Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein and his second wife Elsa in Palm Springs, California, undated
© ullstein Bild, Berlin

Albert Einstein's fame spread when his theory of relativity was experimentally proven during a solar eclipse. This challenged what had up to then passed as physical certitudes. Einstein's theory created a new world view that fascinated some and unsettled others.

In his private life, he had many facets: He was a charming lover and a witty poet, but he could be alarmingly inconsiderate and cold-hearted. 

Class at the Luitpold Gymnasium in Munich, 1889. Albert Einstein is the child smiling in the 1st row (3rd from right).
© Stadtarchiv Ulm

We tell of his experience of the German school system, of his two marriages, and his relationship with his sons. Less-known facts are revealed such as his love of animals, his passion for technological inventions (he registered approximately 50 patents!), and his efforts to make his theory of relativity a graspable concept for laypeople. "Einstein's Theory of Relativity: The Basics," an animated film by H.W. Kornblum, supported by Einstein and conceived for a broad public, can be viewed.

Einstein stuck his tongue out at intrusive reporters – one such occasion became a well-known portrait featured on t-shirts, mugs, and posters.
© Bettmann/CORBIS

Einstein was a pacifist, even though he – out of fear that the Germans might do it – advised US President Roosevelt to build the atom bomb. He fought for nuclear disarmament after the war.

And Einstein was a self-assured, secular Jew who felt connected to Judaism, primarily through a common language and history. After the Nazis came to power, Einstein went into exile in the USA and tried to help persecuted Jews in Germany from there. He used his popularity to support the Zionist movement and the setup of the State of Israel. However, he turned down the offer to become Israel’s president in 1952.