Jost Winteler
Jost Winteler was born on the 21st of November 1846 in Filzbach, canton of Glarus. His father worked as a secondary school teacher and provided Jost with primary schooling at home starting around 1855. He attended school in Nesslau, canton of St. Gallen, during 1862. From 1862 to 1866, he studied at the Progymnasium in Schiers, canton of Graubünden. Winteler received his Matura from the Thurgau Kantonsschule in Frauenfeld, canton of Thurgau. He then enrolled at the University of Zürich to study history and German language between 1866 and 1870. He earned his Diplom degree there in 1870. Winteler continued his studies at the University of Jena from 1870 to 1875 focusing on philology. His doctoral thesis titled Die Kerenzer Mundart des Kantons Glarus appeared in 1876 under the supervision of linguist Eduard Sievers. This academic training has been described as rigorous by historians.
Professor Winteler began work as a teacher in the Autumn of 1876 at the Zollikofer school for girls located in Romanshorn, canton of Thurgau. He taught at the gymnasium in Burgdorf, canton of Bern, from 1877 to 1880. Winteler became director of the gymnasium in Murten, canton of Fribourg, starting in 1880 but resigned several years later in 1884 due to conflict with ultramontanist governors. For twenty-five years from 1884 to 1909 he taught Greek and history at the Aargau Kantonsschule. The school was one of the best-regarded institutions in Switzerland. It welcomed students who traveled from overseas countries. Einstein's sister Maja once described the school as having a deservedly high reputation. The institution allowed students to reach their own conclusions much like the experimental school created by Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. Winteler encouraged his children and Albert Einstein to speak their minds openly without fear of reprimand. His boisterous home served as a place of books music and parties.
In late October 1895 Jost Winteler met a sixteen-year-old Albert Einstein when he arrived at the train station in Aarau. Einstein had just come from Zürich which lay some 25 miles away. Jost brought Einstein to his new home called Rößligut located right across the street from the Gymnasium where he taught Greek and history. Einstein enrolled as a third-year pupil on the 26th of October 1895 though the school year had started three days earlier. He chose to be a student of the technical school rather than the gymnasium so he never had an official class with Professor Winteler. Gustav Maier helped arrange for Einstein to board at Winteler's home for a year. Hermann Einstein wrote to Winteler two days later expressing gratitude for taking in his son. Hermann stated that stimulating conversations in the house would bring intellectual benefits. Einstein stayed at the large home having his own room while the seven siblings treated him like a brother. Soon after arriving Einstein began referring to Winteler and his wife Pauline as Papa and Mama respectively.
A few months after moving into Winteler's house Einstein fell deeply in love with Winteler's youngest daughter Marie who was eighteen years old at the time. They were already a couple by Christmastime 1895. Albert and Marie enjoyed playing piano together but privacy proved difficult in a household of ten people. Jost informed his friend Gustav Maier by letter on the 21st of December 1895 that he believed they had come to the right place. Einstein elected to stay with the Wintelers for Christmas holidays instead of returning home to Italy. His parents wrote thanking them for their care and expressed happiness about Marie writing to them. Einstein and Marie exchanged numerous passionate love letters during spring break when he visited Pavia. School resumed on the 29th of April and Einstein returned once again to Winteler's house. He received his graduation certificate from the Aargau Kantonsschule on the 3rd of October 1896 before leaving mid-October for Zürich. Einstein officially broke up with Marie in May 1897 citing a desire to devote more time to intellectual work. The breakup placed emotional strain on the family relationship though the friendship never completely severed.
Jost faced a terrible triple tragedy on the 1st of November 1906 when his son Julius shot and killed his wife and his son-in-law Ernst Bandi then committed suicide. Julius had been working as a merchant ship's cook in America before returning home showing clear signs of severe mental illness. Albert Einstein sent him a letter of condolence on the 3rd of November 1906 expressing deep grief at the loss of life. Winteler believed that his son had inherited his mental illness from his wife's side of the family. Einstein lived in Bern which was 52 miles from Aarau at the time the tragedy occurred. Jost later started losing his voice in 1909. In this same year he began work as part-time religious instructor. He retired from teaching in spring 1914 and moved to Krummenau canton of St. Gallen. Jost died at age 82 on the 23rd of February 1929 in Wattwil canton of St. Gallen.
