In the spring of 1919, two British solar eclipse expeditions
confirmed the correctness of general relativity theory and
propelled Albert Einstein to instant celebrity. Before this major
turning point, the majority of Einstein's writings published in
this volume dealt with the clarification of general relativistic
problems, such as the status of the metric field, the character of
gravitational waves, the problem of energy-momentum conservation,
and questions of cosmology, such as the nature and size of the
universe and the distribution of matter within it. After his rise
to international fame, Einstein's publications changed markedly. He
faced an increasing demand for popular articles and lectures on
relativity, its development and meaning. He also felt compelled to
respond to a host of commentators, ranging from skeptical
physicists to philosophers trying to reconcile his revolutionary
theory with their views. For the first time, he also responded in
print to outspoken anti-relativists, some of them fueled by
cultural conservatism and, frequently, anti-Semitism.
Einstein used his newly won fame to lend prestige to political
causes, especially to the reconciliation among European nations and
to Zionism. In the early years of Weimar Germany, Einstein spoke
out vigorously for the young republic, emphasizing the rights of
the individual. He agonized over the misery of the Central
Europeans in the grip of starvation and economic collapse, praised
the support of individuals and groups such as the Quakers, and
championed the cause of Eastern European Jews. His rejection of
assimilation, combined with a fierce defense of the right of Jews
to higher education, led Einstein to campaign for the establishment
of a university in Palestine, the land which he conceived of as a
cultural center for all Jews.
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