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Jost Winteler (21 November 1846 - 23 February 1929) was a Swiss
professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...
of
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
and
history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
at the Kantonsschule Aarau (today called the Old Cantonal School Aarau), a
linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...
, a "noted"
philologist Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as th ...
, an ornithologist, a
journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...
, and a published
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wri ...
. He served as both a
mentor Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the personal and p ...
and
father figure A father figure is usually an older man, normally one with power, authority, or strength, with whom one can identify on a deeply psychology, psychological level and who generates emotions generally felt towards one's father. Despite the literal te ...
to a teenage
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 ...
, who boarded at his home from October 1895 to October 1896, while he attended his final year of secondary school.


Early life (1846-1865)

Jost Winteler was born on 21 November 1846 in
Filzbach Filzbach is a former municipality in the canton of Glarus in Switzerland. Effective from 1 January 2011, Filzbach is part of the municipality of Glarus Nord. History Filzbach is first mentioned in 1394 as ''Vilentzspach''. Geography Filzbach ...
, canton of Glarus. His father was a secondary school teacher, and, as such, Winteler received his primary schooling at home, starting around 1855. In 1862, he attended school in
Nesslau Nesslau is a municipality in the Toggenburg district of the canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. The current municipality was formed in 2013 and includes the villages of Nesslau, Krummenau and Stein. History The area was incorporated into the ...
,
canton of St. Gallen The canton of St. Gallen, also canton of St Gall (german: link=no, Kanton St. Gallen ; rm, Chantun Son Gagl; french: Canton de Saint-Gall; it, Canton San Gallo), is a canton of Switzerland. The capital is St. Gallen. Located in northeastern ...
. Then, from 1862 to 1866, Winteler attended the ''Progymnasium'' in
Schiers Schiers is a Swiss village in the Prättigau and a municipality in the political district Prättigau/Davos Region in the canton of Graubünden. The first concrete girder bridge ever built, Salginatobel Bridge, is located in Schiers. Designed by R ...
,
canton of Graubünden The Grisons () or Graubünden,Names include: *german: (Kanton) Graubünden ; * Romansh: ** rm, label=Sursilvan, (Cantun) Grischun ** rm, label= Vallader, (Chantun) Grischun ** rm, label= Puter, (Chantun) Grischun ** rm, label= Surmiran, (Can ...
. Winteler received his ''
Matura or its translated terms (''Mature'', ''Matur'', , , , , , ) is a Latin name for the secondary school exit exam or "maturity diploma" in various European countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, C ...
'', the equivalent of a high school diploma, from the Thurgau Kantonsschule in
Frauenfeld Frauenfeld ( Alemannic: ''Frauefäld'') is the capital of the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland. The official language of Frauenfeld is (the Swiss variety of Standard) German, but the main spoken language is the local variant of the Alemannic ...
, canton of Thurgau.


At university (1866-1875)

Winteler studied history and
German language German ( ) is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is als ...
from 1866 to 1870 at the
University of Zürich The University of Zürich (UZH, german: Universität Zürich) is a public research university located in the city of Zürich, Switzerland. It is the largest university in Switzerland, with its 28,000 enrolled students. It was founded in 1833 f ...
, where he received his '' Diplom'' (in 1870). He went on to study
philology Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as th ...
at the
University of Jena The University of Jena, officially the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (german: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, abbreviated FSU, shortened form ''Uni Jena''), is a public research university located in Jena, Thuringia, Germany. The un ...
from 1870 to 1875. His doctoral
thesis A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...
, ''Die Kerenzer Mundart des Kantons Glarus: In Ihren Grundzügen Dargestellt'' (1876), was supervised by linguist
Eduard Sievers Eduard Sievers (; 25 November 1850, Lippoldsberg – 30 March 1932, Leipzig) was a philologist of the classical and Germanic languages. Sievers was one of the '' Junggrammatiker'' of the so-called "Leipzig School". He was one of the most influe ...
. Winteler's academic training has been described as "rigorous". Jost met his future wife, Pauline Eckart, in Jena, Germany, while he was studying at the University of Jena.


Marriage and children

Winteler married Pauline "Rosa" (née Eckart) (25 August 1845 - 1 November 1906) on 16 November 1871. Together, they had seven children:
Anna Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 12 ...
(1872-1944), Jost Fridolin "Fritz" (1873-1953),
Rosa Rosa or De Rosa may refer to: People *Rosa (given name) * Rosa (surname) * Santa Rosa (female given name from Latin-a latinized variant of Rose) Places * 223 Rosa, an asteroid *Rosa, Alabama, a town, United States * Rosa, Germany, in Thuringia, ...
(1875-1962),
Marie Marie may refer to: People Name * Marie (given name) * Marie (Japanese given name) * Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973 * Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in Tr ...
(24 April 1877 - 24 September 1957), Mathias (1878-1934), Julius "Jost Jr." (d. 1 November 1906), and
Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
(1882-1952).


