SKIRMISHER

Einstein’s letters, recently revealed to the public, underline three facts:

• 1. Despite how decrepit he might have looked later in life, he enjoyed lots of sex with many women. Einstein was the goddamn Mick Jagger of physics.
• 2. He doted on his family/families, although much of it was probably lip service or expressed out of sheer guilt.
• 3. He was human; he could talk about the stars, but mostly his smaller head had its way with him.

Einstein bequeathed his personal papers to Hebrew University when he died in 1955. The letters released yesterday were an additional bequest added to the collection by his stepdaughter Margot Einstein on condition that they be sealed for 20 years after her death. She died in July 1986.

Researchers say the newly available papers offer few insights into Einstein’s science, but do shed light on the personal life and the character of the creator of the special theory of relativity.

…

He became involved with Elsa, a cousin, in 1912 when he was still married to his first wife Mileva, a fellow scientist with whom he had two boys, Hans Albert and Eduard. Before he and Mileva married, they had a daughter, Lieserl, who was given up for adoption.

In 1919, Einstein divorced Mileva and married Elsa, but within four years he was in love with Bette Neumann, his secretary who was also the young niece of one of his friends. Many more liaisons followed.

The letters reveal that a beautiful Berlin socialite named Ethel Michanowski followed him to Oxford, only to discover that he was involved with a third woman.

These letters somehow made me feel good about myself. I just don’t know why.

EINSTEIN IN NO-SOCK SHOCK [New Scientist]

EINSTEIN LETTERS REVEAL A TURMOIL BEYOND SCIENCE [Boston News]

Stumble it!