An unexpected footnote in Ethical Culture history

Young Einstein

The Fourth Series of Ethical Addresses, published in 1898, has led me on one of those delightful excursions that researchers sometimes take into unexpected territory.  I had wanted to find out more about F. W. Foerster, whom Felix Adler introduced, in the Third Series:

Dr. Wilhelm Foerster has been created the first International Secretary. He is the son of Prof. Foerster to whom I have just referred, and the editor of the German weekly paper, Ethische Kultur. He was recently arrested and condemned on the charge of lèse-majesté for an article which appeared in his paper, and was confined for several months in a fortress. He was liberated on the eve of the assembling of the Congress at Zurich, and was enabled to be present at our opening meeting. He intends, as I understand, to give his whole life to the propaganda of the Ethical Movement. (p. 139)

 "Prof. Foerster" was Wilhelm Julius Foerster, a German astronomer (1832-1921) who was active in the German Society for Ethical Culture (GSEC).  Dr. [Friedrich] Wilhelm Foerster (1869-1966), was, like his father, an opponent of German militarism and active, for a while, in GSEC.  As, it seems, was Albert Einstein (1879-1955).

Trying to find out more about Foerster fils (both father and son are referred to as Wilhelm, although the son is also referred to as Friedrich, so I've resorted to an archaic solution), I ended up finding out more about Albert Einstein's relationship to Ethical Culture.  I had assumed he was merely acquainted with Adler, perhaps socially, perhaps in some social justice work.  I knew that he had, at some point, said:  “Without ‘ethical culture’ there is no salvation for humanity.”  But I did not realize that he had had a stronger connection to Ethical Culture while still in Europe.  Searching for Foerster fils, I ran across a self-published article on Yumpu that added to the picture:  "Tracing Back the Sources of Albert Einstein's Political Convictions: The Movement for Ethical Culture."  The author, Karlheinz Steinmüller, PhD, is Wissenschaftlicher Direktor at z-Punkt, The Foresight Company, and based in Berlin.  Steinmüller's notes on the article (published 2012 on Yumpu) say that it was written in 1992 but remained, to his knowledge, the most extensive look at Einstein and EC up to that point.  The article itself can be read for free and downloaded as a PDF, but it is somewhat corrupted, with a number of typographical errors (scannos?).  

Steinmüller's article posits a hypothesis--"Albert Einstein was influenced during his most formative years to a great extent by a circle of persons who belonged to the Ethical movement."  Of his hypothesis he says:

Two lines for corroboration (not yet proof) are open to us: 1[st] to establish biographical connections between Einstein and the Ethical movement, 2[nd] a comparison of Einsteins (sic) convictions with the aims of the Ethical movement. [Note:  Ordinals printed as superscripts.]

In addressing his hypothesis, Steinmüller refers to the first meeting of the International Ethical Union in Zurich.  Adler's report on that meeting was discussed in our consideration of Series Three.  A more extensive report by Foerster fils is provided in Series Four.  Steinmüller adds more historical context for the meeting and a few biographical tidbits about Adler, Gustav Maiar (a founder of the Swiss Society for Ethical Culture) and "one of the key persons in Einstein's youth" (p. 3),  and Foerster fils, noting that the latter converted to Catholicism in 1899 and left the ECM.  

The lives and work(s) of these men are all now part of the history of the Ethical Culture Movement and add some texture to those early years.  For the Bibliography, I have to figure out how to cite Steinmueller and regret that my high school German will not be up to the task of looking more deeply at GSEC.  Some additional questions arise:

• Albert Einstein apparently gave a "address" for NYSEC (New York Society for Ethical Culture)--"On the Necessity of Ethical Culture"--January 6, 1951.  Was he present at NYSEC on that date?  Or is this "address" a letter of congratulations to NYSEC on the occasion of its 75th anniversary? Is the original still archived at NYSEC?
• A version of this address seems to be included in Mein Weltbild by Carl Seelig (available in English as Thoughts and Opinions by Albert Einstein).  The publishing history seems likely to be a bit tangled.  Who said bibliographers don't have fun?  
• Algernon Black wrote to Carl Seelig in 1953 about the letter and Einstein's support for NYSEC (A. Black to Carl Seelig, July 17, 1953, Archive of the ETH, HS 304:200) according to Steinmüller. "ETH" in the context of Steinmüller's article appears to be ETH Zurich (in English, with more on Einstein here).  In the meantime, is there a copy of Black's letter in NYSEC archives?  
• Joe Chuman's pitch for his platform on "Einstein Religion" is yet another bibliographic trail to follow.  Was the platform recorded?  Is there a written text published somewhere already?  Are there plans to make the text--in whatever format--accessible to Ethicals?  
• Multiply those questions by all of our Leaders whose platforms are now more often recorded than written.  Just saying.

And so back to F. W. Foerster and his report on that first IEU meeting in Zurich.  The report is lengthy but still incomplete.  Foerster promised more information in Series Five, but, alas, did not remain a member of the Movement long enough to keep that promise.  I have to promise more discussion of his report next week. Cue dramatic musical chord.