A comprehensive timeline biography of Albert Einstein (), German-born American physicist and Nobel Laureate, best known as the creator of the special and general theory of relativity and for his bold hypothesis concerning the particle nature of light. Explore the turning points in Einstein's life, both personal and professional with this time line.
Born March 14 at AM in Ulm, Germany
Einstein family moves to Munich
Sister Maja (Maria) is born
The Compass - A gift from his Uncle sparks his wonder
Pupil at Catholic elementary school in Munich
Private lessons in Judaism at home
Pupil at Luitpold-Gymnasium, Munich for the next six years
Meets 21 year old student, Max Talmud.
Introduction to key science and philosophy texts
Religious instruction at school (until )
Einstein is not Bar Mitzvahed. Technically, not a member of the Jewish community
Parents move to Milan
Six months later, Einstein leaves Gymnasium without completing his schooling and joins his family in Pavia, Italy
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Pupil at cantonal school in Aarau, Switzerland
Renounces his German citizenship
Student at the Polytechnic (later the Federal Institute of Technology), Zurich
Acquires Swiss citizenship
Completes his first scientific paper
Temporary teaching position at school in Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Daughter Lieserl born to Mileva Maric in Novi Sad, Hungary
Appointed as technical expert third class at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern
Marriage to Mileva Maric in Bern
Founds "Akademie Olympia" with Conrad Habicht and Maurice Solovine
Daughter Lieserl probably put up for adoption
Son Hans Albert born in Bern
The annus mirabilis (miracle year) : completes papers on light quanta, Brownian motion, and special theory of relativity
Receives Ph.D. from Zurich University
Promoted to technical expert second class at the Swiss Patent Office
Discovers the principle of equivalence
Appointed lecturer at Bern University
Resigns from Patent Office
Appointed Associate Professor of theoretical physics at Zurich University
Second son Eduard born in Bern
Predicts bending of light
Professor of theoretical physics at German University of Prague
Professor of theoretical physics at the Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich
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Appointed Professor at University of Berlin (without teaching obligations) and Member of Prussian Academy of Sciences
Separates from his wife, Mileva Maric - she returns to Zurich with the two sons
Signs anti-war "Manifesto to Europeans"
Joins pacifist "New Fatherland League"
Completes logical structure of the general theory of relativity
Publication of the general theory of relativity
Writes first paper on cosmology
Appointed Director of Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics in Berlin
Suffers from a liver ailment, a stomach ulcer, jaundice and general weakness - his cousin Elsa
Einstein Loewenthal takes care of him
Supports the new Weimar Republic in Germany
Divorces Mileva Maric
Bending of light observed during solar eclipse in West Africa and Brazil
First discussions on Zionism with Kurt Blumenfeld
Marries his cousin Elsa
Announcement at joint meeting of Royal Society and Royal Astronomical Society that Einstein's theories have been confirmed by eclipse observations
Sensational headlines in The Times and The New York Times : Einstein becomes a world figure
Mass meeting against the general theory of relativity in Berlin
Appointed special visiting professor at Leiden University
First visit to the U.S. with Chaim Weizmann: fund-raising tour for The Hebrew University
Lectures at Princeton University on theory of relativity
Completes first paper on unified field theory
Visit to Paris contributes to normalization of French-German relations
Joins Committee on Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations
Lecture tours in Japan and China
Awarded Nobel Prize for Physics for
Visit to Palestine: holds inaugural scientific lecture at future site of The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, named first honorary citizen of Tel Aviv
Visit to Spain
Lecture in acknowledgment of Nobel Prize in Göteborg, Sweden
Edits first collection of scientific papers of The Hebrew University
The "Einstein-Institute" in Potsdam, Germany, housed in the "Einstein-Tower" starts its activities
Trip to South America: Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay
Signs manifesto against obligatory military service
Joins Board of Governors and Academic Council of The Hebrew University
Begins intense debate with Niels Bohr on the foundations of quantum mechanics
Suffers temporary physical collapse - enlargement of the heart is diagnosed
Intensive activity on behalf of pacifism
Three trips to U.S.: stays mainly at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, during winter semesters
Supports conservation of the Weimar Republic
Public correspondence with Sigmund Freud on the nature of war
Appointed Professor at The Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton
Plans to divide his time between Berlin and Princeton
Leaves Germany for the last time
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Declares that he will not return to Germany Resigns from Prussian Academy of Sciences
Spends spring and summer in Belgium and Oxford
Emigrates to U.S. in September
Why War? published
Collection of essays The World As I See It published
The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox is published
Elsa Einstein dies
Publication of The Evolution of Physics
Signs famous letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt recommending U.S. research on nuclear weapons
Acquires U.S. Citizenship
Works as consultant with the Research and Development Division of the U.S. Navy Bureau of Ordnance, section Ammunition and Explosives
Handwritten copy of his paper on special relativity auctioned for six million dollars in Kansas City, as a contribution to the American war effort
Shattered by the extent of the Holocaust of European Jewry
Shocked by the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Becomes chairman of the Emergency Committee for Atomic Scientists
Expresses public support for the formation of a world government
Intense activity on behalf of disarmament and world government
Supports creation of the State of Israel
First wife, Mileva Maric, dies in Zurich
Intact aneurysm of the abdominal aorta disclosed
Publication of "Autobiographical Notes"
Signs Last Will and Testament: Otto Nathan and Helen Dukas named co-trustees
The Hebrew University named as the ultimate repository of his personal papers
Collection of essays, Out of My Later Years, published
Offered presidency of the State of Israel
Public support for individuals under investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee
Co-signs the Russell-Einstein Manifesto warning of the nuclear threat
Rupture of the aortic aneurysm
Dies April 18 at AM in Princeton Hospital at the age of 76
Body cremated and ashes scattered at an undisclosed place
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This web site was developed by a mathematician and a physicist. The primary aim of this site is to enthuse young people, and those who influence them, about the beauty and truth within physics. At the same we would like to help build a greater public awareness about Albert Einstein, science in general and physics specifically, and their positive and beneficial roles in society.
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"The most aggravating thing about the younger generation is that I no longer belong to it."
- A. Einstein