As a teacher

Professor Winteler began work as a teacher in the Autumn of 1876 at the Zollikofer school for girls, located in
Romanshorn Romanshorn is a municipality in the district of Arbon in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland. History Romanshorn was probably settled in the 7th century, and is first mentioned in 779 as ''Rumanishorn'' in a land grant from Waldrata to the Abb ...
, canton of Thurgau. Then, from 1877 to 1880, he taught at the gymnasium in Burgdorf, canton of Bern. He then become the director of the gymnasium in
Murten Murten (German) or Morat (French, ; frp, Morât ) is a bilingual municipality and a city in the See district of the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland. It is located on the southern shores of Lake Morat (also known as Lake Murten). Morat is si ...
, canton of Fribourg, starting in 1880, but he resigned from his post several years later, in 1884, as a direct result of coming into conflict with the school's "hardline"
ultramontanist Ultramontanism is a clerical political conception within the Catholic Church that places strong emphasis on the prerogatives and powers of the Pope. It contrasts with Gallicanism, the belief that popular civil authority—often represented by th ...
governors. For the next twenty-five years of his life, from 1884 to 1909, Winteler would teach Greek and history at the Aargau Kantonsschule. The Aargau Kantonsschule (Aargau Canton School), located close by to an experimental school that had been created by the educational reformer
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (, ; 12 January 1746 – 17 February 1827) was a Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer who exemplified Romanticism in his approach. He founded several educational institutions both in German- and French-speaking ...
, was, "one of the best-regarded in Switzerland". Like Pestalozzi's school, the Aargau Kantonsschule was a welcoming place where the students were, "allowed to reach their own conclusions". Albert Einstein's only sister, Maria "Maja" Winteler-Einstein, once described Winteler's school, which her brother had attended in his youth, as having, "a deservedly high reputation". As such, the school was often attended by foreigners, some of whom had traveled as far away as overseas.


Friendship with Albert Einstein


Introduction

In late October 1895, Winteler met a 16-year-old Albert Einstein when he arrived at the train station in Aarau, the latter having just come from
Zürich , neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon , twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco Zürich ...
, a city some 25 miles away. Jost brought Einstein to his new home, called Rößligut, which was located right across the street from the '' Gymnasium'' where he taught Greek and history, and the ''Gewerbeschule'', or Technical School, that Einstein was due to attend. However, as Einstein had chosen to be a student of the technical school, and not the gymnasium, he never had an official class with Professor Winteler. On 26 October 1895, Einstein was enrolled as a third-year pupil at the secondary school; the school year had already started three days earlier. Aarau, famously known as the "City of beautiful Gables", was once described by Einstein himself as, "an unforgettable oasis in that European oasis, Switzerland". An "enchanting village", Aarau is located in a "magnificent setting" near the Jura Mountains and the Aare River. Einstein had had to move to Aarau due to the fact that he had failed the general-education half of the two-part entrance exam to the Swiss Federal Polytechnical School at Zürich, thereby failing the test overall. He had subsequently been advised by the director of the Polytechnic, Albin Herzog, to finish up his education and obtain his ''
Matura or its translated terms (''Mature'', ''Matur'', , , , , , ) is a Latin name for the secondary school exit exam or "maturity diploma" in various European countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, C ...
'' at a local secondary school before returning to Zürich to retake the exam the following year. Gustav Maier, a mutual friend to both the Wintelers and the Einsteins, helped to arrange for Einstein to board at Winteler's home for a year. By this time, Winteler had already boarded several students at his home and was used to such an arrangement. Einstein's younger sister, Maja, would also board with the Wintelers later on, arriving in September 1899. She would stay at the Winteler's home for several years, leaving in 1892. It is noted in Barry R. Parker's book, ''Einstein: The Passions of a Scientist'', that Einstein was "extremely lucky" to be taken in by Winteler and his family. Einstein's maternal cousin,
Robert Koch Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch ( , ; 11 December 1843 – 27 May 1910) was a German physician and microbiologist. As the discoverer of the specific causative agents of deadly infectious diseases including tuberculosis, cholera (though the bacteri ...
, was also sent to stay with one of Winteler's neighbors, as he and Einstein were to attend the same school at the same time. However, Winteler's friend, Gustav Maier, wrote to Winteler on 26 October 1895, and advised him that Koch should be, "under your most immediate supervision," and that, if Koch proved too unruly in his new home, he should "swap" rooms with his, "much more mature" cousin, Albert. Maier explained that Einstein would kindly, "make this little sacrifice," for his cousin's sake. But this plan never came to pass. Einstein would remain at Winteler's home for the duration of his stay in Aarau. Winteler's home was so large that Einstein was able to have his own room. Two days later, on 29 October, Albert's father, Hermann Einstein, wrote to Winteler to express his
gratitude Gratitude, thankfulness, or gratefulness is from the Latin word ''gratus,'' which means "pleasing" or "thankful." Is regarded as a feeling of appreciation (or similar positive response) by a recipient of another's kindness. This can be gifts, h ...
for taking in his son, and praised his
hospitality Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host, wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill, including the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Louis, chevalier de Jaucourt describes ...
. He wrote: "I have… high hopes regarding the many intellectual benefits his stay there is going to bring him; the stimulating conversations in your house will also be of special benefit to his knowledge." Hermann looked up to Jost, as he had received a greater education than himself. Winteler and Einstein waited to discuss the terms of boarding until after Albert was comfortably settled in his new home.


