The Einstein family is the family of physicist
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...
(1879–1955). Einstein's great-great-great-great-grandfather, Jakob Weil, was his oldest recorded relative, born in the late 17th century, and the family continues to this day. Albert Einstein's great-great-grandfather, Löb Moses Sontheimer (1745–1831), was also the grandfather of the tenor
Heinrich Sontheim
Heinrich Sontheim (1820–1912), also known as Honas Bär Sontheimer, was a prominent late-19th-Century tenor and ''kammersänger'' (chamber singer) based in Stuttgart, Germany.
Personal life
Sontheim was born on 3 February 1820 in Jebenhaus ...
(1820–1912) of Stuttgart.
Albert's three children were from his relationship with his first wife,
Mileva Marić
Mileva Marić ( sr-cyr, Милева Марић; 19 December 1875 – 4 August 1948), sometimes called Mileva Marić-Einstein ( sr-cyr, Милева Марић-Ајнштајн, Mileva Marić-Ajnštajn), was a Serbian physicist and mathematicia ...
, his daughter Lieserl being born a year before they married. Albert Einstein's second wife was
Elsa Einstein
Elsa Einstein (18 January 1876 – 20 December 1936) was the second wife and cousin of Albert Einstein. Their mothers were sisters, thus making them maternal first cousins. Further, their fathers were first cousins, making the couple paternal se ...
, whose mother
Fanny Koch
Fanny may refer to:
Given name
* Fanny (name), a feminine given name or a nickname, often for Frances
In slang
* A term for the vulva, in Britain and many other parts of the English-speaking world
* A term for the buttocks, in the United States
...
was the sister of Albert's mother, and whose father, Rudolf Einstein, was the son of Raphael Einstein, a brother of Albert's paternal grandfather. Albert and Elsa were thus first cousins through their mothers and second cousins through their fathers.
Etymology
''Einstein'' ( , ) is either a German habitational surname from various places named with a Middle High German derivative of the verb ''einsteinen'' 'to enclose, surround with stone'; or a Jewish (Ashkenazic) adaptation of the German name, or else an ornamental name using the ending ''-stein'' 'stone'.
Einstein family table
Pauline Koch (Albert's mother)
Pauline Einstein (née Koch) (8 February 1858 – 20 February 1920) was the mother of the physicist
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...
. She was born in
Cannstatt
Bad Cannstatt, also called Cannstatt (until July 23, 1933) or Kannstadt (until 1900), is one of the outer stadtbezirke, or city boroughs, of Stuttgart in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Bad Cannstatt is the oldest and most populous of Stuttgart's ...
,
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg (german: Königreich Württemberg ) was a German state that existed from 1805 to 1918, located within the area that is now Baden-Württemberg. The kingdom was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which exist ...
. She was
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
and had an older sister, Fanny, and two older brothers, Jacob and Caesar. Her parents were Julius Doerzbacher, who had adopted the family name Koch in 1842, and Jette Bernheimer. They were married in 1847. Pauline's father was from
Jebenhausen, now part of the city of
Göppingen
Göppingen ( Swabian: ''Geppenge'' or ''Gebbenga'') is a town in southern Germany, part of the Stuttgart Region of Baden-Württemberg. It is the capital of the district Göppingen. Göppingen is home to the toy company Märklin, and it is the b ...
, and grew up in modest economic circumstances. Later, he lived in Cannstatt and together with his brother Heinrich, made a considerable fortune in the corn trade. They even became "Royal Württemberg
Purveyor to the Court". Their mother was from Cannstatt and was a quiet and caring person.
Early life
At 18 years old, Pauline married the merchant
Hermann Einstein
The Einstein family is the family of physicist Albert Einstein (1879–1955). Einstein's great-great-great-great-grandfather, Jakob Weil, was his oldest recorded relative, born in the late 17th century, and the family continues to this day. Al ...
who lived in
Ulm
Ulm () is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Danube on the border with Bavaria. The city, which has an estimated population of more than 126,000 (2018), forms an urban district of its own (german: link=no, ...
