Jost Winteler (21 November 1846 - 23 February 1929) was a Swiss professor of Greek and historyIsaacson (2007), p. 27. at the Kantonsschule Aarau (today called the Old Cantonal School Aarau), a linguist,Marková (2003), p. 183. a "noted" philologist,Brown (2018), p. 252. an ornithologist, a journalist,Overbye (2001), p. 12. and a published poet.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 388.Highfield & Carter (1993), p. 23. He served as both a mentorIsaacson (2007), p. 27. and father figureIsaacson (2007), p. 69. to a teenage Albert Einstein, who boarded at his home from October 1895 to October 1896,Calle (2005), p. 344. while he attended his final year of secondary school.Parker (2003), p. 46.
Early life (1846-1865)
Jost Winteler was born on 21 November 1846 in Filzbach, canton of Glarus. His father was a secondary school teacher,Highfield & Carter (1993), p. 22. and, as such, Winteler received his primary schooling at home, starting around 1855.
In 1862, he attended school in Nesslau, canton of St. Gallen. Then, from 1862 to 1866, Winteler attended the Progymnasium in Schiers, canton of Graubünden.
Winteler received his Matura, the equivalent of a high school diploma, from the Thurgau Kantonsschule in Frauenfeld, canton of Thurgau.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 388.
At university (1866-1875) Winteler studied history and German language from 1866 to 1870 at the University of Zürich, where he received his Diplom (in 1870). He went on to study philology at the University of Jena from 1870 to 1875. His doctoral thesis, Die Kerenzer Mundart des Kantons Glarus: In Ihren Grundzügen Dargestellt (1876), was supervised by linguist Eduard Sievers.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 388.
Winteler's academic training has been described as "rigorous".Highfield & Carter (1993), p. 22.
Jost met his future wife, Pauline Eckart, in Jena, Germany, while he was studying at the University of Jena.Calaprice & Kennefick & Schulmann (2015), p. 77.
Marriage and children
Winteler married Pauline "Rosa" (née Eckart) (25 August 1845 - 1 November 1906)The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 388. on 16 November 1871. Together, they had seven children: Anna (1872–1944),The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 378. Jost Fridolin "Fritz" (1873–1953),The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 13, Notes for Doc. 322, p. 467.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, Notes for Doc. 79, p. 267. Rosa (1875–1962),The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 5, Notes for Doc. Vol 1, 34a, p. 3. Marie (24 April 1877 - 24 September 1957),The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 385. Mathias (1878–1934),The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 10, Notes for Doc. 125, p. 401. Julius "Jost Jr." (d. 1 November 1906),Calaprice & Kennefick & Schulmann (2015), p. 77.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 388. and Paul (1882–1952).The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 389.Isaacson (2007), p. 27.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 428The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 388.
As a teacher
Professor Winteler began work as a teacher in the Autumn of 1876 at the Zollikofer school for girls, located in Romanshorn, canton of Thurgau. Then, from 1877 to 1880, he taught at the gymnasium in Burgdorf, canton of Bern. He then become the director of the gymnasium in Murten, canton of Fribourg, starting in 1880, but he resigned from his post several years later, in 1884, as a direct result of coming into conflict with the school's "hardline" ultramontanist governors.Highfield & Carter (1993), p. 22.
For the next twenty-five years of his life, from 1884 to 1909, Winteler would teach Greek and history at the Aargau Kantonsschule.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 388.
The Aargau Kantonsschule (Aargau Canton School), located close by to an experimental school that had been created by the educational reformer Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, was, "one of the best-regarded in Switzerland".Overbye (2001), p. 12. Like Pestalozzi's school, the Aargau Kantonsschule was a welcoming place where the students were, "allowed to reach their own conclusions".Isaacson (2007), p. 26.
Albert Einstein's only sister, Maria "Maja" Winteler-Einstein, once described Winteler's school, which her brother had attended in his youth, as having, "a deservedly high reputation". As such, the school was often attended by foreigners, some of whom had traveled as far away as overseas.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, English translation, p. xxii.
Friendship with Albert Einstein
Introduction In late October 1895, Winteler met a 16-year-old Albert Einstein when he arrived at the train station in Aarau, the latter having just come from Zürich, a city some 25 miles away.Parker (2003), pp. 44-45. Jost brought Einstein to his new home, called Rößligut,The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, Notes to Doc. 46. which was located right across the street from the Gymnasium where he taught Greek and history, and the Gewerbeschule, or Technical School, that Einstein was due to attend.Highfield & Carter (1993), p. 21. However, as Einstein had chosen to be a student of the technical school, and not the gymnasium, he never had an official class with Professor Winteler.Overbye (2001), p. 77.
On 26 October 1895, Einstein was enrolled as a third-year pupil at the secondary school; the school year had already started three days earlier.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, Notes to Doc. 9.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, p. 372.
Aarau, famously known as the "City of beautiful Gables", was once described by Einstein himself as, "an unforgettable oasis in that European oasis, Switzerland".Highfield & Carter (1993), p. 21. An "enchanting village", Aarau is located in a "magnificent setting" near the Jura Mountains and the Aare River.Parker (2003), p. 45.