Life at Winteler's house

Right away, Jost, his wife, Pauline, and their seven children made Einstein feel as though he were part of the family; indeed, the seven siblings each treated Einstein as though he were a brother. In time, he developed a deep bond with all of Winteler's children. Soon after arriving, Einstein started referring to Winteler and his wife as "Papa" and "Mama" respectively. According to
Walter Isaacson Walter Seff Isaacson (born May 20, 1952) is an American author, journalist, and professor. He has been the President and CEO of the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C., the chair and CEO of CNN, ...
's book ''Einstein: His Life and Universe'', the Wintelers were, "a wonderful family", who helped the young, and shy, Einstein to, "flower emotionally and open himself to intimacy." Albert would sometimes study by himself, but, as Winteler's eldest child would later recount, he would, "more often... sit with the family around the table." The head of the household, Jost, often led the family during their frequent post-supper discussions (or "stimulating conversations", as Hermann Einstein once called them), or else would read aloud at the dinner table instead. These
debates Debate is a process that involves formal discourse on a particular topic, often including a moderator and audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for often opposing viewpoints. Debates have historically occurred in public meetings, a ...
featured a variety of topics, some
controversial Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of conflicting opinion or point of view. The word was coined from the Latin ''controversia'', as a composite of ''controversus'' – "turned in an opposite d ...
. Winteler actively encouraged his children, and Albert, to speak their minds openly and, "say… whatever they felt, without fear of
reprimand A reprimand is a severe, formal or official reproof. Reprimanding takes in different forms in different legal systems. A reprimand in custody may be a formal legal action issued by a government agency or professional governing board (e.g. medical ...
." Winteler's "boisterous" home was also, "a place of books, music, ndparties." According to
Dennis Overbye Dennis Overbye (born June 2, 1944, in Seattle, Washington) is a science writer specializing in physics and cosmology and is the cosmic affairs correspondent for '' The New York Times''. Biography Overbye received his B.S. in physics from M.I.T. ...
, the author of ''Einstein in Love'', Albert, "quickly felt more at home in the Winteler household than he ever felt at his own home." The year before he had been invited to stay with the Wintelers, Albert had had to endure isolation and loneliness from the absence of his parents and little sister, who had relocated to Italy so that his father could start a new electrical business after the old one had failed. He was left behind in
Münich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and ...
,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
(with a "distant relative") so that he could finish his studies. While there, he witnessed the demolition of his beloved childhood home just before his family moved to Italy without him. This, coupled with the frustration of having to attend a school that he hated, had resulted in a full-out depression for the 15-year-old Einstein. So life at Winteler's cheerful and stimulating home naturally provided a welcome change for Einstein, and no doubt improved his mood. Einstein's sister herself once wrote in ''Albert Einstein: A Biographical Sketch'', that her brother's stay in Aarau with the Winteler family was, "one of the best periods of his life."


Einstein attends the Alte Kantonsschule Aarau

The young Einstein was favorably impressed by the Alte Kantonsschule Aarau, the school where Winteler was
headmaster A head master, head instructor, bureaucrat, headmistress, head, chancellor, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. In som ...
, and found it much better than the strict Luitpold Gymnasium (now called the Albert-Einstein-Gymnasium München) that he had left behind in Germany. Albert had disdained his former school's (and indeed Germany's) heavy emphasis on
militarism Militarism is the belief or the desire of a government or a people that a state should maintain a strong military capability and to use it aggressively to expand national interests and/or values. It may also imply the glorification of the mili ...
,
military parades A military parade is a formation of soldiers whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as drilling or marching. The military parade is now almost entirely ceremonial, though soldiers from time immemorial up until the lat ...
, and mandatory
military service Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job ( volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription). Some nations (e.g., Mexico) require ...
, which clashed strongly with his innate pacifist beliefs. Einstein was so wary of his old school's " philistine" and repressive teaching methods that, when he first moved to Aarau, the Aargau Kantonsschule's mere close proximity to Germany was enough to stoke his harbored fears that his new school would just be more of the same. However, upon meeting Winteler, Einstein came to realize that he had nothing to worry about. The teaching style of Winteler's school was in stark contrast to that of the Luitpold Gymnasium, as Einstein would soon come to see, and thoroughly appreciate, for himself. While the Luitpold Gymnasium was, in Einstein's eyes, a "factory of
rote learning Rote learning is a memorization technique based on repetition. The method rests on the premise that the recall of repeated material becomes faster the more one repeats it. Some of the alternatives to rote learning include meaningful learning, ...
", the school that Winteler taught at placed value on, "free action and personal responsibility," instead. As Maja Winteler-Einstein explains: The Kantonsschule Aarau turned out to be Einstein's favorite school.