. They married in Cannstatt on 8 August 1876. After the wedding, the young couple lived in Ulm, where Hermann became joint partner in a bed feathers company. Their son, Albert was born on 14 March 1879.
On the initiative of Hermann's brother Jakob the family moved to
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
in the summer of 1880, where the two brothers together founded an electrical engineering company called Einstein & Cie. The second child of Hermann and Pauline, their daughter Maria (called
Maja), was born in Munich on 18 November 1881. Pauline Einstein was a well-educated and quiet woman who had an inclination for the arts. She was a talented and dedicated piano player. She made Albert begin violin lessons at the age of five.
Business problems
The factory of Hermann and Jakob was moved to
Pavia
Pavia (, , , ; la, Ticinum; Medieval Latin: ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy in northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was the capit ...
, Italy, in 1894. Hermann, Maria and Pauline moved to
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
in the same year and one year later, moved to Pavia. Albert stayed with relatives in Munich to continue his education there.
Unfortunately, the business was unsuccessful and the brothers had to abandon their factory in 1896. Though Hermann had lost most of his money, he founded (without his brother) another electrical engineering company in Milan. This time business was better. However, Hermann's health had deteriorated, and he died of heart failure in Milan on 10 October 1902.
After Hermann
In 1903, Pauline went to live with her sister Fanny and her husband Rudolf Einstein, a first cousin of Hermann, in Hechingen, Württemberg. Fanny's daughter,
Elsa was to become the second wife of Albert in 1919.
In 1910, Pauline moved with her sister, Fanny and her family to Berlin. She took on a job as housekeeper in
Heilbronn
Heilbronn () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn District. With over 126,000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state.
From the late Mid ...
,
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg (german: Königreich Württemberg ) was a German state that existed from 1805 to 1918, located within the area that is now Baden-Württemberg. The kingdom was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which exist ...
in 1911. She lived with her brother Jacob Koch in
Zurich and from 1915 in Heilbronn again.
Death
During World War I, Pauline fell ill with cancer. In 1918, when visiting her daughter, Maria, and son-in-law, Paul Winteler, in Luzern, Pauline was taken to the sanatorium Rosenau, due to her illness. At the end of 1919, Albert took his terminally-ill mother out of the sanatorium in
Luzern
, neighboring_municipalities= Adligenswil, Ebikon, Emmen, Horw, Kriens, Malters, Meggen, Neuenkirch
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a ...
and brought her to Haberlandstrasse 5, Berlin, to stay with him and his second wife, Elsa, where she later died that year.
Hermann Einstein (Albert's father)
Hermann Einstein (30 August 1847 – 10 October 1902) was the father of
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...
. He was
Ashkenazi Jewish
Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
.
Early life
![Abraham and Helen Einstein](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Abraham_and_Helen_Einstein.jpg)
Hermann Einstein (also known as Hermann Moos) was born in
Buchau
Bochov (german: Buchau) is a town in Karlovy Vary District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,900 inhabitants.
Administrative parts
Villages of Číhaná, Dlouhá Lomnice, Herstošice, Hlineč, Javorná, Jesínky, Koz ...
,
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg (german: Königreich Württemberg ) was a German state that existed from 1805 to 1918, located within the area that is now Baden-Württemberg. The kingdom was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which exist ...
to Abraham Einstein and Helene Moos (3 July 1814 – 20 August 1887).
He had six siblings:
* Raphael (3 December 1839 – 15 January 1842); male
* Jette (13 January 1844 – 7 January 1905); female
* Heinrich (12 October 1845 – 16 November 1877); male
* August Ignaz (23 December 1849 – 14 April 1911); male
* Jakob (25 November 1850 – 1912); male
* Friederike "Rika" (15 March 1855 – 17 June 1938); female
At the age of 14, Hermann attended the secondary school in the regional capital
Stuttgart
Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
and was academically successful. He had a strong affection for
mathematics
Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
, and would have liked to study in this or a related area, but as the financial situation of the family precluded further education, he decided to become a merchant and began an apprenticeship in Stuttgart.
