[…] But I was very startled by the other topic of your letter: I had not reckoned with you also not wanting to return to Göttingen[²] and I still hope that this is not a definite decision of yours. For, I have been at Planck's in Berlin and discussed with him the problem of what we could do on behalf of physics. Planck —I believe I may safely pass this on to you—has spoken with the head of government and has received the assurance that the government will not undertake anything that might impede our science beyond the new Civil Service Law.[³] As on the other hand only very few are affected by the law—certainly not you and Franck: surely also not Courant—the political changes could take place without any damage to physics at Göttingen.[⁴] Naturally, from the human point of view I understand very well your hesitation to return to such thankless surroundings; but you also clearly know how gratefully the students think of you for having been exposed to the scientific atmosphere which pervaded your research. It is obviously not easy for us others either to hold out at our posts: Bloch's departure from my institute[⁵] has resulted in the partial destruction of a section that had cost me a lot of time and effort. A few nasty things have even been happening within the workings of science itself.[⁶] Even so, I know that there are leading people also in the new political arena who are well worth our patient endurance. In the course of time the ugly elements will be severed from the fine ones. Therefore I would like to encourage you to the best of my ability not to see only ingratitude at Göttingen.