Chapter 5 Chapter 2 Milan｜Zurich

escape from the prison of mind In June 1894, the Einstein family moved to Italy except for Einstein.Mr. Hermann's factory in Munich was no longer viable.An Italian named Garoni suggested that the factory be moved to Italy. Einstein's uncle Jacob fully agreed with this, and led Hermann with his enthusiasm.Einstein, who stayed in Munich, lived in an old lady's house.The father wants his son to finish high school and get his diploma.Only with a diploma can one enter a university and obtain the qualification of an electrical engineer.This is the life path that a father plans for his son.

Alone in Munich, Einstein, who was originally a lonely man, was even more depressed and restless.He misses his family very much and hates school education.Munich gave him fresh and peaceful natural scenery, beautiful music, and deep religious feelings, but the six years of life in Luibold Middle School were the most painful memories in his life.Einstein, who had a strong independent personality, and his resistance to all arrogant authority were incompatible with the education system implemented in Germany at that time.On October 15, 1936, Einstein delivered a long speech titled "On Education" at the commemoration of the 300th anniversary of American higher education held at the State University of New York in Albany, New York. In a passage, apparently referring to the experience at Louis Bold High School, he said: I think the worst thing to do is to work mainly by means of intimidation, violence, and artificial authority.This practice destroys healthy feelings, honesty, and self-confidence in students; it produces submissive individuals.It is not surprising that such schools have become the norm in Germany and Russia.

Louis Bold High School is like a barracks. What did this barracks teach Einstein?Teach him to stuff, pretend, and stuff into his head desperately for today's good grades and tomorrow's fame and fortune.Whether it is useful or not, and whether you like it or not.The domineering, coercive, and ugly characteristics of German militarism have been reflected in Einstein's educational thinking since he was in middle school. Einstein couldn't bear it anymore, he became completely two people at school and outside of school. Outside of school, although Einstein didn't like to talk, his mind was peaceful and free.His classmates were still splashing in the shallow water of plane geometry at school, but he used his spare time to swim in the ocean of calculus.He is accompanied by music all day long, dreaming of ideals and hopes with religious fanaticism.According to his own thinking, Einstein, who was incompatible with school education, could only walk his own way alone.

In school, the future physics master's grades, except for mathematics, he has almost no good grades.The teachers thought he was lonely and mentally retarded, and blamed him for being undisciplined, absent-minded, and dreaming; most of the students regarded him as a stranger and never interacted with him.Once, Herman.Mr. Einstein asked the dean of the school what career his son should pursue in the future, and the dean answered bluntly: It doesn't matter what you do.Your son will be nothing. Yes, with such a strong personality, Einstein really couldn't become an excellent tool for the empire that the school expected.In Germany at that time, militaristic thoughts were flooding everywhere like a flood.The soldiers of the empire held their heads high and held their chests high in the streets, showing off their power, and the creed that the soldiers were uniform and took the empire as their life had almost become a model for the nation.Treating students as machines and soldiers, they can only repeat the dogma in the textbook monotonously, and can only take obedience as their bounden duty.The interest in learning and the joy of seeking knowledge have all been abandoned.Once, Einstein watched the military parade with his parents. The soldiers lined up neatly, staring at one point, knees stretched straight, and arms swinging at right angles.The drums were beating, the bugles were loud and loud, and the soldiers' leather boots and knife points glistened in the sun.The crowd of onlookers was cheering, and children of the same age as Einstein followed behind the team, imitating the appearance of soldiers, eager to grow up immediately, put on riding boots, and step on a horse, just like the slogan taught in the school: For Germany, for the emperor, go ahead!go ahead!