Marriage to Pauline
Hermann married 18-year-old
Pauline Koch in
Cannstatt
Bad Cannstatt, also called Cannstatt (until July 23, 1933) or Kannstadt (until 1900), is one of the outer stadtbezirke, or city boroughs, of Stuttgart in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Bad Cannstatt is the oldest and most populous of Stuttgart's ...
,
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg (german: Königreich Württemberg ) was a German state that existed from 1805 to 1918, located within the area that is now Baden-Württemberg. The kingdom was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which exist ...
on 8 August 1876. After their wedding, the young couple lived in
Ulm
Ulm () is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Danube on the border with Bavaria. The city, which has an estimated population of more than 126,000 (2018), forms an urban district of its own (german: link=no, ...
, where Hermann became joint partner in the feather bed shop of his cousins, Moses and Hermann Levi. In
Ulm
Ulm () is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Danube on the border with Bavaria. The city, which has an estimated population of more than 126,000 (2018), forms an urban district of its own (german: link=no, ...
, their eldest son
Albert
Albert may refer to:
Companies
* Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic
* Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands
* Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia
* Albert Productions, a record label
* Albert ...
was born on 14 March 1879. On the initiative of Hermann's brother Jakob, the family moved to Munich in the summer of 1880. There, the two brothers founded the electrical engineering company ''Einstein & Cie'', with Hermann being the merchant and Jakob the technician. The second child of Hermann and Pauline, their daughter Maria (called
Maja), was born in
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
on 18 November 1881.
Work
The Einsteins' electrical firm manufactured
dynamo
file:DynamoElectricMachinesEndViewPartlySection USP284110.png, "Dynamo Electric Machine" (end view, partly section, )
A dynamo is an electrical generator that creates direct current using a commutator (electric), commutator. Dynamos were the f ...
s and electrical
meters
The metre (British spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) (from the French unit , from the Greek noun , "measure"), symbol m, is the primary unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), though its prefi ...
based on
direct current
Direct current (DC) is one-directional flow of electric charge. An electrochemical cell is a prime example of DC power. Direct current may flow through a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through semiconductors, insulators, or even ...
. They were instrumental in bringing electricity to Munich. In 1885, they won the contract that provided DC lights to illuminate the
Oktoberfest
The Oktoberfest (; bar, Wiesn, Oktobafest) is the world's largest Volksfest, featuring a beer festival and a travelling carnival. It is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is a 16- to 18-day folk festival running from mid- or ...
for the first time.
In 1893 the Einstein brothers lost a bid on a contract for the electrification of Munich to Schukert; Hermann and Jakob's small company lacked the capital to convert their equipment over from the direct current (DC) standard to the more efficient
alternating current
Alternating current (AC) is an electric current which periodically reverses direction and changes its magnitude continuously with time in contrast to direct current (DC) which flows only in one direction. Alternating current is the form in whic ...
(AC) standard being used by Schukert. Their fortunes took a downward turn from there. They were forced to sell their Munich factory and, in search of business, the two brothers moved their company to
Pavia
Pavia (, , , ; la, Ticinum; Medieval Latin: ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy in northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was the capit ...
, Italy in 1894. Hermann, Pauline and Maja moved to Milan in the same year and one year later moved to
Pavia
Pavia (, , , ; la, Ticinum; Medieval Latin: ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy in northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was the capit ...
. Albert stayed with relatives in Munich to continue his education there, though he spent time in Pavia as well.
Due to poor business, Hermann and Jakob had to abandon their factory in 1896. Though Hermann had lost most of their money, he founded another electrical engineering company in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, this time without his brother. He was supported financially by his relative Rudolf Einstein in this venture. Though business was better this time, Hermann was preoccupied with "worries due to the vexatious money".
