The Einstein murders

Welcome to the History Extra podcast. Fascinating historical conversations from the makers of BBC History magazine. In the summer of 1944, as German forces were retreating in northern Italy, a small group of soldiers made a detour to a remote villa in search of the cousin of Albert Einstein. Robert Einstein posed no threat to the Nazi regime, but nonetheless they were determined to hunt him down. The tragic events that followed are the basis of a new book by the bestselling author Thomas Harding.

He spoke to Robata about an appalling crime and the decades long hunt for justice that followed. Can we begin with Robert Einstein? He's a cousin of the world-famous physicist Albert, but he's actually quite a remarkable man in his own right too. What can you tell us about Robert's early life? So Robert Einstein was living with Albert Einstein for the first 11 years of his life.

So they were very much sharing the same background, the same experiences as young children. They lived in Munich. Robert's father and Albert's father were in business together. They were in the business of electrification at the end of the 19th century. So for example, in Munich, they were electrifying beer halls and certain public spaces.

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