Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany. His father Hermann moved the family to Munich before his son was five to give him the best education possible. Einstein's first memory related to his father was a toy compass on Hermann's watch chain. His first memory of his mother Pauline was her playing Beethoven on the piano. Hermann moved the family to Milan after his business failed, but he left Albert behind to complete his studies in the German schools he detested. Albert did not graduate. He joined the family in Milan, Italy. He told his father he wanted to become a theoretical physicist and attend a technical school, like the Polytechnic in Zurich, Switzerland.

Although it took a year of preparatory study, Einstein was admitted to the Polytechnic, where he met—his future wife, the brilliant Hungarian student Mileva Maritsch. They had two sons, and Mileva...