Death
Hermann Einstein died of
heart failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...
in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
in 1902. His grave is in
Civico Mausoleo Palanti
The Edicola Palanti inside the Cimitero Monumentale di Milano, work by architect Mario Palanti built in 1924–28, become ''Civico Mausoleo'' to honorable citizens of Milan in on 4 February 1981. Famous graves inside are: Hermann Einstein, Walter C ...
inside
Cimitero Monumentale di Milano
The Cimitero Monumentale ("Monumental Cemetery") is one of the two largest cemeteries in Milan, Italy, the other one being the Cimitero Maggiore. It is noted for the abundance of artistic tombs and monuments.
Designed by the architect Carlo Mac ...
. Hermann Einstein was 55 years old when he died.
Maria "Maja" Einstein (Albert's younger sister)
Maria "Maja" Einstein (18 November 1881 – 25 June 1951) and her older brother, Albert, were the two children of
Hermann Einstein
The Einstein family is the family of physicist Albert Einstein (1879–1955). Einstein's great-great-great-great-grandfather, Jakob Weil, was his oldest recorded relative, born in the late 17th century, and the family continues to this day. Al ...
and
Pauline Einstein (née Koch), who had moved from Ulm to Munich in June 1881, when Albert was one. There Hermann and his brother Jakob had founded ''Einstein & Cie.'', an electrical engineering company.
[Short life history: Maria Winteler-Einstein]
/ref>
She was born 18 November 1881 in Munich. Maja and Albert got along very well all their lives. She was Albert's only friend during his childhood.
She attended elementary school in Munich from 1887 to 1894. She then moved with her parents to Milan, where she attended the German International School; Albert had stayed behind with relatives in Munich to complete his schooling. From 1899 to 1902, she attended a workshop for teachers in Aarau
Aarau (, ) is a List of towns in Switzerland, town, a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality, and the capital of the northern Swiss Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Aargau. The List of towns in Switzerland, town is also the capital of the dis ...
. After she passed her final exams, she studied Romance languages
The Romance languages, sometimes referred to as Latin languages or Neo-Latin languages, are the various modern languages that evolved from Vulgar Latin. They are the only extant subgroup of the Italic languages in the Indo-European language fam ...
and literature in Berlin, Bern and Paris. In 1909, she graduated from the University of Bern
The University of Bern (german: Universität Bern, french: Université de Berne, la, Universitas Bernensis) is a university in the Switzerland, Swiss capital of Bern and was founded in 1834. It is regulated and financed by the Canton of Bern. It ...
; her dissertation was entitled "Contribution to the Tradition of the Chevalier au Cygne and the Enfances Godefroi".
In the year following her graduation, she married Paul Winteler, but they were to be childless. The young couple moved to Luzern
, neighboring_municipalities= Adligenswil, Ebikon, Emmen, Horw, Kriens, Malters, Meggen, Neuenkirch
Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a ...
in 1911, where Maja's husband had found a job. In 1922, they moved to Colonnata near Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
in Italy.
After the Italian leader Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
introduced anti-Semitic
Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism.
Antis ...
laws in Italy, Albert invited Maja to emigrate to the United States in 1939 and live in his residence in Mercer Street, Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a municipality with a borough form of government in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, both of whi ...
. Her husband was denied entry into the United States on health grounds. Maja spent some pleasant years with Albert, until she had a stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...
in 1946, and became bedridden. She later developed progressive arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis is the thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of Artery, arteries. This process gradually restricts the blood flow to one's organs and tissues and can lead to severe health risks brought on by atherosclerosis ...
, and died in Princeton on 25 June 1951 four years before her brother.
Lieserl Einstein (Albert's daughter)
Lieserl Einstein (27 January 1902 – September 1903) was the first child of Mileva Marić
Mileva Marić ( sr-cyr, Милева Марић; 19 December 1875 – 4 August 1948), sometimes called Mileva Marić-Einstein ( sr-cyr, Милева Марић-Ајнштајн, Mileva Marić-Ajnštajn), was a Serbian physicist and mathematicia ...
and Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...
.
According to the correspondence between her parents, Lieserl was born on 27 January 1902, a year before her parents married, in Novi Sad/Újvidék, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, present-day Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
, and was cared for by her mother for a short time while Einstein worked in Switzerland before Marić joined him there without the child.