Einstein's first thought experiment

The time Albert Einstein spent in Aarau with the Wintelers was the setting for his very first ''Gedankenexperiments'' (or "visualized
thought experiments A thought experiment is a hypothetical situation in which a hypothesis, theory, or principle is laid out for the purpose of thinking through its consequences. History The ancient Greek ''deiknymi'' (), or thought experiment, "was the most anci ...
") in regards to his (then future)
special theory of relativity In physics, the special theory of relativity, or special relativity for short, is a scientific theory regarding the relationship between space and time. In Albert Einstein's original treatment, the theory is based on two postulates: # The laws o ...
. As he recounts in his
autobiographical An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life. It is a form of biography. Definition The word "autobiography" was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English peri ...
notes:


Einstein falls in love with Marie Winteler

A few months after moving into Winteler's house, Einstein fell deeply in love with Winteler's youngest (and "prettiest") daughter, Marie. Marie Winteler was 18-years-old at the time; two years his senior. Jost, as were his wife and Einstein's parents, was "thrilled" by the budding romance. Marie soon became Albert Einstein's first
girlfriend A girlfriend is a female friend, acquaintance or partner, usually a female companion with whom one is platonically, romantically, or sexually involved. In a romantic context, this normally signifies a committed relationship where the in ...
; they were already a couple by Christmastime. Albert and Marie enjoyed playing the piano together; however, in a large household of ten people, it was a challenge for them to have any privacy. On 21 December 1895, Winteler would inform his "dear friend", Gustav Maier, by letter that he believed that Einstein and his cousin had, "come to the right place". At the time Winteler wrote this letter, Einstein had been living at his home for about two months.


Christmas of 1895

Einstein elected to stay with the Wintelers for the Christmas holidays of 1895, instead of returning home to his own family in
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 cap ...
,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. His parents both wrote to Winteler and his family on 30 December 1895, thanking them for their Christmas greetings, and for taking such good care of their son. In her holiday greetings to the Winteler family, Einstein's mother, Pauline Einstein (née Koch), expressed that she was "happy" and "relieved" to know that Albert was, "under such exquisite care." She also thanked Marie, Albert's new girlfriend, for writing to her. Einstein's father's words to Winteler shared a similarly optimistic tone. He wrote: Hermann was also "exceedingly pleased" that Winteler had expressed a positive view of his son. Towards the end of his letter, Einstein made mention that he was returning Albert's
report card A report card, or just report in British English, communicates a student's performance academically. In most places, the report card is issued by the school to the student or the student's parents once to four times yearly. A typical report card ...
that a concerned Jost had forwarded to him; he was not too worried about his son's grades, which he knew would get better in time, for he was used to seeing, "not-so-good grades along with very good ones." Einstein Studying in Winteler's constantly busy home was apparently not an issue for the budding genius, for, as his sister later remembered:


Spring break and graduation (April - October 1896)

On 8 April 1896, the school year came to an end, and Einstein left Winteler's house to return home to Italy for spring break. In the letter he wrote to Winteler's wife on 14 July 1896, as he was visiting his parents and younger sister in Pavia, Einstein complimented Winteler's abilities as a poet, after having read Winteler's '' Tycho Pantander'' (1890), a collection of poems that had been published in book form. Of the book, Einstein said: "We've already been reading a lot from ''Pantander'', my parents are enthralled by it. Papa finds that this coupling of good emotion and powerful thoughts reminds him vividly of Heine, who is his favorite poet." ''Tycho Pantander, eine Geistesentwicklung in Liedern'' (1890), Winteler's book of poetry, was dedicated to his "dear friend", Léon Bachelin. Jost's daughter and Albert exchanged numerous, and passionate,
love letters A love letter is an expression of love in written form. However delivered, the letter may be anything from a short and simple message of love to a lengthy explanation and description of feelings. History One of the oldest references to a l ...
during this time that Albert was in Pavia for spring break. School in Aarau resumed on 29 April, and Einstein returned, once again, to Winteler's house. The dedication of the Alte Kantonsschule Aarau's new three-story science building took place on 26 April 1896, which Einstein attended. The ceremony was held outside, and August Tuschmidt gave a speech about, "the value of education and the higher principles of life." On 3 October 1896, Einstein received his graduation certificate (Maturitätszeugnis) from the Aargau Kantonsschule. He then left Winteler's home in mid-October and headed for his future university in Zürich. His stay at Winteler's home had successfully fulfilled its purpose. After having studied those general education subjects (i.e. literary history, political history,
natural sciences Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer review and repeatab ...
, and German) that he had been remiss in back in early 1895, Einstein passed all of his leaving exams (though he quite nearly failed French), and graduated from the Alte Kantonsschule Aarau. As promised, this meant that he was let into the Zürich Polytechnic without having to retake the entrance exam.


