“But look, it has really become a Lieserl, like it was your wish. Is it healthy and does it cry already a lot?”

Albert Einstein in a letter to Mileva Maric shortly after the birth of their daughter on February 4, 1902

Short life history: Lieserl Einstein-Maric

* January 1902 in Novi Sad (Neusatz), Hungary, †?

Private Einstein letters fell into the hands of the public in the 80ies and caused a lot of sensation, because they revealed that Einstein had an illegitimate daughter with his former fellow student Mileva Maric.

Mileva gave birth to a daughter at her parents’ home in Novi Sad. This was at the end of January, 1902 when Einstein was in Berne. It can be assumed from the content of the letters that birth was difficult. The girl was probably christianised. Her official first name is unknown. In the letters received only the name “Lieserl” can be found.

The further life of Lieserl is even today not totally clear. Michele Zackheim concludes in her book “Einstein’s daughter” that Lieserl was mentally challenged when she was born and lived with Mileva’s family. Furthermore she is convinced that Lieserl died as a result of an infection with scarlet fever in September 1903. From the letters mentioned above it can also be assumed that Lieserl was put up for adoption after her birth.

In a letter from Einstein to Mileva from September 19, 1903, Lieserl was mentioned for the last time. After that nobody knows anything about Lieserl Einstein-Maric.

The reasons why Albert Einstein and Mileva Maric didn’t take her daughter in after her birth won’t be explained here in any more detail.

Even today there is no sign that Albert Einstein has ever seen his daughter.