people and trying to find better pedagogical methods than those he had been accustomed to in school. But he soon noticed that other teachers spoiled the good seed he sowed, and he asked that the teaching of the two boys be left completely in his hands. One can well imagine that the gymnasium teacher who conducted the boarding-house regarded this request as a rebellion against his authority. He felt there was an atmosphere of revolt and discharged Einstein. By this action Einstein now realized that it was not only the students but teachers as well who were crushed and made pliable by the mechanical treadmill of the ordinary school.
Einstein was again in a difficulty. All his efforts to find a teaching position failed despite the fact that he held a diploma from the Polytechnic and Swiss citizenship papers. He himself could not quite understand the reason for his failure. It may have been that he was not regarded as a genuine Swiss. With his recent citizenship, he was what the genuine Swiss patriots called a “paper Swiss.” The fact that he was of Jewish ancestry caused additional difficulty in being accepted as a true Swiss.
In the midst of this dark period there appeared a bright light. A fellow student of Einstein’s at the Polytechnic, Marcel Grossmann, introduced him to a man named Haller, the director of the patent office in Bern. He was a very broad-minded, intelligent man who knew that in every profession it is more important to have someone capable of independent thinking than a person trained in a particular routine. After a long interview he was convinced that although Einstein had no previous experience with technical inventions, he was a suitable person for a position in the patent office, and gave him a job.
In many respects Einstein’s removal to Bern was an important turning-point in his life. He now had a position with a fixedannual salary of about three thousand francs, a sum that at that time enabled him to live quite comfortably. He was able to spend his leisure hours, of which he had many, in scientific investigation. He was in a position to think of marriage and of having a family.
Soon after his arrival in Bern, Einstein married Mileva Maritsch, his fellow student at the Polytechnic. She was somewhat older than he. Despite her Greek Orthodox background she was a free-thinker and progressive in her ideas, like most of the Serbian students. By nature she was reserved, and did not possess to any great degree the ability to get into intimate and pleasant contact with her environment. Einstein’s very different personality, as manifested in the naturalness of his bearing and the interesting character of his conversation, often made her uneasy. There was something blunt and stern about her character. For Einstein life with her was not always a source of peace and happiness. When he wanted to discuss with her his ideas, which came to him in great abundance, her response was so slight that he was often unable to decide whether or not she was interested. At first, however, he had the pleasure of living his own life with his family. Two sons were born in rapid succession, and the elder was named Albert after his father. Einstein was very happy with his children. He liked to occupy himself with them, to tell them what went on in his mind; and he observed their reactions with great interest and pleasure.
Einstein’s work at the patent office was by no means uninteresting. His job was to make a preliminary examination of the reported inventions. Most inventors are dilettantes, and many professionals are likewise unable to express their thoughts clearly. It was the function of the patent office to provide legal protection for inventions and inventors, and there had to be clearly formulated statements explaining the essential feature of each invention. Einstein had to put the applications for patents, which were frequently vaguely written, into a clearly defined form. He had to be able, above all, to pick out
Einstein was again in a difficulty. All his efforts to find a teaching position failed despite the fact that he held a diploma from the Polytechnic and Swiss citizenship papers. He himself could not quite understand the reason for his failure. It may have been that he was not regarded as a genuine Swiss. With his recent citizenship, he was what the genuine Swiss patriots called a “paper Swiss.” The fact that he was of Jewish ancestry caused additional difficulty in being accepted as a true Swiss.
In the midst of this dark period there appeared a bright light. A fellow student of Einstein’s at the Polytechnic, Marcel Grossmann, introduced him to a man named Haller, the director of the patent office in Bern. He was a very broad-minded, intelligent man who knew that in every profession it is more important to have someone capable of independent thinking than a person trained in a particular routine. After a long interview he was convinced that although Einstein had no previous experience with technical inventions, he was a suitable person for a position in the patent office, and gave him a job.
In many respects Einstein’s removal to Bern was an important turning-point in his life. He now had a position with a fixedannual salary of about three thousand francs, a sum that at that time enabled him to live quite comfortably. He was able to spend his leisure hours, of which he had many, in scientific investigation. He was in a position to think of marriage and of having a family.
Soon after his arrival in Bern, Einstein married Mileva Maritsch, his fellow student at the Polytechnic. She was somewhat older than he. Despite her Greek Orthodox background she was a free-thinker and progressive in her ideas, like most of the Serbian students. By nature she was reserved, and did not possess to any great degree the ability to get into intimate and pleasant contact with her environment. Einstein’s very different personality, as manifested in the naturalness of his bearing and the interesting character of his conversation, often made her uneasy. There was something blunt and stern about her character. For Einstein life with her was not always a source of peace and happiness. When he wanted to discuss with her his ideas, which came to him in great abundance, her response was so slight that he was often unable to decide whether or not she was interested. At first, however, he had the pleasure of living his own life with his family. Two sons were born in rapid succession, and the elder was named Albert after his father. Einstein was very happy with his children. He liked to occupy himself with them, to tell them what went on in his mind; and he observed their reactions with great interest and pleasure.
Einstein’s work at the patent office was by no means uninteresting. His job was to make a preliminary examination of the reported inventions. Most inventors are dilettantes, and many professionals are likewise unable to express their thoughts clearly. It was the function of the patent office to provide legal protection for inventions and inventors, and there had to be clearly formulated statements explaining the essential feature of each invention. Einstein had to put the applications for patents, which were frequently vaguely written, into a clearly defined form. He had to be able, above all, to pick out
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