Birth in Ulm
Albert Einstein is born in Ulm, Germany, into a Jewish family.
Move to Munich
The Einstein family moves from Ulm to Munich, where father Hermann and uncle Jakob found an electrical engineering company.
Move to Italy and secondary school in Aarau
After the family business went bankrupt, Einstein's family moved to Italy, while he himself completed his schooling at the cantonal school in Aarau, Switzerland.
Studies at ETH Zurich
Einstein begins his studies in physics and mathematics at the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule in Zurich.
Work at the patent office in Bern
Einstein finds a job as a technical expert at the Swiss patent office, where in his spare time he conducts revolutionary physics research.
The 'Annus Mirabilis': four revolutionary papers
In 1905, Einstein publishes four groundbreaking papers, including his special theory of relativity and the formula E=mc².
General theory of relativity published
Einstein completes his general theory of relativity, which describes gravity as a curvature of spacetime.
Confirmation during the solar eclipse
British astronomers confirm Einstein's prediction about the bending of light by gravity during a solar eclipse.
Nobel Prize in Physics
Einstein receives the Nobel Prize in Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
Emigration to the United States
Because of the rise of Nazism, Einstein leaves Germany permanently and settles in Princeton, United States.
Letter to President Roosevelt
Einstein signs a letter to President Roosevelt warning of the possibility of a German atomic bomb.
Death in Princeton
Albert Einstein dies at the age of 76 in Princeton, New Jersey, following a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
General theory of relativity published
After years of intensive mathematical and conceptual work, Einstein presents his general theory of relativity to the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin in 1915. This theory will forever change the way people understand the universe and forms the foundation for modern cosmology.