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Albert Einstein

Of all the scientists to emerge from the nineteenth

and twentieth centuries there is one whose name is

known by almost all living people. While most of

these do not understand this man's work,

everyone knows that its impact on the world of

science is astonishing. Yes, many have heard of

Albert Einstein's General Theory of relativity, but

few know about the intriguing life that led this

scientist to discover what some have called, "The

greatest single achievement of human thought."

Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany on March 14,

1874. Before his first birthday, his family had

moved to Munich where young Albert's father,

Hermann Einstein, and uncle set up a small

electro-chemical business. He was fortunate to

have an excellent family with which he held a

strong relationship. Albert's mother, Pauline

Einstein, had an intense passion for music and

literature, and it was she that first introduced her

son to the violin in which he found much joy and

relaxation. Also, he was very close with his

younger sister, Maja, and they could often be

found in the lakes that were scattered about the

countryside near Munich. As a child, Einstein's

sense of curiosity had already begun to stir. A

favorite toy of his was his father's compass, and he

often marvelled at his uncle's explanations of

algebra. Although young Albert was intrigued by

certain mysteries of science, he was considered a

slow learner. His failure to become fluent in

German until the age of nine even led some

teachers to believe he was disabled. Einstein's

post-basic education began at the Luitpold

Gymnasium when he was ten. It was here that he

first encountered the German spirit through the

school's strict disciplinary policy. His disapproval

of this method of teaching led to his reputation as a

rebel. It was probably these differences that

caused Einstein to search for knowledge at home.

He began not with science, but with religion. He

avidly studied the Bible seeking truth,...