An apartment building located on Kramgasse No. 49 in Bern, Switzerland looks the same as many others in the city and region, but this one is different. A flat on the second floor of the house was occupied by Albert Einstein, and that space has been transformed into Einsteinhaus (Einstein House), serving as both a museum to and showcase of Einstein’s life. It’s an incredible example of what it can mean to transform something that would otherwise be forgotten into a monument.
The Apartment Where Albert Einstein
In 1902, Albert Einstein moved to Bern after applying for a job at the Federal Patent Office. Einstein lived with his wife and baby on the second floor of Kramgasse No. 49 from 1903 to 1905 while working a 48 hour week in the Patent Office. It was during this time period and in this apartment that he wrote four papers that would revolutionize physics.
The apartment has been restored to look as it did during the time Einstein lived in it. The old spiral staircase to the second floor has been left in its original state, while the living conditions of Einstein and his wife Mileva with their son Hans Albert are shown more accurately in the apartment on the second floor. Furniture from that time as well as pictures and texts are presented throughout the space with the help of modern exhibition systems.
The third floor of the Einstein House was not utilized by Einstein during his time in the apartment, but it is included in the museum. Various kinds of publications, books, and postcards are offered for sale. In addition, a 20-minute video introduces his life, thoughts and work. This rich history has defined the experience for visitors of the museum but has also had an influence that extends far beyond the building.
The Influence of Einstein
While Einstein was only in the apartment on Kramgasse No. 49 until 1905, he lived in Bern until 1909, and that has contributed to the creation of both the Einstein House and the Einstein Museum, which is one of the top attractions for the city. The Museum traces the different aspects of Einstein’s life with over 550 original objects, 70 films, and a number of animations.
That popularity stems from the attraction created in his former residence, where tours in German, English, French, Italian and Korean are offered almost at any time, even outside opening hours. Guided tours for schools are also available, and these tours feature everything from demonstrations of simple experiments to explanations of the papers he published while living in the apartment.
As a testament to the influence of Einstein, the European Physical Society [EPS] and the American Physical Society [APS] inaugurated the Einstein House as the first joint EPS-APS Historic site on 14 September 2015. These developments underscore what a source of inspiration he is for both residents and tourists, and showcase what it means to celebrate genuine history that could have easily been forgotten.
A Life and Legacy
What would otherwise just be a non-descript apartment on a street in Bern has been transformed into something so much more for visitors and the city. The life and legacy of Albert Einstein are on full display in the Einstein House, and like other museums that have created monuments out of pieces of history, it highlights what it can mean for the economy and culture of a city when such legacies are recognized and celebrated.