Einstein was stunned.This huge square team is like a machine, the movements are monotonous and orderly, and all the people have sullen faces and the same expression.Without thought, without individual will, people, these living people, can become tools of war.Palpitations and fear made Einstein feel even more terrible about the militaristic education method. As an adult, Einstein lashed out at this: Schools are sometimes seen simply as a means by which to impart vast quantities of knowledge to a growing generation.But this view is incorrect.Knowledge is dead; schools are to serve the living.It should develop in the youth those qualities and abilities which are useful to the common good.But this does not mean that individuality should be abolished, and that the individual should become merely an instrument of society, like a bee or an ant.For a society composed of individuals without individual originality and uniformity of individual will would be an unfortunate society without possibilities for development.On the contrary, the aim of the school should be to produce independently acting and thinking individuals, but who regard the service of the community as their highest purpose in life.

Einstein's predictions from his own experience were absolutely correct.The Third Reich, which strangled people's individuality and insisted on the absolute unity of spiritual will, brought disaster to the whole world, and turned Germany into an unfortunate society.In the spring of 1895, the earth rejuvenated.Einstein is sixteen years old.According to the law at the time, boys were exempt from military service only if they left Germany before the age of seventeen.Because he hated militarism and could not bear to stay alone in the barracks-like Louis Bold School, Einstein decided to leave Germany without discussing with his parents and went to Italy to reunite with his parents.However, if you drop out of school halfway, what should you do if you can't get a diploma in the future?Einstein, who has always been honest and simple, came up with an idea that he thought was good in his desperation.He asked his math teacher to issue a certificate for him, saying that he was excellent in math and had already reached the university level.I also got a sick leave certificate from a doctor I knew, saying that he was suffering from neurasthenia and needed to go home to recuperate.Einstein thought that with these two proofs, he could escape from this disgusting place.Unexpectedly, before he applied, the dean of students called him in and ordered him to drop out of school on the grounds that he corrupted the class style and did not observe school discipline.

Einstein blushed. No matter what the reason was, as long as he could leave this middle school, he was willing to leave it, and he didn't care about anything else.He just felt suddenly guilty about a cunning idea he had come up with that he didn't implement, and every time he mentioned it later, Einstein felt guilty.Probably this sort of thing was too far removed from his frank, sincere personality. Farewell, Munich!Farewell, Deutschland!Einstein suddenly found in his heart that he didn't have any sadness of parting, but rather a kind of joy of breaking out of the cage, a kind of freedom of breaking free from the shackles.

Farewell to the melancholy past!Hello, should be a bright future! In the spring of 1895, Einstein threw himself into the arms of Italy with a liberated mood.The green mountains and green waters, the white clouds fluttering, and the cows walking slowly on the pasture all made Einstein feel at ease, fresh and beautiful. When his distraught parents told Einstein that he could not go to school in Milan because the German school in Milan only accepted students under the age of thirteen, Einstein did not want to share his parents' worries, he just wanted to enjoy his successful escape from Luigipo The freedom and carefreeness of Elder Middle School.

A child who loves books has now become a prodigal son wandering outside the school gate.For a while, he lay on the grass, quietly reading the poems of Goethe and Schiller, for a while he traveled east and west in Milan, and for a while he went to the museum to appreciate Michelangelo's paintings and sculptures.Tired of visiting Milan, Einstein wandered alone on foot, crossed the Apennines, and came to Genoa on the Mediterranean Sea.Along the way, he enjoyed the southern sunshine and brilliant colors to his heart's content, and the feeling of spiritual freedom turned Einstein into a ball full of vitality, full of the elasticity of life.

Italy is indeed a fascinating place.Ancient Greek and Roman temples, museums and galleries of paintings, palaces and picturesque farmhouses.The people are cheerful and hospitable, their manners are free, they work and hang out, they rejoice and quarrel, all with the same passion and dance.Music, singing, and lively, melodious speech were heard everywhere.What a contrast to the seriousness and rigidity that surrounded him in Germany, where everything was done according to orders, regulations, orders, and tables! However, staying at home is not enough after all.My father's career went from bad to worse.The opening of electrical factories in Milan and Bavia drained all savings without gaining any benefits.Father told Albert in advance that it would be increasingly difficult to give him money and that he should find employment as soon as possible.Einstein's will was set: Mathematics and theoretical physics attracted him.But how to combine this kind of volunteering with practical activities?His father and uncle insisted that he pursue a career as a technician.

