302F Spring 2026 Albert Einstein, Scientific Publishing, and One Family's Journey

302F  Albert Einstein, Scientific Publishing, and One Family's Journey
Two sessions
Instructor: Jeffrey Metzger
Tuesdays, 11:50—1:15, Mar. 24—Mar. 31
The instructor’s maternal family played a central role in scientific publishing in Germany in the early 20th century. The family firm published the works of the world’s most important scientists, including many Nobel laureates. The firm worked with Albert Einstein on one of his two seminal manuscripts on The Special Theory of Relativity. This update to a course the instructor taught years ago at OLLI about the iconic Einstein manuscript and his family includes significant new research. After discussing Einstein’s drafting of the manuscript, the instructor discusses his family’s escape from Germany with the manuscript along an unlikely route, and their establishment of a very important new scientific publishing house in the United States. Finally, the story will explain the eventual “rediscovery,” publication, and sale of the relativity manuscript. The discussion will include a historical, albeit non-technical, discussion of special relativity.  
Jeff Metzger has worked in law practice, at the U.S. Department of Justice, and as associate general counsel of a multinational corporation. He is vice chair of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. He graduated from Amherst College, magna cum laude, and from Georgetown Law School.