Albert Einstein’s 1939 Atomic Bomb Warning Letter Sells For ₹32.7 Crore

Albert Einstein’s 1939 letter urging President Roosevelt to prioritize nuclear research sold for an impressive $3.9 million at a recent Christie’s auction. This pivotal letter, which significantly influenced the development of the atomic bomb, warned of the serious potential of nuclear weapons and stressed the urgent need for American action.

A Warning That Changed History

The original letter, now housed in the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library in New York, was Albert Einstein’s urgent warning to President Roosevelt about Germany’s potential nuclear weapons development. Einstein highlighted recent advances in nuclear physics, noting uranium’s potential as a “new and important source of energy” and its use in “extremely powerful bombs.”

Having fled Europe due to Adolf Hitler’s rise, Einstein, with physicist Leo Szilard, sought to prompt the U.S. government to accelerate nuclear fission research. This led to the Manhattan Project and the eventual creation of atomic bombs.

Peter Klarnet, senior specialist in Americana, books, and manuscripts at Christie’s, called the letter “one of the most influential letters in history.” Written in the summer of 1939, it laid the groundwork for the nuclear arms race, significantly impacting the war and human history.

The auctioned copy was the sole privately held version, previously owned by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who bought it in 2002 for $2.1 million. Prior to that, it was part of publisher Malcolm Forbes’ collection, acquired from Leo Szilard’s estate.

Einstein’s “Great Mistake”

Despite playing a key role in advancing the U.S. nuclear program, Einstein later deeply regretted his involvement, referring to it as his “one great mistake.” Following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, Einstein is reported to have lamented, “Woe is me,” acknowledging the severe human suffering caused by these weapons.