Einstein had had to move to Aarau due to the fact that he had failed the general-education half of the two-part entrance exam to the Swiss Federal Polytechnical School at Zürich, thereby failing the test overall. He had subsequently been advised by the director of the Polytechnic, Albin Herzog, to finish up his education and obtain his Matura at a local secondary school before returning to Zürich to retake the exam the following year. Gustav Maier, a German weiter according to German Wikipedia, and a mutual friend to both the Wintelers and the Einsteins, helped to arrange for Einstein to board at Winteler's home for a year.Parker (2003), p. 44.Isaacson (2007), p. 38. By this time, Winteler had already boarded several students at his home and was used to such an arrangement.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, Notes to Doc. 9. Einstein's younger sister, Maja, would also board with the Wintelers later on, arriving in September 1899.Highfield & Carter (1993), p. 31.Calle (2005), p. 331. She would stay at the Winteler's home for several years, leaving in 1892.Parker (2003), p. 54.
It is noted in Barry R. Parker's book, Einstein: The Passions of a Scientist, that Einstein was "extremely lucky" to be taken in by Winteler and his family.Parker (2003), p. 46.
Einstein's maternal cousin, Robert Koch, was also sent to stay with one of Winteler's neighbors, as he and Einstein were to attend the same school at the same time.Parker (2003), p. 45. However, Winteler's friend, Gustav Maier, wrote to Winteler on 26 October 1895, and advised him that Koch should be, "under your most immediate supervision," and that, if Koch proved too unruly in his new home, he should "swap" rooms with his, "much more mature" cousin, Albert. Maier explained that Einstein would kindly, "make this little sacrifice," for his cousin's sake.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, English translation, Doc. 9. But this plan never came to pass. Einstein would remain at Winteler's home for the duration of his stay in Aarau.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, Notes to Doc. 9. Winteler's home was so large that Einstein was able to have his own room.Parker (2003), p. 46.
Two days later, on 29 October, Albert's father, Hermann Einstein, wrote to Winteler to express his gratitude for taking in his son, and praised his hospitality. He wrote: "I have… high hopes regarding the many intellectual benefits his stay there is going to bring him; the stimulating conversations in your house will also be of special benefit to his knowledge."The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, English translation, Doc. 11. Hermann looked up to Jost, as he had received a greater education than himself.Highfield & Carter (1993), p. 22.The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, English translation, Doc. 11 and Doc. 14, pp. 10-11. Winteler and Einstein waited to discuss the terms of boarding until after Albert was comfortably settled in his new home.Highfield & Carter (1993), p. 22.
Life at Winteler's house
Right away, Jost, his wife, Pauline, and their seven children made Einstein feel as though he were part of the family; indeed, the seven siblings each treated Einstein as though he were a brother. In time, he developed a deep bond with all of Winteler's children.Parker (2003), p. 51. Soon after arriving, Einstein started referring to Winteler and his wife as "Papa" and "Mama" respectively.Barry R. Parker (2003), p. 46.
According to Walter Isaacson's book Einstein: His Life and Universe, the Wintelers were, "a wonderful family", who helped the young, and shy, Einstein to, "flower emotionally and open himself to intimacy." Albert would sometimes study by himself, but, as Winteler's eldest child would later recount, he would, "more often... sit with the family around the table."Isaacson (2007), p. 27.
The head of the household, Jost, often led the family during their frequent post-supper discussions (or "stimulating conversations", as Hermann Einstein once called them), or else would read aloud at the dinner table instead. These debates featured a variety of topics, some controversial. Winteler actively encouraged his children, and Albert, to speak their minds openly and, "say… whatever they felt, without fear of reprimand."Parker (2003), p. 47.
Winteler's "boisterous" home was also, "a place of books, music, [and] parties." According to Dennis Overbye, the author of Einstein in Love, Albert, "quickly felt more at home in the Winteler household than he ever felt at his own home."Overbye (2001), p. 12.
The year before he had been invited to stay with the Wintelers, Albert had had to endure isolation and loneliness from the absence of his parents and little sister, who had relocated to Italy so that his father could start a new electrical business after the old one had failed. He was left behind in Münich, Germany (with a "distant relative"Eisinger (2016), p. 30.) so that he could finish his studies. While there, he witnessed the demolition of his beloved childhood home just before his family moved to Italy without him.Highfield & Carter (1993), pp. 19-20. This, coupled with the frustration of having to attend a school that he hated, had resulted in a full-out depression for the 15-year-old Einstein.Calle (2005), p. 23. So life at Winteler's cheerful and stimulating home naturally provided a welcome change for Einstein, and no doubt improved his mood. Einstein's sister herself once wrote in Albert Einstein: A Biographical Sketch, that her brother's stay in Aarau with the Winteler family was, "one of the best periods of his life."The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Vol. 1, English translation, p. xxii.
Einstein attends the Alte Kantonsschule Aarau