Einstein breaks up with Marie Winteler (May 1897)

Just as they had done while Einstein had been visiting his family in Italy, Einstein and Marie kept in contact by writing a series of letters to one another. However, his affection for Marie was starting to cool off., After having put off the decision for some time, Albert officially broke up with Jost's daughter in May 1897. When he finally wrote to Winteler's wife (instead of Marie herself) to end their relationship for good, Albert cited his rationale for the breakup as a desire to devote more of his time to his "intellectual work" (i.e. his "strict angels"). While this was true, it must also be noted that, by the time Albert had broken off romantic relations with Marie, he had already met and befriended his future 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 ...
, who was, "the only woman in Einstein's section of the Polytechnic." The breakup, which left Marie both heartbroken and vulnerable, placed an inevitable emotional strain on Einstein's familial relationship with the Wintelers. At one point, the tension became so great that a family friend believed that it would be for the best not to mention Einstein's name to the Wintelers. Einstein was also upset as he believed that the Wintelers thought that he was, "living a life of debauchery." Yet, despite this, the loving friendship between Jost Winteler, his family, and Einstein would never completely sever. The Winteler and Einstein families would, "long remain entwined". Paul Winteler, Jost's youngest child, would go on to marry Einstein's sister, and Anna Winteler, Winteler's eldest, eventually married Einstein's best friend,
Michele Besso Michele Angelo Besso ( Riesbach, 25 May 1873 – Geneva, 15 March 1955) was a Swiss-Italian engineer best known for working closely with Albert Einstein. Biography Besso was born in Riesbach from a family of Italian Jewish (Sephardi) descen ...
. With his sister's marriage to Winteler's son, Einstein, "truly ecamea member of the Winteler family."


Lasting friendship with Einstein (1901-1929)

