagues at the Academy greeted the news of his resignation with silence. His summer home in the village of Caputh (near Potsdam) was looted and plundered, a bounty was placed on his head, and his writings were destroyed in a public book-burning that took place in May, 1933. Upon his return to America, Einstein accepted the job offer made to him at Princeton University's newly created Institute for Advanced Study. He and Elsa settled in Princeton, New Jersey, where he resumed his scientific and political activity. Einstein remained in Princeton until his death in 1955.
[1] f., folded in half (three handwritten pages), 18.5 cm. Good condition. Fold lines and minor creases. Minor stains. Minor tear to edge.
2-5. Three letters and a postcard, handwritten and hand-signed by Elsa Einstein. Europe, [1930s]. One letter written on Albert Einstein's personal stationery.
These letters deal with various personal matters. In one letter, Elsa Einstein requests that Stampe Bendix mark the envelopes of all letters addressed to her as "personal" and "urgent, " otherwise Albert will simply lay them down on her desk without telling her, and they will be ignored and forgotten. In another letter, Elsa writes that Albert has been away for ten days already, addressing the League of Nations in Geneva, and begs for Stampe Bendix's patience in her anticipation of a response from him.
Additionally, Elsa offers advice on the subject of raising children; invites Stampe Bendix to come and visit (but warns her to give plenty of notice, because the house is so often filled with guests); thanks her for the bread she has been sending, but pleads with her to stop doing so because there is more than enough fresh bread available in the house; and more.
Size and condition vary. Overall good condition. Minor stains, fold lines, and creases. Open tear to upper portion of one letter (not affecting text).

Karen Stampe Bendix (1881-1963), Danish educator, screenwriter, and author. Daughter of the Danish-Jewish composer Victor Bendix and the Danish baroness, author, and philanthropist Rigmor Stampe Bendix (goddaughter of Hans Christian Andersen). Stampe Bendix became friendly with the Einstein couple in the 1930s, and published a lengthy article on Albert Einstein in the Danish daily newspaper "Politiken."