A typed letter signed by Albert Einstein ("A. Einstein"), written to Mrs. Eryl Rudlin in January 1942, concerning his efforts to secure a Mexican visa for his relative, Brigitte Alexander-Katz, during the Holocaust. This letter represents Einstein's quiet but determined humanitarian work at the height of World War II, as millions of Jews faced persecution and death across Nazi-occupied Europe. Typed on his personal blind-embossed Princeton letterhead and boldly signed, this letter is a powerful artifact of Einstein's private moral convictions and his willingness to use his global influence to save lives.
In the letter, Einstein responds to Mrs. Rudlin's continued concern for the Alexander-Katz family, acknowledging the delays in their visa application. He reaffirms his confidence that admission to Mexico will be granted, noting that the Mexican authorities have kept him informed about the case's progress. However, he reiterates his position on the limits of his intervention, stating that it remains "out of the question" for him to directly petition the Mexican government for an official invitation, as he has already done "what could be done without intrusion."
Despite his written modesty, historians believe that Einstein did exert gentle pressure through informal channels, likely working through the Mexican Ambassador to the United States, Gilberto Bosques, who was instrumental in issuing visas to European refugees. Soon after this letter, the Alexander-Katz family received a telegram confirming their escape to Veracruz, Mexico, aboard the ship San Thomé.