Albert Einstein
Best known for developing the theory of relativity
time line of Mr.Einstein's life
- 1879 - (March 14) Born in Ulm, Germany, to Hermann Einstein (1847-1902) and Pauline Koch (1858-1920).
- 1880 - Einsteins move to Munich.
- 1881 - Sister Maja (Maria) born (d. 1951).
- 1888 - Enters Luitpold school in Munich.
- 1894 - Family moves to Italy, Albert stays at Luitpold.
- 1895 - Rejoins family in Pavia, then goes to cantonal school in Aarau, Switzerland.
- 1896 - Renounces German citizenship. Gets diploma from Aarau, enrolls at ETH (Federal Institute of Technology) in Zurich.
- 1900 - Gets diploma from ETH.
- 1901 - Becomes Swiss citizen.
- 1902 - Employed at patent office, Bern.
- 1903 - Marries Mileva Maric (1875-1948). They have two sons, Hans Albert (1904-1973), who became a successful hydraulic engineer, and Eduard (1910-1965), who fell prey to incurable schizophrenia. A daughter (1902-?) was born before the marriage and apparently put up for adoption--her fate is unknown.
- 1905 - Publishes in the Annalen der Physik.
- 1907 - Planckshe Theorie der Strahlung und die Theorie der spezifische Wärme, quantum theory for solids (specific heats).
- 1909 - Becomes associate professor at University of Zurich. Further work on quantum theory.
- 1911 - Becomes full professor at Karl-Ferdinand University in Prague.
- 1912 - Becomes professor at the ETH in Zurich.
- 1914 - Becomes professor at University of Berlin.
- 1915 - Cosigns "Manifesto to Europeans" separating himself from German militarism.
- 1916 - Die Grundlage der allgemeinen Relativitätstheorie, book laying out the general theory of relativity.
- 1917 - Becomes director of Kaiser-Wilhelm Institute (which supports research in Germany).
- 1918 - End of First World War; revolution in Germany.
- 1919 - Divorced from Mileva. Marries his cousin Elsa Einstein Löwenthal (1876-1936).
- 1920 - Public attacks on relativity theory and Einstein by anti-Semites.
- 1921 - First visit to United States.
- 1922 - Works on unified field theory.
- 1924 - Inauguration of Einstein Institute with "Einstein Tower" in Potsdam.
- 1927 - Begins dialogue on quantum theory interpretation with Niels Bohr at the fifth Solvay Congress.
- 1929 - Einheitliche Feldtheorie, widely publicized attempt to unify gravitational and electromagnetic field theories.
- 1930 - Extended visit to United States, chiefly at the California Institute of Technology.
- 1932 - Appointed professor at Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, intending to divide time between there and Berlin.
- 1933 - Nazis come to power in Germany; Einstein settles in United States.
- 1935 - Can quantum-mechanical description of physical reality be considered complete? (with B. Podolsky and N. Rosen), continuing the debate over interpretation.
- 1936 - Death of Elsa.
- 1939 - Outbreak of Second World War; Einstein signs letter to President Roosevelt warning of possibility of atomic bombs.
- 1940 - Becomes citizen of United States (retaining Swiss citizenship).
- 1945 - Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; end of Second World War.
- 1946 - Serves as chairman of Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists.
- 1948 - Generalized theory of gravitation, an example of continuing attempts to find a more universal mathematical approach to field theory.
- 1952 - Offered presidency of Israel, and declines.
- 1955 - (April 18) Dies in Princeton.
"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
--Great scientist Albert Einstein