Lieserl's existence was unknown to biographers until 1986, when a batch of letters between Albert and Mileva Marić was discovered by Hans Albert Einstein
Hans Albert Einstein (May 14, 1904 – July 26, 1973) was a Swiss-American engineer and educator, the second child and first son of physicists Albert Einstein and Mileva Marić. He was a long-time professor of hydraulic engineering at the Unive ...
's daughter Evelyn.
Marić had hoped for a girl, while Einstein would have preferred a boy. In their letters, they called the unborn child "Lieserl", when referring to a girl, or "Hanserl", if a boy. Both "Lieserl" and "Hanserl" were diminutives of the common German names Liese (short for Elizabeth) and Hans
Hans may refer to:
__NOTOC__ People
* Hans (name), a masculine given name
* Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician
** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans
** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi ...
.
The first reference to Marić's pregnancy was found in a letter Einstein wrote to her from Winterthur
, neighboring_municipalities = Brütten, Dinhard, Elsau, Hettlingen, Illnau-Effretikon, Kyburg, Lindau, Neftenbach, Oberembrach, Pfungen, Rickenbach, Schlatt, Seuzach, Wiesendangen, Zell
, twintowns = Hall in Tirol (Austria), La ...
, probably on 28 May 1901 (letter 36), asking twice about "the boy" and "our little son", whereas Marić's first reference was found in her letter of 13 November 1901 (letter 43) from Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein (abbreviated as Stein a. R.) is a historic town and a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.
The town's medieval centre retains the ancient street plan. The site of the city wall, and the city gates are preserve ...
, in which she referred to the unborn child as "Lieserl". Einstein goes along with Marić's wish for a daughter, and referred to the unborn child as "Lieserl" as well, but with a sense of humour as in letter 45 of 12 December 1901 "... and be happy about our Lieserl, whom I secretly (so Dollie doesn't notice) prefer to imagine a Hanserl."
The child must have been born shortly before 4 February 1902, when Einstein wrote: "... now you see that it really is a Lieserl, just as you'd wished. Is she healthy and does she cry properly? ..I love her so much and don't even know her yet!"
The last time "Lieserl" was mentioned in their extant correspondence was in Einstein's letter of 19 September 1903 (letter 54), in which he showed concern that she had scarlet fever
Scarlet fever, also known as Scarlatina, is an infectious disease caused by ''Streptococcus pyogenes'' a Group A streptococcus (GAS). The infection is a type of Group A streptococcal infection (Group A strep). It most commonly affects childr ...
. His asking "As what is the child registered?" adding "We must take precautions that problems don't arise for her later" may indicate the intention to give the child up for adoption.
As neither the full name nor the fate of the child are known, several hypotheses about her life and death have been put forward:
*Michele Zackheim, in her book on "Lieserl", ''Einstein's Daughter'', states that "Lieserl" had a developmental disability
Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, espe ...
, and that she lived with her mother's family and probably died of scarlet fever in September 1903.
*Another possibility, favoured by Robert Schulmann of the ''Einstein Papers Project'', is that "Lieserl" was adopted by Marić's close friend, Helene Savić, and was raised by her and lived under the name "Zorka Savić" until the 1990s. Savić did in fact raise a child by the name of Zorka, who was blind from childhood and died in the 1990s. Before his death in 2012, her grandson Milan N. Popović
Milan Popović (1924–2012) was a renowned Serbian psychiatrist-psychoanalyst, a full professor of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy.
Biography
He was born in 1924 in Belgrade, Serbia. He graduated from the University of Belgrade ...
, upon extensive research of the relationship between Einstein and Marić, rejected the possibility that it was "Lieserl", and also favoured the hypothesis that the child died in September 1903.
A letter widely circulated on the Internet on the "universal force" of love, attributed as "a letter from Albert Einstein to his daughter", is a hoax.
