by Stephanie Shu

Created on: April 04, 2009

The great scientist Albert Einstein was born in Germany to Hermann and Pauline on March 14, 1879 as their first child. The Jewish family packed up and moved to Munich to found an electrical engineering business after their former featherbed industry proved to be unsuccessful. Growing up, Einstein was a very soft-spoken child who paused to think before saying anything. Much to his parent's agitation, it took years later than other children for him to be able to speak. They were even known to describe him as, "As the back of the head seemed much too big, the family initially considered a monstrosity. Their physician, however, was able to calm them down and some weeks later, the shape of the head was normal. When Albert's grandmother saw him for the first time, she is reported to have muttered continuously, much too fat, much too fat!' Contrasting all apprehensions, Albert grew and developed normally except that he seemed a bit slow."

In 1881, Albert's sister, Maria, was born. Maria, mostly known as Maja, was one of his closest childhood friends and she wrote Einstein's biography in 1924. This book relates to us a scene in which Albert is fascinated with the spinning arrow of a compass. His interest in science began here, after his conclusion that there lay "something behind things, something deeply hidden." Albert set out on a quest to find out exactly what.

Albert Einstein was not only gifted in science, but also music. His mother, Pauline, being a musician, taught him some piano at a young age and supported Einstein's study of violin from ages 6 - 13. Albert began school when he was six at the Petersschule on Blumenstrasse. His family did not strictly follow their Jewish heritage, so they did not mind that this school was Catholic. Einstein, however, was very unsatisfied with what was being taught to him. At home, he instructed himself many things like algebra and scientific experiments, but when he wasn't studying, he spent time with his sister Maja and amused himself by building castles made of cards.

Einstein became incredibly religious at the age of eleven. He followed traditions seriously and prepared for his upcoming Bar Mitzvah, but as time wore on, Albert grew to rely much more on science than on the Bible.

Einstein transferred to the Luitpold Gymnasium, also in Munich. The new school was not much of an improvement from the one before. Sick of not getting along with his for-master , he somehow got a doctor to excuse him from school because of "neurasthenic exhaustion." Einstein left with no diploma and reunited with his family in their new home, Pavia. Wanting to do something with his life, Einstein told his parents that he intended to attend the Federal Swiss Polytechnic in Zurich.

Unfortunately, even after studying physics for months on end, Einstein did not pass the entry examination, so he enrolled at the "Kantonsschule", located in the town of Aarau. Only after he received a certificate from this school was he finally accepted at the Federal Swiss Polytechnic.

Albert Einstein went on to be one of the most well-respected scientists in the world whose work is widely recognized and revered.

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