Tuvia Schalit's Di spetsyele relativitets-teorye of 1927 and Other Introductions to the Theory of Relativity in Yiddish

Abstract

Argument

This article discusses a number of heterogeneous Yiddish monographs on Einstein's theory of relativity. It presents background information on Einstein's relationship with the Yiddish language, with the cultural movement, Yiddishism, and with its leading institution, YIVO. Although Einstein avoided taking sides in the conflict between Yiddishism and its rival Zionism, his Zionist friends were successful in establishing at least a “primacy of palestinocentric Zionism” in his thinking. Of special interest are two books by philosophic writers and one by an author trained in mathematics and physics, Tuvia Schalit, an acquaintance of Einstein's assistant Jacob Grommer. This article describes the underlying motivations and the philosophical horizon of these authors, in particular with respect to their view on the relationship between Kantianism and the theory of relativity. In contrast to many German academic philosophers, the Yiddish authors thought it possible to reconcile Kantianism with the new physics.