Hans Albert Einstein (Albert's first son)
Hans Albert Einstein (May 14, 1904 – July 26, 1973) was born in Bern, Switzerland, the second child and first son of Albert Einstein and Mileva Marić. Hans earned his doctorate at ETH Zurich
(colloquially)
, former_name = eidgenössische polytechnische Schule
, image = ETHZ.JPG
, image_size =
, established =
, type = Public
, budget = CHF 1.896 billion (2021)
, rector = Günther Dissertori
, president = Joël Mesot
, ac ...
in 1936 and immigrated to the U.S. in 1938. He was a long-time professor of Hydraulic engineering
Hydraulic engineering as a sub-discipline of civil engineering is concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water and sewage. One feature of these systems is the extensive use of gravity as the motive force to cause the mov ...
at the University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
, widely recognized for his research on sediment transport
Sediment transport is the movement of solid particles (sediment), typically due to a combination of gravity acting on the sediment, and/or the movement of the fluid in which the sediment is entrained. Sediment transport occurs in natural system ...
.
Eduard "Tete" Einstein (Albert's second son)
Eduard Einstein (28 July 1910 – 25 October 1965) was born in Zürich
Zürich () is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. As of January 2020, the municipality has 43 ...
, Switzerland, the second son of physicist Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...
from his first wife Mileva Marić
Mileva Marić ( sr-cyr, Милева Марић; 19 December 1875 – 4 August 1948), sometimes called Mileva Marić-Einstein ( sr-cyr, Милева Марић-Ајнштајн, Mileva Marić-Ajnštajn), was a Serbian physicist and mathematicia ...
. Albert Einstein and his family moved to Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
in 1914. Shortly thereafter the parents separated, and Marić returned to Zürich, taking Eduard and his older brother Hans Albert
Hans Albert (born 8 February 1921) is a German philosopher. Born in Cologne, he lives in Heidelberg.
His fields of research are Social Sciences and General Studies of Methods. He is a critical rationalist, paying special attention to rational h ...
with her. His father remarried in 1919 and in 1933 emigrated to the United States under the threat of Germany's rising Nazi regime.
Eduard was a good student and had musical talent. After '' gymnasium'', he started to study medicine to become a psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians and evaluate patients to determine whether their sy ...
, but by the age of twenty one he was diagnosed with schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdra ...
. He was institutionalized two years later for the first of several times. Biographers of his father have speculated that the drugs and "cures" of the time damaged rather than aided the young Einstein. His brother Hans Albert Einstein
Hans Albert Einstein (May 14, 1904 – July 26, 1973) was a Swiss-American engineer and educator, the second child and first son of physicists Albert Einstein and Mileva Marić. He was a long-time professor of hydraulic engineering at the Unive ...
believed that his memory and cognitive abilities had been deeply affected by electroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatry, psychiatric treatment where a generalized seizure (without muscular convulsions) is electrically induced to manage refractory mental disorders.Rudorfer, MV, Henry, ME, Sackeim, HA (2003)"Electroco ...
treatments Eduard received while institutionalized.
After a breakdown, Eduard had told his father Albert that he hated him, and after the father's emigration to the United States they never saw each other again. The father and son, whom the father fondly referred to as "Tete" (for ''petit''), corresponded regularly before and after Eduard became ill. Their correspondence continued after the father's immigration to the U.S.
Eduard remained interested in music and art, wrote poetry, and was a Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating psychopathology, pathologies explained as originatin ...
enthusiast. He hung a picture of Freud on his bedroom wall.
His mother cared for him until she died in 1948. From then on Eduard lived most of the time at the psychiatric clinic Burghölzli
The ''Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Zürich'' (Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich) is a psychiatric hospital in Switzerland. As a research hospital, it is associated with the University of Zürich. It is also called Burghölzli, after th ...
in Zurich, where he died in 1965 of a stroke at age 55. He is buried at Hönggerberg Cemetery in Zurich.[Robert Dünki, Anna Pia Maissen]
''«... damit das traurige Dasein unseres Sohnes etwas besser gesichert wird» Mileva und Albert Einsteins Sorgen um ihren Sohn Eduard (1910–1965). Die Familie Einstein und das Stadtarchiv Zürich''.