Winteler was a liberal whose political idealism helped shape Einstein's social philosophy. They both believed in world federalism internationalism pacifism and democratic socialism with strong devotion to individual liberty. The pair shared mutual distrust of imperial Germany's nationalism. Winteler encouraged Einstein to consider himself a citizen of the world inspiring him to relinquish German citizenship temporarily. Jost possessed edgy honesty and placed great stock in integrity helping Gustav Maier found the Swiss branch of the Society for Ethical Culture. Einstein remembered his former mentor many years later when Germany expanded under Hitler during World War II. He wrote to his sister on the 31st of August 1935 stating that he thought often of Papa Winteler and the prophetic accuracy of his political views. Einstein reminded several friends about these predictions made decades earlier by his old teacher.
Jost started losing his voice in 1909 marking the beginning of his physical decline. In this same year he began work as part-time religious instructor while continuing his public life. He retired from teaching in spring 1914 moving to Krummenau canton of St. Gallen. Jost had at least five grandchildren including Vero Besso born 1898 and Benvenuto born 1905. Carlo Michelstaedter became Winteler's son-in-law through marriage to Paula. The elderly professor maintained correspondence with Albert Einstein until his death. He received yet another letter from Einstein on the 3rd of October 1924 coincidentally the 28th anniversary of Einstein attaining his graduation certificate. Jost died at age 82 on the 23rd of February 1929 in Wattwil canton of St. Gallen.
Winteler's former home in Aarau still stands today bearing a commemorative plaque reading that Albert Einstein lived there during 1895/96. In 2006 a building at the Alte Kantonsschule Aarau originally named after physicist August Tuchschmid was renamed Albert-Einstein-Haus honoring Winteler's former houseguest. Jost Winteler was portrayed by actor Nicholas Rowe as recurring character on National Geographic's first scripted series Genius premiering the 25th of April 2017. The series based on Walter Isaacson's biography featured Winteler's character in three episodes including Chapter One and Chapter Two. The pilot episode directed by Ron Howard was nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing. The building where he lived remains a physical testament to the relationship between teacher and student spanning nearly a century of history.
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Common questions
When and where was Jost Winteler born?
Jost Winteler was born on the 21st of November 1846 in Filzbach, canton of Glarus. He received his primary schooling at home starting around 1855 from his father who worked as a secondary school teacher.
What academic degrees did Jost Winteler earn and when?
Jost Winteler earned his Diplom degree from the University of Zürich in 1870 after studying history and German language between 1866 and 1870. His doctoral thesis titled Die Kerenzer Mundart des Kantons Glarus appeared in 1876 under the supervision of linguist Eduard Sievers while he studied philology at the University of Jena from 1870 to 1875.
How long did Albert Einstein stay with Jost Winteler and when did they meet?
Albert Einstein met Jost Winteler in late October 1895 when he arrived at the train station in Aarau. Einstein stayed at the Winteler home for approximately one year beginning on the 26th of October 1895 before leaving mid-October 1896 to return to Zürich.
When did Jost Winteler die and what was the cause of his death?
Jost Winteler died at age 82 on the 23rd of February 1929 in Wattwil canton of St. Gallen. He had started losing his voice in 1909 which marked the beginning of his physical decline before retiring from teaching in spring 1914.
What political views did Jost Winteler share with Albert Einstein?
Jost Winteler and Albert Einstein shared liberal political ideals including world federalism internationalism pacifism and democratic socialism with strong devotion to individual liberty. They both held mutual distrust of imperial Germany's nationalism and Winteler encouraged Einstein to consider himself a citizen of the world.