Einstein fell into distress again, and his father's nagging could only be heard in his ears all day long: Throw away all your philosophical fantasies!Find a way to learn something real, and become an electrical engineer in the future! Einstein had to accept the advice of his family that it was difficult to enter university without a high school diploma.However, there is a way.Across the Alps, in Zurich, Switzerland, there is a Federal University of Technology.This university enjoys a high reputation in Central Europe.Students over the age of 18 with the same academic ability can also apply for the exam, and the school also teaches in German.However, Einstein was only sixteen years old at the time, what should we do?Parents have full confidence in their son.Uncle Jacob, who loves mathematics, often thinks hard about some math problems, and he can't think of a solution for a few days, but little Einstein came up with the correct answer in a few minutes.There are too many such things.How could such a smart child fail to enter the university? In the fall of 1895, Einstein boarded a train bound for Zurich.Through his mother's connection, Einstein was allowed to take the entrance examination for the Federal Technical University.Examination subjects include political history, literary history, German, French, biology, mathematics, graphic geometry, chemistry, physics, drawing, plus an article.As a result, he lost the election.He didn't do well in the courses that required memorization, and he didn't have a high school diploma.Fortunately, he did very well in mathematics and physics, which attracted the attention of the school's professors and principals. The famous Professor Weber sent someone to inform him that if he stayed in Zurich, he could make an exception and grant him permission to sit in on his physics class.The principal also admired Einstein's extraordinary mathematical ability and profound mathematical knowledge. He gave Einstein a kind advice: he should take the exam one year after graduating from a middle school in Switzerland.The principal also personally recommended the state middle school in the small town of Aarau, which is the most advanced in terms of teaching methods and composition of teachers. Although Einstein himself did not want to go to middle school again, because the life in Munich middle school left a deep shadow in his heart.But what to do?It is definitely not acceptable to continue to stay at home doing nothing, and Einstein does not want to hurt his parents anymore. With a dejected mood, Einstein came to the town of Aarau, not far from Zurich.The picturesque scenery of this small town surrounded by mountains and rivers did not arouse his interest at all.Einstein, who stepped into the gate of Aarau State High School, seemed to have a big stone on his heart.He lodged with Mr. Wintler.Mr. Wintler is a teacher at Aarau State High School and is not only knowledgeable, but also has a deep understanding of educational psychology.He took Einstein on walks around the school and made his wife and seven children befriend Einstein.Soon, Einstein found warmth in Mr. Wintler's house, the depression passed, and a new Einstein was born. The teachers at Aarau Secondary School are open-minded and democratic.In the early nineteenth century, the great Swiss educator Pestalozzi was active near the state of Aarau, and his democratic and humanitarian thoughts were very popular in Aarau State High School.They disapprove of using the stick of authority and the bait of fame and fortune as a means of education.They advocate that students should be responsible for themselves, and the responsibility of teachers is to show students the charm of knowledge and science, ignite their curiosity, arouse their desire for knowledge, and let their intelligence develop freely.Mr. Wintler teaches German and history.He is simple and enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and collecting bird specimens is his hobby.He often took his students to go hiking in the mountains to collect animal and plant specimens.It is Mr. Wintler's greatest joy to let the children laugh and wash away the dust left on them by the years.Einstein and Mr. Wintler got along day and night, respected him, loved him, and they became good friends. For the first time in his life, Einstein loved school.The teacher was so kind, and the students were free to ask questions and study problems. For the first time, he enjoyed such democracy and freedom. Einstein changed: his love for life, his youthful vigor and vitality burst out.The timid, quiet teenager at Leopold High was now a young man with a big laugh, a firm walk, and a high spirit.Beneath his thick black curly hair, there was always a mocking look in his large brown eyes.The shyness of the early days was gone.A classmate later recalled Einstein's powerful, confident stride, the slightly sarcastic expression on his face, and his willingness to express his opinion regardless of whether it might offend others. In a fearless way.Einsteinian self-assurance came to light in a short essay Arrau wrote in middle