Winteler and Einstein continued to correspond with each other long after the latter had left Aarau. In 1901, about four years after Einstein left Winteler's house, Jost even went so far as to assist Albert, who, at the time, was desperate for work, in searching for a job. After hearing of a vacant position at the Burgdorf Technikum, Winteler informed Albert's parents about it. Although Einstein did not get the job in question, he appreciated his mentor's thoughtfulness. Writing to Winteler on 8 July 1901, he said: Einstein explained to Winteler that, immediately after having received his parents' letter, he had written directly to the director of the Burgdorf Technikum to apply for a teaching job. He informed the director that his former teachers at the Aargau Kantonsschule could give their opinions on his character and conduct. Einstein also explicitly indicated to the Burgdorf Technikum's director that he and Jost were "personal friends" because he did not want to put his friend in the "awkward" position of having to give an "
objective Objective may refer to: * Objective (optics), an element in a camera or microscope * ''The Objective'', a 2008 science fiction horror film * Objective pronoun, a personal pronoun that is used as a grammatical object * Objective Productions, a Brit ...
judgment" about him; he noted: "in this way you can easily refrain from giving an opinion if this seems more appropriate to you." The now 22-year-old Einstein also shared with Jost that he was "exceptionally pleased" with teaching and that it had "never occurred to him before that he would enjoy it so much". Evidently, Professor Winteler was one of four teachers (the other three being August Tuchschmidt, Friedrich Mühlberg, and Heinrich Ganter) who had inspired Einstein to become a teacher himself. Albert Einstein found in Professor Winteler both an "
ally An ally is a member of an alliance. Ally may also refer to: Place names * Ally, Cantal, a commune in the Cantal department in south-central France * Ally, County Tyrone, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Ally, Haute-Loire, a commun ...
" and a trusted confidant; someone he could turn to whenever he needed to, " enthis frustration," or, "get something off his chest". For example, in a letter written on 8 July 1901, Albert confided to Jost that he had been infuriated by
Paul Drude Paul Karl Ludwig Drude (; 12 July 1863 – 5 July 1906) was a German physicist specializing in optics. He wrote a fundamental textbook integrating optics with Maxwell's theories of electromagnetism. Education Born into an ethnic German family, D ...
, a German professor and editor of
Annalen der Physik ''Annalen der Physik'' (English: ''Annals of Physics'') is one of the oldest scientific journals on physics; it has been published since 1799. The journal publishes original, peer-reviewed papers on experimental, theoretical, applied, and mathe ...
, a scientific journal on physics. He had sent a letter to Drude several months before, in June, criticizing two points on his work on electron theory, but Drude had written off both of his criticisms. In response, Einstein vowed to Winteler that he would, "soon make it hot for the man," by writing a critical article about Drude. However, he never came through on this particular threat. Einstein signed off this very same letter with what would become one of his most famous sayings: "Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." In his 7 February 1907 note to Jost, Einstein addressed his friend as, "Dear Professor". He then mentioned that Michele Besso, who was Winteler's son-in-law by his eldest daughter's marriage, and Einstein's longtime best friend, had "probably" gone to
Trieste Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into prov ...
. Einstein had come to this conclusion because he had received a postcard that Besso had sent from
Göschenen Göschenen (German, it, Casinotta, rm, Caschanuttais) a village and municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. It sits at the northern end of the Gotthard tunnel. The Göschenen riots (1875) saw Urner troops opening fire on Italian miner ...
. He subsequently thanked Winteler for his, "kind letter" and asked him if he would give notice of his next visit to Bern, the capital city of Switzerland, "so that I can look you up". Albert would later inform Jost several years later, in a letter written on 23 June 1913, that Besso had once again gone to Trieste, "for a business meeting". It is implied in this letter that Winteler had inquired, in his previous letter, if Besso would know of his youngest son's "whereabouts". Einstein replied that he doubted that Besso would have the answer to his question, though he added that Rosa would, "certainly be able to give you this information". He also encouraged Jost to, "drop in to see me if your path should lead you to Zürich." In his letter, Albert referred to Paul Winteler, his and Besso's brother-in-law, as "Uncle Paul" in jest. On 9 January 1914, Einstein, while visiting with Rosa, again wrote to Jost, saying: "I cannot resist the temptation to send you my kind regards". He also promised that he would, "grant myself the pleasure of visiting you," sometime before April. When Winteler was 77 years old, he received yet another letter from Einstein on 3 October 1924 (coincidentally, the 28th anniversary of Einstein attaining his graduation certificate from the Aargau Kantonsschule). Albert shared with his old friend that he was in Lucerne, visiting with Anna and her husband, Michele, whom he described as "cheerful company". He also nostalgically reminisced on, "those fine, quiet walks near Aarau during which you said so many things to me".


Winteler's political "predictions"

Einstein remembered his former mentor, and his "distrust of imperial Germany", many years later when
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
expanded under
Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
; a conflict that Winteler, who died in early 1929, had not lived long enough to see for himself. In a letter to his sister, written on 31 August 1935, Einstein said: "I think often of Papa Winteler and of the prophetic accuracy of his political views." He also, "reminded several of his friends about ost's predictions"


Personal views

Winteler was a
liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
whose, "political idealism helped to shape Einstein's
social philosophy Social philosophy examines questions about the foundations of social institutions, social behavior, and interpretations of society in terms of ethical values rather than empirical relations. Social philosophers emphasize understanding the social ...
." Politically, Winteler and Einstein were kindred spirits; they both believed in, "world federalism,
internationalism Internationalism may refer to: * Cosmopolitanism, the view that all human ethnic groups belong to a single community based on a shared morality as opposed to communitarianism, patriotism and nationalism * International Style, a major architectur ...
,
pacifism Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...
, and democratic socialism, with a strong devotion to individual liberty and
freedom of expression Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recog ...
." Winteler and Einstein also shared a mutual distrust of imperial Germany's
nationalism Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...
. Winteler encouraged Einstein to consider himself, "a citizen of the world," and thus may have possibly inspired Einstein to relinquish his
German citizenship German nationality law details the conditions by which an individual holds German nationality. The primary law governing these requirements is the Nationality Act, which came into force on 1 January 1914. Germany is a member state of the Europ ...
and become temporarily stateless (he would remain stateless from 28 January 1896 until 21 February 1901, when he acquired his Swiss citizenship). Jost is said to have possessed an "edgy honesty", and evidently placed great stock in
integrity Integrity is the practice of being honest and showing a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions. In ...
, as he helped his friend, Gustav Maier, to, "found the Swiss branch of the Society for Ethical Culture."