In: Stadtarchiv Zürich. Jahresbericht 2007/2008. (german)
Abraham Einstein (Albert's grandfather)
Abraham Einstein (8 April 1808 – 21 November 1868), the son of Ruppert Einstein and Rebekha Overnauer, is the father of Hermann Einstein
The Einstein family is the family of physicist Albert Einstein (1879–1955). Einstein's great-great-great-great-grandfather, Jakob Weil, was his oldest recorded relative, born in the late 17th century, and the family continues to this day. Al ...
and grandfather of Hermann's son, Albert
Albert may refer to:
Companies
* Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic
* Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands
* Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia
* Albert Productions, a record label
* Albert ...
. Abraham married Helene Moos
Helene or Hélène may refer to: People
*Helene (given name), a Greek feminine given name
*Helen of Troy, the daughter of Zeus and Leda
*Helene, a figure in Greek mythology who was a friend of Aphrodite and helped her seduce Adonis
*Helene (Ama ...
, also a German Jew
The history of the Jews in Germany goes back at least to the year 321, and continued through the Early Middle Ages (5th to 10th centuries CE) and High Middle Ages (''circa'' 1000–1299 CE) when Jewish immigrants founded the Ashkenazi Jewish ...
, in April 1839 in Bad Buchau
Bad Buchau () (formerly Buchau; Swabian: ''Buacha'') is a small town in the district of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany with about 4,000 inhabitants. It is situated near Lake Federsee, which is separated from the town by a wide reed belt. ...
. Together, they had several children:
*Raphael (3 December 1839 – 15 January 1842), male
*Jette (13 January 1844 – 7 January 1905), female
*Heinrich (12 October 1845 – 16 November 1877), male
* Hermann (30 August 1847 – 10 October 1902), male
*August Ignaz (23 December 1849 – 14 April 1911), male
*Jacob (25 November 1850 – 1912), male
*Friederikeh "Rikah" (15 March 1855 – 17 June 1938), female
Surnames are Einstein and places are in Germany unless otherwise noted.
Einsteins and Ainsteins
First known is Moses Ainstein ( ). He had two sons: Leopold (born 1700); and Baruch Moses E/Ainstein (1665 in Wangen – 1750).
Baruch was married to Borichle (born 1635) and had three sons: Moyses (1689 in Bad Buchau – 1732); Daniel (born 1690 in Fellheim), and Abraham. He may have been married again.
Moyses was married twice. His first marriage produced a son, Abraham Einstein (born 1704 in Bad Buchau), a daughter, and possibly another son, David Veit Einstein (1713 in Buchau, Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg – 1763). His second marriage was to Judith Haymann. David was either Judith's son or that of Moyses' first wife. Judith also had two biological sons: Daniel (1690 in Fellheim, Duchy of Bavaria – after 1720) and Leopold (1700 – after 1719).
Daniel's children
Daniel had four wives, but despite this he had only one child, either a son or stepson:
*Leopold (1720 in Ulm, Holy Roman Empire – 6 November 1796 in Laupheim, Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg)
*Descendent families: Einsteins, Bernheins, Bukas, Steiners, Nathans, Noerdlingers, Straussses, Saengers
Leopold's children
Leopold had one wife called Karoline (born 1700 in Buchau, Germany) and had:
*Abraham (12 January 1718 in Buchau, Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg – 16 June 1787)
*Descendent families: Guggenheims and Einsteins
Abraham's children
Abraham had one unknown wife and a son:
*Joseph (1726 in Sontheim, Holy Roman Empire – 29 April 1795 in Jebenhausen, Duchy of Württemberg)
*Descendent families: Lindauer, Rohrbacher, Weils, Einsteins, Lindauers, Kohns, Levis, Fellheimers, Franks, Lindauers, Heumanns Sulzbergs, Katzs and Wormsers
David's children
From marriage with Karoline Ehrlich he had:
*Moyses
*Naphatali (1733 in Buchau, Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg
The Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg (german: Fürstbistum Augsburg; Hochstift Augsburg) was one of the prince-bishoprics of the Holy Roman Empire, and belonged to the Swabian Circle. It should not be confused with the larger diocese of Augsburg, o ...
