Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm, the first child of the Jewish couple Hermann and Pauline Einstein, née Koch. In June 1880 the family moved to Munich where Hermann Einstein and his brother Jakob founded the electrical engineering company Einstein & Cie. Albert Einstein's sister Maria, called Maja, was born on November 18, 1881. Einstein's childhood was a normal one, except that to his family's irritation, he learnt to speak at a late age. Beginning in 1884 he received private education in order to get prepared for school. 1885 he started learning to play violin. Beginning in 1885 he received his primary education at a Catholic school in Munich (Petersschule); in 1888 he changed over to the Luitpold-Gymnasium, also in Munich. However, as this education was not to his liking and, in addition, he did not get along with his form-master he left this school in 1894 without a degree and joined his family in Italy where they had settled meanwhile.

In order to be admitted to study at the "Eidgenoessische Polytechnische Schule" (later renamed ETH) in Zurich, Einstein took his entrance examination in October 1895. However, some of his results were insufficient and, following the advice of the rector, he attended the "Kantonsschule" in the town of Aarau in order to improve his knowledge. In early October 1896 he received his school-leaving certificate and shortly thereafter enrolled at the Eidgenoessische Polytechnische Schule with the goal of becoming a teacher in Mathematics and Physics. Einstein, being an average student, finished his studies with a diploma degree in July 1900. He then applied, without success, for assistantships at the Polytechnische Schule and other universities. Meanwhile he had abandoned the German citizenship and formally applied for the Swiss one which he was granted on February 21, 1901.

Search for employment continued. Between May 1901 and January 1902 he was teacher in Winterthur and Schaffhausen. Afterwards he moved to the Swiss capital Bern. In order to make his living, he gave private lessons in mathematics and physics. At this time also the Bernese "Akademie Olympia" was founded by Albert Einstein, Maurice Solovine and Conrad Habicht. During meetings in the evening scientific and philosophical questions were discussed. Einstein himself noted that this academy was beneficial for his career and even when he already lived in the US, he remained a loyal member.

In January 1902 Lieserl, daughter of Einstein and Mileva Maric, a former fellow-student, was born in Hungary. That Einstein had an illegitimate child has been only learned a few years ago when private letters mentioning this child were published. Nothing is known about the life of Einstein's daughter; probably she was released to become adopted. At the end of 1902 Einstein's father died in Milan. On January 6, 1903 he married Mileva Maric - against the wills of both families. In May 1904 Einstein's first son, Hans Albert, was born and in July 1910 his second son, Eduard.

Through mediation of a former fellow-student, Marcel Grossmann, in December 1901 Einstein applied for a position at the Bernese patent-office which he was granted, initially for a time of probation only. Beginning on June 23, 1902 he became technical expert, third class, at this office. Despite of the work associated with this position he found time for further research in theoretical physics.