32
An Einstein Chronology
1876 August 8. Hermann Einstein (b. 1847) and Pauline Koch (b. 1852) are
married in Cannstatt.
1879 March 14, 11:30 a.m. Albert, their first child, is born in the Einstein resi-
dence, Bahnhofstrasse 135, Ulm.
1880 June 21. The Einsteins register as residents of Munich.
1881 November 18. E.'s sister Maria (Maja) is born.
— 1884* The first miracle: E.'s enchantment with a pocket campass. First instruction,
by a private teacher.
—1885 E. starts taking violin lessons (and continues to do so to age thirteen).
~1886 E. attends public school in Munich. In order to comply with legal require-
ments for religious instruction, he is taught the elements of Judaism at
home.
1888 E. enters the Luitpold Gymnasium.** The religious education continues, at
school this time, where Oberlehrer Heinrich Friedmann instructs E. until
he is prepared for the bar mitzvah.
1889 First encounter with Max Talmud (who later changed his name to Tal-
mey), then a 21-year-old medical student, who introduces E. to Bernstein's
Popular Books on Physical Science, Buchner's Force and Matter, Kant's
Kritik der reinen Vernunft, and other books. Talmud becomes a regular
visitor to the Einstein home until 1894. During this period, he and E. dis-
cuss scientific and philosophical topics.
~ 1890 E.'s religious phase, lasting about one year.
~1891 The second miracle: E. reads the 'holy geometry book."
-1891-5 E. familiarizes himself with the elements of higher mathematics, including
differential and integral calculus.*The symbol — means that the date is accurate to within one year.
'This school, situated at Miillerstrasse 33, was destroyed during the Second World War. It was
rebuilt at another location and renamed Albert Einstein Gymnasium.520