Personality

According to Barry Parker's book, ''Einstein: The Passions of a Scientist'', Jost was an "easy-going" and "unusually kind" person. Parker expanded further on this by saying that: "The Wintelers had a warmth and openness of heart that marked them out from their cool Swiss neighbors." Jost, a loving father and husband, clearly had a deeply passionate relationship with his wife, Pauline (who also went by the nickname, Rosa), as described by a young Albert Einstein in a letter written to Winteler's wife in August 1896: "I already see little Mama as usual again… grinning a bit shyly, as if the professor had given her a very tender kiss." Hans Byland, a school friend of Einstein's, once described the Winteler family as being "romantically inclined." Winteler and his family appreciated those with, "a great sense of humor". Einstein shared this same, fun-loving sentiment, and would often "laugh heartily" while in their company. Jost, a keen
outdoorsman Outdoor recreation or outdoor activity refers to recreation done outside, most commonly in natural settings. The activities that encompass outdoor recreation vary depending on the physical environment they are being carried out in. These activiti ...
, often took pleasure in organizing kite-flying expeditions and nature hikes that his family and friends (and a few students) would attend regularly. A passionate ornithologist, Winteler quite enjoyed searching for "rare birds" during the outings that he organized. He was also known for the eccentricity of holding conversations with his pet birds. While Albert Einstein looked up to and respected his "Papa" Winteler, and found him to be an enduring source of inspiration, he did acknowledge several faults in him; mainly, that he was, "a rather self-willed and complicit," man. However, these were common complaints that he had with everyone he knew. And, despite once complaining to 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 ...
, that Professor Winteler was, "an old
schoolmaster The word schoolmaster, or simply master, refers to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British independent schools, both secondary and preparatory, and a few Indian boarding schools (such as The Doon School) that were modelled afte ...
, whatever he says", Einstein always held Winteler in the highest esteem. Jost has been described as "handsome" and "distinguished-looking".


Family tragedy (1 November 1906)

Jost faced a terrible triple tragedy on 1 November 1906, when his son, Julius, shot and killed his wife and his son-in-law, Ernst Bandi, then committed suicide. Julius, who had been working as a merchant ship's cook in America, had returned home to Switzerland showing clear signs of severe mental illness. A "distraught" Albert Einstein, Winteler's former houseguest, sent him a letter of
condolence Condolences (from Latin ''con'' (with) + ''dolore'' (sorrow)) are an expression of sympathy to someone who is experiencing pain arising from death, deep mental anguish, or misfortune. When individuals condole, or offer their condolences to a par ...
on 3 November 1906, in which he expressed his sympathy and deep grief at the loss of life. Einstein wrote: Einstein was living in Bern, a Swiss city 52 miles (or 83 kilometers) from Aarau, at the time the tragedy occurred. Winteler believed that his son had inherited his mental illness from his wife's side of the family.


Later life

Jost had at least five grandchildren, including Vero Besso (1898-1971), the son of his eldest daughter, Anna, and her husband, Michele Besso, Benvenuto (1905-1926) and
Ernst Ernst is both a surname and a given name, the German, Dutch, and Scandinavian form of Ernest. Notable people with the name include: Surname * Adolf Ernst (1832–1899) German botanist known by the author abbreviation "Ernst" * Anton Ernst (1975-) ...
(1907-1991), by his middle daughter, Rosa, and her husband, Ernst Bandi (18??-1906), and Paul Albert (b. 8 August 1912-?) and Heinz (1915-?) by his youngest daughter, Marie, and her husband,
Albert Müller Albert Müller (29 November 1897 Basel, Switzerland - 14 December 1926) was a Swiss Expressionist painter, glass artist, draftsman, graphic artist and sculptor. Life Müller was born in Basel in 1897. In 1917, he graduated as a glass painter from ...
(1887-?). Carlo Michelstaedter, an Italian writer and philosopher, was Winteler's son-in-law by his eldest son's (Fritz') marriage to Michelstaedter's older sister, Paula. Jost started losing his voice in 1909. In this same year, he began work as a part-time religious instructor. He
retired Retirement is the withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from one's active working life. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours or workload. Many people choose to retire when they are elderly or incapable of doing their j ...
from teaching in the spring of 1914 and moved to
Krummenau Krummenau is an '' Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Birkenfeld district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' Herrst ...
,
canton of St. Gallen The canton of St. Gallen, also canton of St Gall (german: link=no, Kanton St. Gallen ; rm, Chantun Son Gagl; french: Canton de Saint-Gall; it, Canton San Gallo), is a canton of Switzerland. The capital is St. Gallen. Located in northeastern ...
.


Death

Jost Winteler died at the age of 82 on 23 February 1929, in
Wattwil Wattwil is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of Toggenburg in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. On 1 January 2013 the municipality of Krinau merged into Wattwil.canton of St. Gallen The canton of St. Gallen, also canton of St Gall (german: link=no, Kanton St. Gallen ; rm, Chantun Son Gagl; french: Canton de Saint-Gall; it, Canton San Gallo), is a canton of Switzerland. The capital is St. Gallen. Located in northeastern ...
.


