On the left wall in the vestibule of today`s Faculty of Science of Charles University in Prague`s Viničná Street (1594/7) there is a gilded relief of the head of Albert Einstein (1879 Ulm - 1955 Princeton) on a black plate. The memorial plaque, which was installed on the 10th anniversary of the death of this most famous physicist and mathematician, commemorates Einstein`s professorship at the former Institute for Theoretical Physics of the German University in Prague in 1911-1912.

The Prague metropolis offers several Einstein commemorative sites. The plaque at the staircase in the lobby of the Faculty of Science of Charles University in Prague in Viničná Street draws attention to his more than a year-long work in this Neo-Renaissance building, coincidentally completed in the year of Einstein`s birth.

A relief of Einstein`s head on a plaque of laminate patinated in bronze, with a brief text and life dates, was installed on the 10th anniversary of his death in 1965. The author of the relief is the sculptor Petr Sturma (1930-1995). The installation of the plaque was the work of the Faculty of Science of Charles University`s Scientific Council of the day.

Albert Einstein was brought to Prague by the possibility of obtaining a better paied post of full professor at the then German University, after the retired professor of mathematical physics Ferdinand Lippich, who also served as the first rector of the newly established German University in Prague from 1883 to 1884. Einstein entered the competition and was chosen by the scientific committee as the number one candidate in 1910. He soon received his appointment decree with effect from 1 April 1911 so that he could lecture in the summer semester. At the same time, he was appointed head of the Institute for Theoretical Physics.

Einstein came to Prague from Zurich, where he not only graduated from the Polytechnic (1900), but also obtained major scientific degrees - a doctorate in 1905 and an exceptional professorship in 1909 (habilitated in Bern in 1908). Einstein also returned to Zurich from Prague in August 1912 with his whole family, because he was offered a full professorship at the local technical school.

For the first time in his life, Einstein had a reasonably secure existence in Prague - his service fee was 6400 K (crowns) per year, with an active supplement of 1472 K. To cover the cost of moving his family to Prague, he was accorded a one-time payment of 2000 K by the abovementioned decree. He was also advised to apply for Austrian citizenship as soon as possible. Einstein usually lectured every morning in Clementinum: mechanics, thermodynamics, heat science, molecular theory of heat, continuum mechanics and mechanics of systems of material points. And for conducting a regular two-hour Friday seminar held at Viničná, where Einstein also had his main office, he received an additional 800 K a year.

In Prague, Einstein worked on gravitational lenses, a phenomenon based on the bending of light in a gravitational field, and on the foundations of his theory of general relativity. The first comprehensible interpretation of the principle of relativity was published as soon as 1911 in the journal Review.

Einstein drew his conclusions not only from contemporary scientific literature, but also from active discussions with colleagues, e.g. with Georg Pick and Václav Heinrich, future director of the Astronomical Institute of Charles University, or with the family of Moritz Winternitz, professor of Indology at the German University. Also he often visited his colleagues from the German natural science association Lotus in Prague.

Connected places: Commemorative Plaque to Albert Einstein on Oldtown Square in Prague
Commemorative bust of Albert Einstein in Smíchov, PraguePamětní deska Alberta Einsteina na Staroměstském náměstí; Pamětní busta Alberta Einsteina na pražském Smíchově

Keywords: physics; mathematics; Albert Einstein; Nobel Prize; gravitational lens; German University in Prague; Clementinum; Faculty of Science of Charles University

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Šolc, M.: Gravitační čočky, Einstein a Praha. Pokroky matematiky, fyziky a astronomie, 44/1999, č. 3, s. 233–248. – URL: https://dml.cz/handle/10338.dmlcz/141000 [6. 10. 2021]

Šolcová, A. – Křížek, M.: Čas plyne, jméno zůstává: Albert Einstein. Pokroky matematiky, fyziky a astronomie, 43/1998, č. 4, s. 265–277. – URL: https://dml.cz/handle/10338.dmlcz/139743 [6. 10. 2021].

Einstein a Praha, gravitace a vesmír. Výstava v pražském Karolinu (červen 2012). URL: http://ae100prg.mff.cuni.cz/vystava.php [1. 10. 2021].

Commemorative Plaque with the Head of Albert Einstein