school.This essay, written in less than perfect French, expresses for the first time Einstein's decisive will in the future, titled "My Future Plan". This precious short article is fully recorded: Happy people are so content with the status quo that they rarely think about the future.Young people, on the other hand, love to commit themselves to dreaming up bold plans.And serious young people naturally want to make the concept of the goal they seek as clear as possible. If I am lucky enough to pass the exam, I will study at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.I would stay there for four years and study math and physics.I imagined myself being a teacher of these departments in the natural sciences, and I chose the theoretical part of the natural sciences. Here are the reasons that led me to make this plan.On top of that, I tend to think abstractly and mathematically rather than imaginatively and practically.My wish also inspired such determination in me.This is natural; people always like to do what they are capable of doing.Besides, the scientific profession has a certain independence which I love so much. In the autumn of 1896, Einstein successfully obtained his secondary school diploma at the secondary school in Aarau with the following scores (the maximum score is 6): German 5 points, Italian 5 points, history 6 points, geography 4 points , Algebra six points, geometry six points, graphic geometry six points, physics six points, chemistry five points, natural history five points, painting (art) four points, painting (technical) four points. Life in Aarau strengthened Einstein's determination not to be a German.While in Munich, he asked his father to renounce his German citizenship.It is somewhat inconceivable for a child to give up the nationality of his motherland.Now Einstein begged his father again to grant his request.The father was easy-going and couldn't stand his son's repeated entreaties, so he wrote an application to the authorities.The authorities accepted the application, and after paying three marks, Einstein received a document issued by Ulm on February 28, 1896, officially announcing that Einstein was no longer a German citizen.On October 29th, Einstein was admitted to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and he was a stateless college student. The time spent at Aarau showed Einstein that in a school free from stereotypes and led by progressive people, teaching would be an interesting and engaging occupation, much like the activities of science. easy to combine.This experience left a deep impression on Einstein.In "A Fragment of Self-Report", he wrote: In 1895, after spending a year in Milan with my parents without school or teachers, I, a sixteen-year-old youth, came from Italy Come to Zurich.My goal is to go to the Federal Technical University, but I have no idea how to achieve this goal.I am a determined and self-aware young man, and my scattered knowledge is mainly obtained by self-study.Keen to understand deeply, but seldom recite it, and my memory is not strong, so I don't think it is an easy task to study in college.With a feeling of utter uncertainty, I signed up for the entrance exam for the engineering department.The exam sadly showed the inadequacy of my past education, despite the patience and compassion of the person who administered it.I think my failure is fully deserved.It is consolation, however, that the physicist H. F．Weber had someone tell me that if I stayed in Zurich, I could attend his class.But the principal Albin.Professor Herzog recommended me to go to the Aarau State High School, where I could study for a year to complete my homework.This school made an unforgettable impression on me with its free spirit and the simple enthusiasm of its teachers who did not depend on external authority; Comparing the six years of study, I deeply feel how superior the education of freedom of action and self-responsibility is compared to the education that relies on training, external authority, and pursuit of fame and fortune.True democracy is by no means an illusory utopia. Man is not a machine. If the surrounding environment does not allow him to be frank and speak freely, he will not be full of vitality! The short Aarau study career was the first beginning of Einstein's physics research.During this year in Aarau, I thought of such a problem: If a person follows the light wave at the speed of light, then he is in a wave field that does not change with time.But it seems that there will be no such thing!This is the first naive ideal experiment related to the special theory of relativity.The discovery of special relativity is by no means an achievement of logical thinking, although the final result is related to logical forms.At the age of 16, Einstein wrote his first physics research paper "Research on the Ether State of Magnetic Fields". The title is quite surprising, but the content is a bit naive.This is the first step of exploration independently taken by the founder of the theory of relativity. Future masters of physics are starting to forge their own swords.