Albert Einstein, Graphic Biography

Albert Einstein

Saddleback’s Graphic Biographies Copyright © 2008 by Saddleback Educational Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher. ISBN-10: 1-59905-212-1 ISBN-13: 978-1-59905-212-0 eBook: 978-1-60291-575-6

albert einstein  Albert Einstein was born in Germany in 1879. He became famous as a scientist and as one of the most important thinkers of our times. In 1933 when the dictator Adolph Hitler came to power in Germany, Einstein left his native land for good. Einstein was a Jew. Hitler hated Jews. In 1940 Albert Einstein became a citizen of the United States. Although he made many important discoveries, he is best known for his theory of relativity. This law became the most famous equation in science. It read E=mc2². “E” stands for energy, “m” stands for matter, and “c” stands for the speed of light multiplied by itself. One day when five-year-old No matter how you hold it, the iron Albert was ill, his father bought needle always points north. Sailors him a gift. use it to find their way on the ocean. My son, I have What’s bought you a it for? compass.

Yes! Any way I point Space looks empty, but there must it, it always points be something there that moves the the same way! needle. Something I can’t see! He thought about the compass for a long time. Albert’s mother loved music. She spent many evenings playing music with friends.

albert einstein  Albert especially liked to listen to his mother and friends perform Mozart’s violin sonatas. One day … This is for you! He went to Practice, You must have the teacher. practice, music lessons. practice! Always scales and exercises! After a while … That is a pretty tune, but But Mama, I don’t you should be practicing like to do the same scales and exercises. thing over and over. The violin was a pleasure to him all of his life. But he never liked to learn things by repeating them.

Albert’s Uncle Jakob was an But algebra is engineer in the family business. great fun! Albert, what is Oh, Uncle, It is? the trouble? it’s a subject called algebra. We are hunting for a We hunt for it. We And that is the little animal. We don’t catch it! We give it answer! You see? know its name, so we its right name. call it “x.” Yes! I see!

albert einstein  Later a young friend gave him A few weeks later … books. I am sorry, I have brought Thank you Oh, Max! Good! Albert. You you two books very much! There’s a are already you may like, problem here far beyond one on physical you must help me in physics science and one me solve. and higher on geometry. mathematics! But at school … Please, sir. May You are not to ask I ask … questions! You are to memorize what is in your books, and recite it when you are asked. School is like the army. The teachers are officers. Everyone must do what he is told and be just like everyone else!

Please, couldn’t we Why, son, you There is move to another are too young no need to At home … country? If I stay for the army! worry about here, I’ll have to that now! be a soldier, and I would die! But his father’s business Yes, the business Then we will was in trouble. is failing. But our move to Italy! relatives in Italy offered me a job there. That’s just what I No, son. You must stay here, graduate, want, to move to You must and get your diploma so that another country. finish your you can go to a schooling! university!

albert einstein  Albert was Then, one day, the principal sent for him. very unhappy. You must leave school! You ask He was left questions. You set a bad example behind to stay to your classmates. You cannot with relatives stay here. and finish school. I must leave? He joined his parents in Italy. He loved it. He went to art galleries. He learned to sail. He listened to music. He climbed mountains.

But after a few months … The Swiss Federal Polytechnic Institute You must prepare Where will requires only that you pass to earn a living. he train? an entrance examination. Perhaps you Without a You are too young for it, should become diploma he but it is worth trying. an electrical can’t go to a engineer. university. Sixteen- He failed. But the school principal spoke to him. year old You show great ability Albert went in mathematics! If you to Zurich, go to the high school in Switzerland, Aarau for a year, you and took the will be able to pass our examination. examination. Aarau was 20 miles from Zurich. Albert Switzerland and the lived with a teacher’s family. He loved school are wonderful! the school, the people, and Switzerland. You don’t order people around. You answer questions! You help us to think for ourselves.

albert einstein  After a year, There was much to enjoy. That’s Mileva he was able She is a mathematics Maric. to enter the student. I have seen Polytechnical her in class, but I don’t Institute. For know her name. four years he loved the life of a poor student. Soon he knew Soon I will Another good There are Mileva very well. graduate and friend and new thoughts find a good job. classmate that may turn Then we can was Marcel around all our be married. Grossman. ideas about the physical world. But they are not yet accepted and taught here! I want to study them. But I You study the new ideas. I can’t do that and still keep up will take careful notes at the with the required lectures. lectures and tell you what you need to know for examinations. Thanks to this method, Albert passed his examinations.