– 1799) (Einstein's great-great-grandfather), his is grandfather of Abraham above, who had been the Spouse of Greta.
Rupert Einstein (Albert's 1st great-grandfather)
Birthdate: July 21, 1759
Birthplace: Buchau, Biberach, Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg, Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
Death: Died April 4, 1834, in Buchau, Biberach, Kingdom of Württemberg
Immediate Family:
Son of Naphtali Einstein and Helene Handle Steppach Husband of Rebecca Obernauer Father of Judith Einstein; Raphael Einstein; Abraham Rupert Einstein; Samuel Rupert Einstein; David Einstein and 1 other Brothers of Judith Jetle Einstein; Joseph Einstein;Daniel Einstein; Veit Hirsch Einstein and Helene Rieser
Naphtali Einstein (Albert's 2nd great-grandfather)
Also Known As: "Nepthali ben David"
Birthdate: 1733
Birthplace: Bad Buchau, Biberach, Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg, Holy Roman Empire
Death: Died 1799
Immediate Family:
Son of David Veit Einstein and Caroline Einstein Husband of Helene Handle Steppach Father of Judith Jetle Einstein; Joseph Einstein;Daniel Einstein; Rupert Einstein; Veit Hirsch Einsteinand 1 other Brother of Moyses (Moses) Einstein
David Veit Einstein (Albert's 3rd great-grandfather)
Birthdate: estimated between 1695 and 1729
Birthplace: Buchau, Biberach, Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg, Holy Roman Empire
Death: Died 1763 in Bad Buchau, Biberach, Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg, Holy Roman Empire
Immediate Family:
Son of Moyses Einstein and Judith Einstein Husband of Caroline Einstein Father of Moyses (Moses) Einstein and Naphtali Hirsch Einstein Brother of Joseph Einstein; Unknown Einstein;Abraham Einstein; Daniel Einstein and Leopold Einstein
Moyses Einstein (Albert's 4th great-grandfather)
Birthdate: 1690
Birthplace: Fellheim, Bavarian Swabia, Electorate of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empire
Death: Died 1732
Immediate Family:
Son of Baruch Moses Ainstein and Borichle Einstein; Husband of Judith Einstein; Father of Joseph Einstein, David Veit Einstein, Abraham Einstein, Daniel Einstein and 1 other.
Baruch Moses Ainstein (Albert's 5th great-grandfather)
Birthdate: estimated between 1615 and 1675
Birthplace: Wangen, Duchy of Württemberg, Holy Roman Empire
Death: Died in Bad Buchau, between 1711 and 1719 Tübingen, Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg, Holy Roman Empire
Immediate Family:
Son of Moses Ainstein, Husband of Borichle Einstein, Father of Moyses Einstein.
Moses Ainstein (Albert's 6th great-grandfather)
Birthdate: estimated before 1676
Immediate Family:Father of Baruch Moses Einstein
Father of Baruch Moses Einstein
See also
* ''Genius
Genius is a characteristic of original and exceptional insight in the performance of some art or endeavor that surpasses expectations, sets new standards for future works, establishes better methods of operation, or remains outside the capabiliti ...
'', a television series depicting the Einsteins
References
Works cited
* Einstein, Albert and Marić, Mileva (1992) ''The Love Letters''. Edited by Jürgen Renn & Robert Schulmann. Translated by Shawn Smith. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.
*
* Christof Rieber: Albert Einstein. Biografie eines Nonkonformisten. Thorbecke: Ostfildern 2018
Further reading
* Michele Zackheim, ''Einstein's Daughter: the Search for Lieserl'', Riverhead 1999, .
External links
''Lieserl Einstein's Biography''
from einstein-website.de
from einstein-website.de
{{DEFAULTSORT:Einstein family
Albert Einstein
German families
Jewish families
Jewish-German families
American families of German ancestry
Scientific families