Einstein letter warning Roosevelt of threat of Nazi nuclear bomb set to fetch $4 million

Albert Einstein's letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, warning about the potential for Nazi Germany to develop atomic bombs through nuclear research, is set to be auctioned at Christie’s in September, valued at $4 million, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

Einstein, alongside physicist Leo Szilard, penned the letter, cautioning that Germany's nuclear advancements could lead to devastating weapons similar to those later deployed by the US in World War II.

Roosevelt responded by establishing a committee that laid the groundwork for the Manhattan Project, responsible for creating the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, marking the onset of the nuclear age.

While the original letter resides at the Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park, New York, a signed, shorter version is being sold from the estate of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, known for his eclectic collection that includes historic artefacts like this letter. Allen acquired it in 2002 from publisher Malcolm Forbes for $2.1 million. Christie's, renowned for handling Einstein memorabilia, previously sold his "God Letter" for nearly $3 million in 2018. Despite its historical significance, this letter is not expected to surpass the $13 million record set for Einstein's documents detailing his theory of general relativity.

Amid contemporary concerns over nuclear proliferation and technological advancements, the auction is poised to attract significant interest, reflecting Einstein's prescient warnings about nuclear capabilities and their global impact.