10 What will I want to be But Albert you do now, a teacher. had not In August 1900 Albert? wanted to he and his friends go to the celebrated their professors’ graduation. lectures. Now they did not want to hire him as a teacher. I need a job. But in the The Swiss are so meantime, I will become a Swiss kind and so free! citizen. No matter how little All sorts of people money I’ve had, I’ve saved a bit live together every month to pay for that! peacefully here! I never felt like a German. In 1901 he was granted Swiss citizenship. He valued it always. In 1902 Your job is to study Yes, I see. thanks to his the model, see if it friend Marcel, holds a new idea. he was Then write up papers appointed to that will protect the a job in the inventor. Swiss Patent Office in Berne.

albert einstein 11 He made friends I make a living He sent for To the bride and in Berne he could wage. And my Mileva, and groom! talk with. job gives me they were time to think married. and time to work on my own ideas. The next year, the Albert? Hello! Einsteins had a son, Come in! Hans Albert. And a Whatever he was doing, he always had a notebook book nearby. in his H’mm … and pocket. then … yes!

12 He wrote to a friend … The first paper is on the radiation and energy In 1905 four of light and is very papers he had revolutionary. The fourth written were changes the theory of published in space and time. a scientific magazine. All were important. Sixteen years later, one would help to bring him a Nobel Prize. Most people never heard of these papers. But scientists in the world’s universities were excited. Some felt In Poland A new In Germany An important differently … Copernicus article This Einstein is is born! by Herr a madman. Read Einstein, we Einstein’s must study paper! it! The Zurich professors This Swiss Well, no. But perhaps were embarrassed. Einstein and his he will soon teach great theories. here! He is one of your professors, of course? Before, they would not hire him. Now he had a choice of jobs.

albert einstein 13 In 1909 he At Prague they offer me You should go became an a full professorship. That to Prague. associate means more time for my professor at own work and a higher the University salar y. of Zurich. In 1910 he had a new son. In 1911 he went to the University of Prague. They ask me what my religion You are Greek-Orthodox. My is. I don’t believe in dividing family is Jewish. But any God people up in such ways. I believe in does not fit into such labels. In Prague How life improves! And a In Berne, we had oil maid! lamps. In Zurich, gas light. Now we have electric light!

14 The Germans look down on Czechs. But there were other things. The Czechs hate the Germans! The Jews are set apart from the others. Still, it is a fine university, and my work goes well. He was After 18 months The school where I failed becoming in Prague, Einstein my entrance exam, where famous among returned to Zurich. I could not get a teaching scientists in job, now gives me a full Europe. Many universities professorship. invited him to give lectures. Several offered him jobs. His lectures Please, when And sometimes afterward … were popular. you don’t Yes, one moment, understand, I must write this ask questions! idea down. I believe in questions!

albert einstein 15 One day he had visitors. You may teach It is a fine offer. if you wish, or But I am no longer The best You will be spend all your a German, and I scientists in the head of a time on your don’t want to be world work in new Institute own research. one! I will come Germany. We of Physics, if I can remain a want you to a member Swiss citizen! work there. of the royal Prussian Academy of Sciences. The salary will be large. The Germans agreed. The Yes, it is best And if I ever win Einsteins moved to Berlin for us to divorce, the Nobel Prize, I in April 1914. But soon they but we will stay will give the prize agreed to separate, and friends. money to you! Mileva went back to Zurich with the boys. Albert found What can such armies Berlin full lead to but war and of German suffering? soldiers.

16 In August, We have written Certainly not! the Germans a paper telling the invaded world that Germany Belgium. is not to blame for Soon they the war. It is signed were at war by 93 famous with most of German scientists, the world. writers, artists. Will you sign it? Instead he joined with the Yes, unity They could find pacifist, George Nicolai. and peace, only two other We will appeal to instead of Germans to sign the Germans who nationalism their paper. But want to work and war! Einstein wrote together with the letters, went to rest of Europe meetings, and for peace instead made speeches all of war. aimed at bringing peace as soon as possible. Otherwise, he buried himself He had I remember you in his work. And in 1915 … relatives in when we were small Berlin. One children! Do you still It is done. Ten cousin was play the violin? years ago, the a young paper on my widow Yes, Elsa! special theory of with two It is one of relativity. Now my daughters. my greatest general theory … pleasures.

albert einstein 17 In 1918 Germany surrendered and This could be proved the war ended. In 1919 Albert and during a total eclipse Elsa were married. of the sun, when the stars would show up My theory holds that in the daytime. light traveling from the stars to earth will be bent as it passes near sun. So the stars will look to us as if they have moved out of place. Other scientists wanted to test We’ll do it! Einstein’s theories. In England … If we have people in Brazil and at Principe Island off South Africa, we should get fine views of a total eclipse. On May 29, on Principe Island … Quick! Another plate! The eclipse will last only two minutes!

