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Diary Illuminates Einstein's Last Years

Posted by Hemos on from the never-has-the-topic-icon-been-more-fitting dept.

b00le writes "Several sources carry versions of this story about the diary of Johanna Fantova who shared much of the last years of Einstein's life (and cut his hair) and witnessed his kindness and poltical activisim. The diary does not seem to have been translated from the German yet, but the site has extracts. According to this, Fantova tried to publish the diaries herself and of course failed to find an agent."

7 of 166 comments (clear)

  1. Re:So why by Emperor+Igor · · Score: 3, Informative

    If you read the article, it appears to be for lack of trying on Fantanova's part. She didn't make it widely known enough that she had one, it says.

  2. Re:is this real? by Welpa · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, this is not so unbelievable. Heisenberg apparently did believe that Germany would win and was working on developing the atomic bomb for Hitler.

    There has been a lot of attention devoted to a meeting, in 1941, between Heisenberg and Niels Bohr, a Danish physicist, in occupied Copenhagen. There has even been a play about it, called "Copenhagen".

    You can read some documents about the meeting here .

  3. Re:MODS This is all true by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here is the rest of the story. I linked to only one the first time. Sorry.

  4. Re:is this real? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    For the German speakers. Here is a historical article about the German uran project. I heard the speaker at the Niels Bohr institute. He was quite convincing http://www.uni-muenster.de/PeaCon/wuf/wf-95/952140 1m.htm

  5. Depressed Parrot by hey · · Score: 3, Informative

    Einstein spent last years telling bad jokes to depressed parrot: diary

  6. Re:The successful de-politicization of Einstein... by Pentagram · · Score: 4, Informative

    Jack London, Helen Keller, and Albert Einstein are good examples of people whose political opinions were successfully submerged in the popular consciousness by elevating the non-threatening aspects of their life and work.

    And that's pretty sad. Helen Keller in particular: the part of her life where she first managed to overcome some part of her disabilities is remembered, but the campaigning work she did afterwards is forgotten. It's just about the most patronizing thing I can think of.

    With respect to Einstein, I think that he earned the right to have his views heard (though not automatically agreed with of course!) In that spirit, here's Einstein on socialism.

  7. I nitpick so you don't have to. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative
    "This political persecution of his associate was a source of bitter disillusionment," Fantova wrote, of the effect on Einstein of the persecution of Oppenheimer by the house un-American activities committee, led by McCarthy.

    I really wish the Guardian would check their facts before printing mistakes like this. (It has to be an editorial mistake by the Guardian, since someone alive at that time would have known better.)

    The House Un-American Activities committee was a committee of the House of Representatives. Joseph McCarthy was a Senator, and as such, would not have even been a _member_ of a House committee, much less its leader.