Who Was Mileva Einstein?
Mileva Marić-Einstein, the first wife of Albert Einstein, was largely unknown until the second half of the 20th century. Today she is both famous and controversial.
Mileva’s rise from anonymity starts in 1969 and the appearance of her first biography, written by Desanka Trbuhovic Djuric. The book titled In the Shadow of Albert Einstein: Tragic Life of Mileva Maric follows an unusual and talented Serbian girl from her childhood in the small town of Titel in southern Austro Hungary all the way to Zurich and studies of physics, where a fateful encounter with one of the greatest minds of all time would change her life forever. Through testimonials of friends and relatives, it gives us many details about Mileva’s fascinating life.
She came from a relatively well-off and educated family. Her father was a successful public servant and a caring figure whose love towards his daughter transcendent the patriarchal constraints of the time. Her mother was a forward-thinking and supportive mistress of the house, with substantial family wealth. Her older brother was a scientist, and later in his life, a founder of the histological department of the Russian State University of Saratov. Mileva was a kind, intelligent, and serious girl, interested in mathematics, biology, science, and…
