Who was Elsa Einstein? Everything You Need to Know

Elsa Einstein was born on 18 January 1876, in Hechingen, German Empire, to Rudolf Einstein and Fanny Koch Einstein. She grew up alongside her two sisters, Hermine and Paula. During the regular visits to her maternal aunt, she frequently played with her cousin Albert Einstein and developed a friendly bond with him. The two, however, parted ways in 1894 after Albert left Germany for Milan.

Continue Reading Below

Marriages

In 1896, Elsa Einstein married Max Löwenthal, a textile trader from Berlin. The couple had two daughters, Ilse and Margot, and a son who died shortly after birth. Elsa lived with Löwenthal in Hechingen. She eventually divorced him in 1908. Following the divorce, she along with her daughters moved to Berlin.

Elsa started a romantic relationship with Albert Einstein in 1912, while the latter was still married to physicist Mileva Marić. Albert divorced Mileva to marry Elsa in 1919. He adopted her daughters, Ilse and Margot, and treated them as his own.

Elsa spent her entire married life acting as Albert Einstein’s gatekeeper, guarding him from unwelcome guests. She also acted as a driving force for his career and managed his everyday business affairs until 1928. As his partner, she accompanied Albert during his many professional trips. In 1921, the couple traveled to USA to help raise funds for a cause. A devoted and selfless wife, Elsa Einstein took the utmost care of Albert even though he has not an ideal husband. In 1917, when he became seriously ill, she restored him back to health.

Elsa Einstein’s love for Albert was one without expectations. She accepted him wholeheartedly even when he confessed to her about his extramarital affairs. Some of the women he had affairs with while still married to Elsa were Margarete, Margarita, Estella, Ethel, and Toni.

It is unclear why Elsa Einstein stayed loyal to Albert even when he considered breaking off their engagement to propose marriage to Elsa’s daughter Ilse. However, Ilse declined his proposal as she considered him to be a “father figure” to her. This revelation was made public after Albert Einstein’s personal letters were acquired from Princeton University after his death.

Later Life & Death

After the rise of the Nazis in Germany in the early 1930s, Elsa and her husband couldn’t stay in Germany. In 1933, the couple immigrated to New Jersey, USA, after their property was seized by the government. Soon, Elsa travelled to Paris to take care of her daughter Ilse who was battling cancer. Not long after Ilse's death, Elsa Einstein developed heart and liver problems. She eventually died on December 20, 1936.

Elsa Einstein Biography