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Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein


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, but this religious fervor
soon died down when he discovered the intrigue of science and math. To him,
these seemed much more realistic than ancient stories. With this new knowledge
he disliked class even more, and was eventually expelled from Luitpold Gymnasium
being considered a disruptive influence.

Feeling that he could no longer deal with the German mentality, Einstein moved
to Switzerland where he continued his education. At sixteen he attempted to
enroll at the Federal Institute of Technology but...