Guess who?

FYA, all.
Who wrote this letter, and for whom was it intended?
(ten bonus points for the correct year)

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Herr Einstein is one of the most original minds that we have ever met.
In spite of his youth he already occupies a very honorable position
among the foremost savants of his time.

What we marvel at him, above all, is the ease with which he adjusts
himself to new conceptions and draws all possible deductions from them.
He does not cling to classic principles, but sees all conceivable
possibilities when he is confronted with a physical problem.
In his mind this becomes transformed into an anticipation of
new phenomena that may some day be verified in actual experience....

The future will give more and more proofs of the merits of Herr
Einstein, and the University that succeeds in attaching him to itself
may be certain that it will derive honour from its connection with the
young master.
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Guess Who?

Jan
(cheaters will be disqualified)