Four Uncomfortable Facts About Albert Einstein

Grim facts about one of history’s greatest scientists

An engraving of Albert Einstein, 1921 (Wikimedia Commons)

If you were asked to make a list of the most intelligent people who ever lived, Albert Einstein is one of the first names you would write down.

But beyond his scientific achievements — which include coming up with the theory of relativity — you probably don’t know much about Einstein.

And this is a shame, for there are many fascinating (albeit uncomfortable) facts to discover.

1. Albert Einstein’s Son Was a Schizophrenic

A photograph of Albert Einstein with his first wife Mileva Maric, 1912 (Wikimedia Commons)

Einstein married Mileva Marić in 1903, and the couple had three children:
Lieserl, Hans, and Eduard.

Eduard, the youngest child, became seriously depressed and suffered a mental breakdown while studying at the University of Zurich. He was later admitted to a mental institution and diagnosed with schizophrenia.

It’s hard to know what caused Eduard’s mental state to decline. Einstein — who was highly distressed by the situation — believed his son had inherited the condition from his…