EUROPE'S DANGER EUROPE'S HOPE - by Albert Einstein, published by Friends of Europe. London, 1933. Rare.
In 1933 Albert Einstein participated in a conference held at the Royal Albert Hall in London, organized by the Refugee Assistance Fund and other organizations. Around 10,000 people gathered to hear the speakers, who in addition to Professor Einstein included other important speakers. After the event the organization published a full transcript of Einstein's words at that conference in the booklet before us.
In his speech Einstein referred to the "value of the free man" noting the danger facing the free man in the Nazi era: "Modern life is worthwhile because the individual is guaranteed the possibility of free development, free communication, free religion, and as far as human society's prosperity allows, free initiative to act... No one can deny that today this very foundation of decent existence is under considerable threat. Forces are at work trying to destroy Europe's heritage of freedom, tolerance and respect for man - such as Hitlerism, militarism and communism... Anyone who loves the finer revelations and beauty of the human spirit, and believes he is capable of discerning the deeper causes of the current situation, is obliged to raise his voice in warning...".
He furthermore refers to "t he petty people currently ruling Germany" , and proposed establishing an international authority that would stand against the tyranny of the individual: "Political leaders bear immense responsibility, as they did twenty years ago. May they succeed, through timely agreement, in establishing conditions of unity and clarity of international commitments in Europe...". And called to preserve the paramount value of preserving and developing the human personality.
In 1932 Einstein went to the United States for his work. When Hitler rose to power in 1933, Einstein was on a lecture tour of the United Kingdom - in the midst of this tour he delivered the lecture before us. A year later the Nazis plundered his possessions, stripped him of his post and also revoked his citizenship. From there Einstein emigrated to the United States where he resided for the rest of his life.
5, [3] p. Very good condition.