Legacy

Winteler's former home in Aarau, which still stands today, bears a commemorative plaque that reads: 'In this house lived 1895/96 as a cantonal student Albert Einstein 1879-1955 The famous
physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...
'. In 2006, a building at the Alte Kantonsschule Aarau, which was originally named after physicist August Tuchschmid (1855-1939), was renamed 'Albert-Einstein-Haus' (or Albert Einstein House) in honor of Winteler's former houseguest.


In popular culture

Jost Winteler was portrayed by actor Nicholas Rowe as a
recurring character A recurring character is a fictional character, usually in a prime time TV series, who frequently appears from time to time during the series' run. Recurring characters often play major roles in more than one episode, sometimes being the main f ...
on National Geographic's first scripted series, ''Genius'' (2017). The series, which was based on
Walter Isaacson Walter Seff Isaacson (born May 20, 1952) is an American author, journalist, and professor. He has been the President and CEO of the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C., the chair and CEO of CNN, ...
's biography of Albert Einstein, ''Einstein: His Life and Universe'' (2007), premiered on National Geographic on April 25, 2017. Winteler's character was featured in three episodes: Einstein: Chapter One, Einstein: Chapter Two, and Einstein: Chapter Four. The series' pilot episode, which was directed by
Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of ''The Twilight Zone''. He ...
, was nominated for a
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special This is a list of the winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Chronology of category names Over the years, the scope of this award has evolved and the name with which ...
.


References

* Brian, Denis (2005). ''The Unexpected Einstein: The Real Man Behind the Icon''. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. . *Brown, Kevin (2008). ''Reflections on Relativity''. Lulu.com. . *Calaprice, Alice; Kennefick, Daniel; Schulmann, Robert (2015). ''An Einstein Encyclopedia''. Princeton: Princeton University Press. .
Calle, Carlos I
(2005). ''Einstein for Dummies''. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing, Inc. . * Einstein, A. (1987). ''The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein''. Volume 1. Ed. J. Stachel et al. Princeton University Press; . *Einstein, A. (1987). ''The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein''. Volume 1. (English translation). Trans. by A. Beck, Consultant P. Havas. Princeton University Press; . *Einstein, A. (1995). ''The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein''. Volume 5. (English translation). Trans. by A. Beck, Consultant D. Howard. Princeton University Press; . *Einstein, A. (1998). ''The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein''. Volume 8. Ed. R. Schulmann et al. Princeton University Press; . *Einstein, A. (2015). ''The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein''. Volume 14. Ed.D. Kormos Buchwald et al. Princeton University Press; . *Einstein, A. (2018). The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein. Volume 15. (English translation). Ed.D. Kormos Buchwald, Consultant A. Aebi, Consultant K. Hentschel, Princeton University Press; . *Einstein, Albert, and Alice Calaprice (2013). ''The Ultimate Quotable Einstein''. Princeton: Princeton University Press. . * Highfield, Roger; Carter, Paul (1993). ''The Private Lives of Albert Einstein''. London: Faber and Faber. . * Isaacson, Walter (2007). ''Einstein: His Life and Universe''. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks. . * Lacayo, Richard. "Birth of A Beautiful Mind." ''Time''. 26 May 2017: 24–29. Print. * Marková, Ivana. (2003). ''Dialogicality and social representations: The dynamics of mind''. New York, NY, US: Cambridge University Press. . * Pais, Abraham (1982). '' Subtle is the Lord: The Science and the Life of Albert Einstein''. New York: Oxford University Press. . *Parker, Barry (2003). ''Einstein: The Passions of a Scientist''. New York: Prometheus Books. . * Overbye, Dennis (2001). ''Einstein in Love: A Scientific Romance''. New York: Penguin Group Inc. . *Winteler, Jost (1890). ''Tycho Pantander. Eine Geistesentwicklung in Liedern Dargestellt''. Frauenfeld: J. Huber. .


External links

Winteler's doctoral thesis
''Kerenzer Mundart''
Winteler's book of poetry
''Tycho Pantander''

''The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein'' "Digital Einstein" at Princeton University
(Volumes 1–14; Volume 15, published in April 2018, has yet to be added)

from the archive of the New York Times
"Who Were the Most Important People in Einstein's Life"
an article on National Geographic's website Linguist

whether or not Winteler's interest in "linguistic relativity" influenced Einstein's theory of relativity An old, black and white photo o

A German article that was written about Winteler's photo albu
photo album
which is decorated with assorted seashells on its front cover {{DEFAULTSORT:Winteler, Jost 1846 births 1929 deaths People from Glarus University of Zurich alumni University of Jena alumni 20th-century Swiss educators 19th-century Swiss educators