18 Then on June 3 … I’ve spent the day Did you get I don’t know! There were measuring. what you clouds. I can’t tell until I The results wanted? develop the plates. agree with Einstein! On November 6, What is it, Elsa? Reporters! 1919, the English Dozens of announced them! officially that the theory of relativity had been proved. Overnight, Einstein found himself famous. What is Is it true How do you Has everyone the fourth Hollywood is to bend light? gone crazy? dimension? make a movie of your life?

albert einstein 19 There was mail from all over the And when Your autograph, world. he went Professor Einstein? out … But what There’s a lot Don’t will I do more outside! move! I with it? want your picture! Scientists honored him, and The attacks on Yes, now that he was offered jobs in many you are shameful, Germany is a countries. but only by riff- republic, there raff. We need you is new hope The more attention in Germany! for peace in I receive, the more Europe! I will some Germans hate stay and help! me! Because I am a Jew. Because I am a pacifist. Perhaps I should leave Germany.

20 I have not believed that Then come with me religions should separate on a money-raising He met with people. But now I see that tour of the United Dr. Chaim Jews need Palestine to look States! You can ask Weizmann, to as a cultural center. especially for money a leader of to found a Hebrew the Zionist* university. movement. The Einsteins arrived in Mrs. Einstein, Oh, no, though he has New York in April 1921. do you explained it to me so Reporters crowded onboard understand many times. But it is to interview him. the theory of not necessary to my relativity? happiness. Everywhere he went, great crowds welcomed him. Millions of dollars were raised for the Jewish National Fund. * a Jewish movement in response to growing anti-Semitism that sought to reestablish a Jewish homeland in Palestine

albert einstein 21 He was In the next few invited to the years, he would White House. visit many Columbia countries. University All over the gave him world he was a medal. honored and Princeton loved. University gave him an honorary degree. Albert, you That’s very nice! In Japan, a national holiday was have won the I promised to held in his honor. Nobel Prize! give the money to Mileva to educate my sons. In one country only was he not Albert, please The Nazi honored. In Germany, Hitler and leave Germany! party is only his followers blamed the Jews and These Nazis have a small part Einstein for all their troubles. shot our great of Germany. foreign minister, I must stay Dr. Rathenau. They here and help threaten to kill you! to defeat them.

22 We are planning an Perhaps, if I institute of great scholars could spend a But in the next ten years, at Princeton, New Jersey. few months the Nazi party in Germany They would have no duties there each grew stronger. And Einstein except to study and work year. had a visitor from America. as they wished. We would like you to be its head! His family and friends grew more There is a I had not afraid for his safety. rumor that realized they have my head The Nazis grow They attack offered was more threatening you by name. a $5,000 worth so every day. They call reward to much! your theory anyone who of relativity will kill you! a Jewish plot against the world! Albert, it is no joke. We have a trip Please, you must leave already planned. I’ll Germany! go to the United States for a winter at the California Institute of Technology.

albert einstein 23 After the winter in California, the Sir, Hitler has won the German Einsteins were preparing to return election and taken control of the home. country! What will you do now? I will not return to Germany under such conditions! They returned briefly to Europe. Then, they came back to the United States to make Princeton their home. Soon they were entertained at the In 1940 White House. Einstein was sworn in as I understand you Oh, yes, a citizen of share my love of it is the United sailing. wonderful! States. Other great We have reason That would be a terrible scientists fled to believe that thing! They could from Hitler and the Germans are blackmail the world! came to talk close to success with Einstein. in making atomic bombs!

24 Einstein’s letter to Roosevelt I will write to became famous. President Roosevelt The United calling his particular States entered attention to this the race for possibility. atomic power. German armies overran Europe. Japanese forces attacked the United States. On August 6, 1945, the United States exploded an atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. Nuclear weapons were a reality. In 1946 Einstein joined with other scientists to form a committee to warn the world of the results. To have security against atomic bombs, we must prevent war through a reliable world government.

albert einstein 25 Until his death in We have four How wonderful! April 1955 he was a tiny kittens at Will you take me familiar sight on the my house! to see them? streets of Princeton, living the quiet life he liked best. He never stopped working. And then there was the fight for First there was science. a peaceful world, faced with the threat of atomic war. The important thing is Our choices not to stop questioning. are: an Curiosity has its own end to the reason for existence. human race, One must try each day or giving up to understand a little war. of the mysteries of the universe.