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ANS in German, signed "A. Einstein," one page on a 3.5 x 2.5 card, January 12, 1954. Einstein writes to "Herr Igersheimer," thanks his correspondent for an unknown ancestral gallery, adding (translated): "You can tell at first glance that they weren't chosen like presidents!" In fine to very fine condition, with Einstein's handwriting remaining exceptionally bold.
The recipient of this note is presumably Joseph Igersheimer (1879-1965), a German ophthalmologist known for his pioneering work on the treatment of syphilis. In 1933, Igersheimer's Jewish ancestry led to his exile from Nazi Germany. Einstein took an active role in securing him a position in Turkey: he wrote to the Turkish prime minister in September 1933, requesting that forty professors and doctors (including Igersheimer) be permitted to practice in the country as German laws increasingly prohibited Jews from continuing their scientific and medical work. Between 1933 and 1939, Joseph Igersheimer was the architect of modern ophthalmology in Turkey; he then immigrated to the United States, joining the faculty of Tufts University School of Medicine.
Igersheimer was one of many German Jews to benefit from Einstein's name and influence. Einstein is credited with saving hundreds of lives as an ardent advocate for Jews seeking to escape Hitler's reach and find asylum elsewhere—he even joked that he ran an 'immigration office.' He frequently made visa applications for other German Jews, personally vouched for refugees fleeing Nazi rule, solicited philanthropic support from fellow celebrities, and aided in securing employment for refugees around the world.
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