March 14 In History: Einstein Born And Almost Became President Of Israel
JAKARTA - On March 14, 1879, scientist Albert Einstein was born. Einstein was the discoverer of special and general relativity. His findings changed mankind's view of the universe. Regardless of science and theories, do you remember when Einstein was close to becoming president of Israel?
Einstein was Jewish. He was born and raised in a secular Jewish family. His father, Hermann Einstein worked as an engineer as well as a salesman. Together with his brother, Hermann founded Elektrotechnische Fabrik J. Einstein & Cie, a Munich-based company that produces mass electrical equipment.
Meanwhile, Einstein's mother is Pauline Koch, a housewife. Einstein really liked physics and mathematics. He attended the Federal Polytechnic Academy in Zurich, Switzerland, and became a Swiss citizen in 1905.
Einstein grew up a lover of peace. Before Hitler came to power, the physicist condemned conscription in Europe and warned of the dangers of anti-Semitism and the ideals of the Nazi Party.
Launching The Vintage, Einstein often talked about the racism he observed on his way to the United States (US). Einstein has also frequently protested against injustice, including during the Scottsboro Boys trial, in which nine black teenagers were accused of raping white women and eight of them were sentenced to death.
When Hitler came to power in January 1933, Einstein was in the US, safe from the repercussions of being Jewish in Germany, thanks to his job in California. As the Nazi Party rapidly rose to power, Einstein's views evolved.
In the same year, Einstein decided to stay in the United States and obtained citizenship of Uncle Sam's country. Einstein realized pacifism was no longer an option, and that the most important problem facing Europe was how to defeat Hitler, at any cost.
His outspoken skills angered the German government. They then attacked the science of his research and the fact that he was Jewish. However, this did not stop Einstein from opposing Hitler and the atrocities committed by his government.
Near the end of his life, Einstein was offered the opportunity to become Israel's second president. But with respect, he refused the offer. Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann, declared Einstein 'the greatest Jew alive' and hoped he would be his successor.
But Einstein, who was 73 years old at the time said that he was no longer young and did not have the skills as a president. Plus, he is not an Israeli citizen.
"I was deeply moved by the offer from our State of Israel, and at the same time sad and embarrassed that I could not accept it," Einstein said.
About Albert Einstein
Einstein died on April 18, 1955, at the age of 76 at the University Medical Center at Princeton. The day before his death, Einstein worked on a speech in honor of Israel's seventh anniversary, he was suffering from an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
When he was about to have surgery, Einstein refused because he believed he had lived his life and was satisfied to accept his fate. "I want to go when I want. There's no point in extending life artificially. I've done my part, now it's time to go. I'll do it elegantly," Einstein said.
When Einstein's body was autopsied, pathologist Thomas Stoltz Harvey removed Einstein's brain. The act was carried out without his family's consent on the grounds of preservation and future study by neuroscientists.
During his life, however, Einstein participated in brain studies and at least one biography claims he hopes researchers will study his brain after he dies. Einstein's brain is now at Princeton University Medical Center. As per his wish, his entire body was cremated and his ashes scattered in a secret location.
Einstein was awarded a Ph.D. from the University of Zurich while working at the Swiss patent office in Bern. That year historians call Einstein's career the annus mirabilis or 'the year of the miracles'.
Einstein published five theoretical papers that had profound effects on the development of modern physics. One of his most innovative scientific works was published in 1905, discussing what he called the special theory of relativity.
In special relativity, time and space are not absolute, but relative to the motion of the observer. Einstein's other scientific work also states that mass and energy are equivalent and can be calculated by the equation or the well-known until now, E = mc2.