Einstein on Gandhi

Albert Einstein

"I believe that Gandhi's views were the most enlightened of all the political men in our time.

We should strive to do things in his spirit: not to use violence in fighting for our cause, but by non-participation in anything you believe is evil. "

Albert Einstein


Einstein's letter to Gandhi - Courtesy: Saraswati Albano-Müller
Letter by Albert Einstein to Mahatma Gandhi

Translation:

Respected Mr. Gandhi !
I use the presence of your friend in our home to send you these lines. You have shown through your works, that it is possible to succeed without violence even with those who have not discarded the method of violence. We may hope that your example will spread beyond the borders of your country, and will help to establish an international authority, respected by all, that will take decisions and replace war conflicts.
With sincere admiration,

Yours A. Einstein.

I hope that I will be able to meet you face to face some day.


Gandhi's letter to Einstein - Source: Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, vol. 54
LONDON, October 18, 1931

DEAR FRIEND,
I was delighted to have your beautiful letter sent through Sundaram. It is a great consolation to me that the work I am doing finds favour in your sight. I do indeed wish that we could meet face to face and that too in India at my Ashram.

Yours sincerely,
M. K. GANDHI

Notes by Einstein on Gandhi - Source: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Einstein's writeup on Gandhi Translation:

"Mahatma Gandhi's life achievement stands unique in political history. He has invented a completely new and humane means for the liberation war of an oppressed country, and practised it with greatest energy and devotion. The moral influence he had on the conciously thinking human being of the entire civilized world will probably be much more lasting than it seems in our time with its overestimation of brutal violent forces. Because lasting will only be the work of such statesmen who wake up and strengthen the moral power of their people through their example and educational works.

We may all be happy and grateful that destiny gifted us with such an enlightened contemporary, a role model for the generations to come."